Athlon Silver 3050e vs FX-4300

AMD

Athlon Silver 3050e

2 Cores4 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2020
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

FX-4300

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 4 GHz2012
Similar parts
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Athlon Silver 3050e vs FX-4300 Performance Spectrum

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 FX-4300 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 FX-4300: 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

  • Costs $22 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).
  • Delivers 21.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 29.8 vs 24.5 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).
  • Draws 1W instead of 95W, a 94W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 3, while FX-4300 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-4300 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (2,979 vs 2,995).

FX-4300

2012

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.5 vs 29.8 PassMark/$ ($122 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
  • 9400% higher power demand at 95W vs 1W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Athlon Silver 3050e can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is FX-4300 better than Athlon Silver 3050e?
Yes. FX-4300 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 11.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, FX-4300 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 11.0% 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, FX-4300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
FX-4300 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. FX-4300 comes in 22.0% more expensive on MSRP at $122 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 11.0% 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 11.0% 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). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon Silver 3050e vs FX-4300 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

AMD

FX-4300

The FX-4300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,995 points. Launch price was $122.

Processing Power

The Athlon Silver 3050e packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the FX-4300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the FX-4300 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon Silver 3050e versus 4 GHz on the FX-4300 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the FX-4300 (base: 1.4 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Athlon Silver 3050e uses the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the FX-4300 uses Vishera (2012−2015) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 3050e scores 2,979 against the FX-4300's 2,995 — a 0.5% lead for the FX-4300.

FeatureAthlon Silver 3050eFX-4300
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz
4 GHz+43%
Base Clock
1.4 GHz
3.8 GHz+171%
L3 Cache
4 MB
L2 Cache
1 MB
4096 kB+300%
Process
14 nm-56%
32 nm
Architecture
Dali (Zen) (2020)
Vishera (2012−2015)
PassMark
2,979
2,995
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 FX-4300 uses AM3+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon Silver 3050eFX-4300
Socket
FP5
AM3+
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
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 (FX-4300). The Athlon Silver 3050e includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the FX-4300 requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureAthlon Silver 3050eFX-4300
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 FX-4300 came in at $122. On launch pricing ($100 vs $122), Athlon Silver 3050e was $22 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Silver 3050e delivers 29.8 pts/$ vs 24.5 pts/$ for the FX-4300 — making the Athlon Silver 3050e the 19.3% better value option.

FeatureAthlon Silver 3050eFX-4300
MSRP
$100-18%
$122
Performance per Dollar
29.8+22%
24.5
Release Date
2020
2012

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