Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs Core i3-9100TE

AMD

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2020
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i3-9100TE

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs Core i3-9100TE 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 PRO 3125GE vs Core i3-9100TE 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 PRO 3125GE vs Core i3-9100TE: 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 PRO 3125GE

2020

Why buy it

  • +1% higher PassMark.
  • Costs $14 less on MSRP ($108 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).
  • Delivers 14.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 42.9 vs 37.6 PassMark/$ ($108 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-9100TE across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Core i3-9100TE

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
  • 100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (4,589 vs 4,633).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.6 vs 42.9 PassMark/$ ($122 MSRP vs $108 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE better than Core i3-9100TE?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-9100TE is ahead with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark. Core i3-9100TE also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is the better buy right now. Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE comes in $14 cheaper on MSRP at $108 MSRP versus $122 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i3-9100TE is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 14.0% better value on MSRP (42.9 vs 37.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs Core i3-9100TE Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 4,633 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i3-9100TE

The Core i3-9100TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 4,589 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-9100TE offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i3-9100TE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-9100TE — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i3-9100TE uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE scores 4,633 against the Core i3-9100TE's 4,589 — a 1% lead for the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9100TE.

FeatureAthlon Silver PRO 3125GECore i3-9100TE
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz+6%
3.2 GHz
Base Clock
3.4 GHz+55%
2.2 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)+100%
256K (per core)
Process
12 nm-14%
14 nm
Architecture
Picasso (2019−2022)
Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark
4,633
4,589
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-9100TE uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2667 on the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE versus DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-9100TE — the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE supports 11.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE) vs 16 (Core i3-9100TE) — the Core i3-9100TE offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureAthlon Silver PRO 3125GECore i3-9100TE
Socket
AM4
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2667+11%
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
8
16+100%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE) / VT-x (Core i3-9100TE). Both include integrated graphics AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i3-9100TE) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-9100TE targets Embedded.

FeatureAthlon Silver PRO 3125GECore i3-9100TE
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon Vega 3
UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Embedded
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE was priced at $108, while the Core i3-9100TE came in at $122. On launch pricing ($108 vs $122), Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE was $14 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE delivers 42.9 pts/$ vs 37.6 pts/$ for the Core i3-9100TE — making the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE the 13.1% better value option.

FeatureAthlon Silver PRO 3125GECore i3-9100TE
MSRP
$108-11%
$122
Performance per Dollar
42.9+14%
37.6
Release Date
2020
2019

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