Core i3-7100H vs Athlon X4 860K
Core i3-7100H
Athlon X4 860K
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. The Core i3-7100H is positioned at rank 522 and the Athlon X4 860K is on rank 480, so the Athlon X4 860K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-7100H
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 860K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-7100H | Athlon X4 860K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-H (2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-7100H | Athlon X4 860K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 Core i3-7100H and Athlon X4 860K
Core i3-7100H
The Core i3-7100H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-H (2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,450 points. Launch price was $393.
Athlon X4 860K
The Athlon X4 860K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,425 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i3-7100H packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X4 860K offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 860K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core i3-7100H versus 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 860K — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 860K (base: 3 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i3-7100H uses the Kaby Lake-H (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon X4 860K uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7100H scores 3,450 against the Athlon X4 860K's 3,425 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i3-7100H.
| Feature | Core i3-7100H | Athlon X4 860K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 4 GHz+43% |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz | 3.7 GHz+23% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 14 nm-50% | 28 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake-H (2017) | Kaveri (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 3,450 | 3,425 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,011 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-7100H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon X4 860K uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-7100H versus DDR3-2133 on the Athlon X4 860K — the Core i3-7100H supports 28.6% 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. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM175,QM175,CM238 (Core i3-7100H) and AMD FM2+ (Athlon X4 860K).
| Feature | Core i3-7100H | Athlon X4 860K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1440 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400+33% | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7100H) / not specified (Athlon X4 860K). The Core i3-7100H includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 630), while the Athlon X4 860K requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-7100H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-7100H rivals Ryzen 3 2300U.
| Feature | Core i3-7100H | Athlon X4 860K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 630 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Performance Laptop | — |
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