Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i5-6200U

Athlon Silver 3050e vs Core i5-6200U Performance Spectrum

Athlon Silver 3050e

2 / 4

2,979

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-6200U

2 / 4

2,990

+0.4%

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 i5-6200U 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 i5-6200U: 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).
✅Draws 1W instead of 15W, a 14W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (758 vs 946).
❌Lower PassMark (2,979 vs 2,990).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Core i5-6200U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-6200U

2015

Why buy it

✅+24.8% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌1400% higher power demand at 15W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-6200U better than Athlon Silver 3050e?

Yes. Core i5-6200U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-6200U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% 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 i5-6200U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-6200U is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i5-6200U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.4% 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 2.4% 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 2015) 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 i5-6200U 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 i5-6200U

The Core i5-6200U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,990 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon Silver 3050e and Core i5-6200U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i5-6200U — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-6200U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 3050e scores 2,979 against the Core i5-6200U's 2,990 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-6200U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 758 vs 946, a 22.1% lead for the Core i5-6200U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Athlon Silver 3050e vs 3 MB on the Core i5-6200U.

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-6200U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	2.3 GHz+64%
L3 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Dali (Zen) (2020)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,979	2,990
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,175	—
Geekbench 6 Single	758	946+25%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,494	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-6200U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2400 on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-6200U — the Athlon Silver 3050e supports 12.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon Silver 3050e) vs 12 (Core i5-6200U) — the Core i5-6200U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Dalí (Athlon Silver 3050e) and Integrated (Core i5-6200U).

Feature	Athlon Silver 3050e	Core i5-6200U
Socket	FP5	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2400+13%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	12+50%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon Silver 3050e) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-6200U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Silver 3050e) and HD Graphics 520 (Core i5-6200U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6200U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-6200U rivals A12-9700P.