Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs Core i7-6970HQ
Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE
Core i7-6970HQ
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6970HQ
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Picasso (2019−2022) / 12 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($70) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE and Core i7-6970HQ
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.
Core i7-6970HQ
The Core i7-6970HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,632 points. Launch price was $623.
Processing Power
The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-6970HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-6970HQ has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-6970HQ — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-6970HQ (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i7-6970HQ uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE scores 4,633 against the Core i7-6970HQ's 4,632 — a 0% lead for the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6970HQ.
| Feature | Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz | 3.7 GHz+9% |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+21% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 8 MB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 12 nm-14% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Picasso (2019−2022) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 4,633 | 4,632 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6970HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | — |
Advanced Features
The Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-6970HQ requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | AMD Radeon Vega 3 | — |
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