Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i5-3470T

Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i5-3470T Performance Spectrum

Athlon Silver 3050e

2 / 4

2,979

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-3470T

2 / 4

2,999

+0.7%

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 Silver 3050e vs Core i5-3470T 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 Silver 3050e vs Core i5-3470T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon Silver 3050e

2020

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Costs $84 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $184 MSRP).
✅Delivers 82.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 29.8 vs 16.3 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $184 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-3470T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,979 vs 2,999).

Core i5-3470T

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.3 vs 29.8 PassMark/$ ($184 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon Silver 3050e can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-3470T better than Athlon Silver 3050e?

Yes. Core i5-3470T is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-3470T is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-3470T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-3470T is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i5-3470T comes in 84.0% more expensive on MSRP at $184 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon Silver 3050e only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 3.8% in the shared gaming data.

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

Athlon Silver 3050e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2012) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i5-3470T Technical Specifications

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

Athlon Silver 3050e

The Athlon Silver 3050e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,979 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-3470T

The Core i5-3470T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,999 points. Launch price was $210.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon Silver 3050e and Core i5-3470T share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-3470T — a 25% clock advantage for the Core i5-3470T (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-3470T uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 3050e scores 2,979 against the Core i5-3470T's 2,999 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-3470T. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Athlon Silver 3050e vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3470T.

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-3470T
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	3.6 GHz+29%
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	2.9 GHz+107%
L3 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Dali (Zen) (2020)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,979	2,999
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,175	—
Geekbench 6 Single	758	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,494	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-3470T uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-3470T
Socket	FP5	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon Silver 3050e) / not specified (Core i5-3470T). The Athlon Silver 3050e includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i5-3470T requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-3470T
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Radeon Vega 3	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Silver 3050e was priced at $100, while the Core i5-3470T came in at $184. On launch pricing ($100 vs $184), Athlon Silver 3050e was $84 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Silver 3050e delivers 29.8 pts/$ vs 16.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-3470T — making the Athlon Silver 3050e the 58.5% better value option.

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-3470T
MSRP	$100-46%	$184
Performance per Dollar	29.8+83%	16.3
Release Date	2020	2012

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