Athlon PRO 3045B
VS
Core i7-5550U

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-5550U

AMD

Athlon PRO 3045B

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Core i7-5550U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon PRO 3045B is positioned at rank 1177 and the Core i7-5550U is on rank 485, so the Core i7-5550U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon PRO 3045B

#1164
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
4514%
#1165
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
4448%
#1166
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
4083%
#1167
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
4065%
#1168
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
4027%
#1170
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3889%
#1171
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
3729%
#1172
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
3723%
#1173
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
3623%
#1176
Core 2 Duo SL9600
MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A
100%
#1177
Athlon PRO 3045B
MSRP: $426|Avg: $180
100%
#1178
Core 2 Duo T5600
MSRP: $241|Avg: N/A
100%
#1179
Pentium N3510
MSRP: $161|Avg: $161
99%
#1180
Core i7-7Y75
MSRP: $393|Avg: $285
99%
#1182
Core i7-4500U
MSRP: $398|Avg: N/A
96%
#1184
Athlon Neo X2 L325
MSRP: $100|Avg: $5
95%
#1185
Core i3-2370M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
94%
#1186
Core i3-3217UE
MSRP: $225|Avg: $35
93%
#1187
Celeron T3000
MSRP: $150|Avg: $54
93%
#1188
Core m7-6Y75
MSRP: $393|Avg: $393
92%
#1189
Core M-5Y10
MSRP: $281|Avg: $20
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5550U

#153
Core i7-1370P
MSRP: $438|Avg: $280
99%
#473
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
633%
#474
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
624%
#475
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
573%
#476
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
570%
#477
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
565%
#479
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
546%
#480
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
523%
#481
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
522%
#482
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
508%
#485
Core i7-5550U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#488
Processor U300
MSRP: $193|Avg: $180
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Athlon PRO 3045B (2021) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightAthlon PRO 3045BCore i7-5550U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($180)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Dali (2020−2021) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-5550U (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightAthlon PRO 3045BCore i7-5550U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($180)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon PRO 3045B and Core i7-5550U

AMD

Athlon PRO 3045B

The Athlon PRO 3045B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (2020−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,770 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i7-5550U

The Core i7-5550U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,780 points. Launch price was $426.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon PRO 3045B and Core i7-5550U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon PRO 3045B versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-5550U — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Athlon PRO 3045B (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the Dali (2020−2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-5550U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 3045B scores 2,770 against the Core i7-5550U's 2,780 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-5550U. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i7-5550U
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+7%
3 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz+15%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)+100%
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Dali (2020−2021)
Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark
2,770
2,780
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-5550U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i7-5550U
Socket
FP5
FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
8
🔧

Advanced Features

The Athlon PRO 3045B includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-5550U requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i7-5550U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon Vega 3