Core i7-7740X vs Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

Intel

Core i7-7740X

4 Cores8 Thrd112 WWMax: 4.5 GHz2017

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-7740X

2017

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +9.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $339 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 646.7% higher power demand at 112W vs 15W.

Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

2020

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 112W, a 97W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-7740X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (9,493 vs 9,678).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-7740X better than Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U?
Yes. Core i7-7740X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 9.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Core i7-7740X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.3% 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, Core i7-7740X is the better fit. You are getting 1.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i7-7740X is the smarter buy today. Core i7-7740X is at an unclear MSRP at $339 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 9.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (28.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
1080p
low195 FPS172 FPS
medium154 FPS141 FPS
high123 FPS112 FPS
ultra99 FPS87 FPS
1440p
low157 FPS148 FPS
medium122 FPS120 FPS
high99 FPS94 FPS
ultra80 FPS73 FPS
4K
low87 FPS69 FPS
medium74 FPS60 FPS
high59 FPS47 FPS
ultra45 FPS37 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
1080p
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS221 FPS
high242 FPS194 FPS
ultra219 FPS150 FPS
1440p
low242 FPS221 FPS
medium242 FPS187 FPS
high228 FPS165 FPS
ultra193 FPS133 FPS
4K
low238 FPS163 FPS
medium197 FPS144 FPS
high167 FPS115 FPS
ultra137 FPS87 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
1080p
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS237 FPS
1440p
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS237 FPS
4K
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS231 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
1080p
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS237 FPS
1440p
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS237 FPS
4K
low242 FPS237 FPS
medium242 FPS237 FPS
high242 FPS237 FPS
ultra242 FPS237 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-7740X and Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

Intel

Core i7-7740X

The Core i7-7740X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-X (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 112 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,678 points. Launch price was $339.

AMD

Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U

The Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir PRO (Zen 2) (2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-4266. Passmark benchmark score: 9,493 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-7740X and Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-7740X versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U — a 19.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-7740X (base: 4.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-7740X uses the Kaby Lake-X (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U uses Renoir PRO (Zen 2) (2020) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7740X scores 9,678 against the Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U's 9,493 — a 1.9% lead for the Core i7-7740X. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-7740X vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U.

FeatureCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
4.5 GHz+22%
3.7 GHz
Base Clock
4.3 GHz+79%
2.4 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)+100%
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512K (per core)+100%
Process
14 nm
7 nm-50%
Architecture
Kaby Lake-X (2017)
Renoir PRO (Zen 2) (2020)
PassMark
9,678+2%
9,493
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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-7740X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
Socket
LGA2066
FP6
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-7740X) / not specified (Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U). Primary use case: Core i7-7740X targets Desktop.

FeatureCore i7-7740XRyzen 3 PRO 4450U
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Desktop