Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-870S

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-870S Performance Spectrum

Athlon PRO 3045B

2 / 4

2,770

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-870S

4 / 8

2,765

0.0%

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.

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-870S FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-870S: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon PRO 3045B

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 82W, a 67W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Vega 3, while Core i7-870S needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-870S across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.5 vs 9.2 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).

Core i7-870S

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Costs $126 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 9.2 vs 6.5 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,765 vs 2,770).
❌446.7% higher power demand at 82W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon PRO 3045B can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon PRO 3045B better than Core i7-870S?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-870S is ahead with a 7.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon PRO 3045B pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Core i7-870S also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon PRO 3045B is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon PRO 3045B is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon PRO 3045B comes in 42.0% more expensive on MSRP at $426 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. Core i7-870S only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 41.7% better value on paper (9.2 vs 6.5 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1156.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon PRO 3045B makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i7-870S Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Core i7-870S

The Core i7-870S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 July 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 82 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,765 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon PRO 3045B packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-870S offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-870S has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon PRO 3045B versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-870S — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-870S (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the Dali (2020−2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-870S uses Lynnfield (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 3045B scores 2,770 against the Core i7-870S's 2,765 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon PRO 3045B. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon PRO 3045B vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-870S.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i7-870S
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.6 GHz+12%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.66 GHz+16%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Dali (2020−2021)	Lynnfield (2009−2010)
PassMark	2,770	2,765

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-870S uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i7-870S
Socket	FP5	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+100%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

The Athlon PRO 3045B includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-870S requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i7-870S
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Vega 3	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon PRO 3045B was priced at $426, while the Core i7-870S came in at $300. On launch pricing ($426 vs $300), Core i7-870S was $126 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon PRO 3045B delivers 6.5 pts/$ vs 9.2 pts/$ for the Core i7-870S — making the Core i7-870S the 34.5% better value option.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i7-870S
MSRP	$426	$300-30%
Performance per Dollar	6.5	9.2+42%
Release Date	2021	2010

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