Core i3-8121U vs Athlon PRO 300GE
Core i3-8121U
Athlon PRO 300GE
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. The Core i3-8121U is positioned at rank #166 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Core i3-8121U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon PRO 300GE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-8121U | Athlon PRO 300GE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 10 nm) | ✨ Modern (Zen+ (2018−2019) / 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-8121U | Athlon PRO 300GE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
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 i3-8121U and Athlon PRO 300GE
Core i3-8121U
The Core i3-8121U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 May 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,271 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon PRO 300GE
The Athlon PRO 300GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 4,342 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Core i3-8121U and Athlon PRO 300GE share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-8121U versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon PRO 300GE — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Athlon PRO 300GE. The Core i3-8121U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (10 nm), while the Athlon PRO 300GE uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8121U scores 4,271 against the Athlon PRO 300GE's 4,342 — a 1.6% lead for the Athlon PRO 300GE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-8121U vs 4 MB on the Athlon PRO 300GE.
| Feature | Core i3-8121U | Athlon PRO 300GE |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 4 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 10 nm-17% | 12 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) | Zen+ (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 4,271 | 4,342+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,178 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,250 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-8121U uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon PRO 300GE uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Athlon PRO 300GE supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-8121U) vs 8 (Athlon PRO 300GE) — the Core i3-8121U offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Core i3-8121U) and AMD AM4 (Athlon PRO 300GE).
| Feature | Core i3-8121U | Athlon PRO 300GE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1440 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+100% | 8 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i3-8121U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8121U) vs AMD-V (Athlon PRO 300GE). The Athlon PRO 300GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i3-8121U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8121U targets Productivity, Athlon PRO 300GE targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-8121U rivals Core i3-8130U.
| Feature | Core i3-8121U | Athlon PRO 300GE |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon Vega 3 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | Yes | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Productivity | Desktop |
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