Ryzen 7 3700U vs Xeon E3-1231 v3

Ryzen 7 3700U vs Xeon E3-1231 v3 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 7 3700U

4 / 8

7,049

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Xeon E3-1231 v3

4 / 8

7,031

0.0%

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.

Ryzen 7 3700U vs Xeon E3-1231 v3 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.

Ryzen 7 3700U vs Xeon E3-1231 v3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen 7 3700U

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 80W, a 65W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon RX Vega 10, while Xeon E3-1231 v3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Xeon E3-1231 v3

2014

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (7,031 vs 7,049).
❌433.3% higher power demand at 80W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 3700U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700U better than Xeon E3-1231 v3?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3-1231 v3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 7 3700U is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3700U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% 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 7 3700U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 3700U still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen 7 3700U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Ryzen 7 3700U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Ryzen 7 3700U vs Xeon E3-1231 v3 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 7 3700U

The Ryzen 7 3700U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,049 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E3-1231 v3

The Xeon E3-1231 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $240.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 7 3700U and Xeon E3-1231 v3 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700U versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1231 v3 — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Ryzen 7 3700U uses the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture (12 nm), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 3700U scores 7,049 against the Xeon E3-1231 v3's 7,031 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 3700U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1231 v3.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700U	Xeon E3-1231 v3
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+5%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)	Haswell-WS (2013−2014)
PassMark	7,049	7,031
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,826	—
Geekbench 6 Single	794	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,115	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 3700U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 7 3700U	Xeon E3-1231 v3
Socket	FP5	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 7 3700U) / not specified (Xeon E3-1231 v3). The Ryzen 7 3700U includes integrated graphics (Radeon RX Vega 10), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 3700U targets Mainstream Laptop.