Core i3-9100E vs Ryzen 5 3450U

Core i3-9100E vs Ryzen 5 3450U Performance Spectrum

Core i3-9100E

4 / 4

6,539

0.0%

6,550

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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.

Core i3-9100E vs Ryzen 5 3450U 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.

Core i3-9100E vs Ryzen 5 3450U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-9100E

2018

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3450U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,539 vs 6,550).
❌Launch MSRP is still $202 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3450U better than Core i3-9100E?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3450U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3450U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.1% 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, Ryzen 5 3450U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 3450U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 3450U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $202 MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-9100E only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2018 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (32.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 3450U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-9100E vs Ryzen 5 3450U Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-9100E

The Core i3-9100E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 6,539 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-9100E packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 3450U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Core i3-9100E versus 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Core i3-9100E (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-9100E uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9100E scores 6,539 against the Ryzen 5 3450U's 6,550 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 3450U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9100E vs 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U.

Feature	Core i3-9100E	Ryzen 5 3450U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+6%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+48%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+50%	4 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,539	6,550

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-9100E uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.