Athlon Silver 3050U
CPU·Budget

Athlon Silver 3050U

AMD

PassMark

2,950

2009-01-01
15 Watt
Dali (Zen) (2020)

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.

Overview

The Athlon Silver 3050U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,950 points. Launch price was $149.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

FPS Benchmarks

Predicted performance for Athlon Silver 3050U across popular games. Tested paired with RTX 4090 to isolate CPU performance.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high64 FPS
ultra55 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080p
low66 FPS
medium59 FPS
high55 FPS
ultra40 FPS
1440p
low55 FPS
medium48 FPS
high45 FPS
ultra36 FPS
4k
low39 FPS
medium35 FPS
high26 FPS
ultra18 FPS
Elden Ring

Elden Ring

1080p
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
1440p
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
4k
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
4k
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra74 FPS
Once Human

Once Human

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high59 FPS
ultra42 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium61 FPS
high45 FPS
ultra28 FPS
4k
low38 FPS
medium28 FPS
high22 FPS
ultra18 FPS
Palworld

Palworld

1080p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra69 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS
medium74 FPS
high66 FPS
ultra58 FPS
4k
low63 FPS
medium57 FPS
high47 FPS
ultra33 FPS

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Athlon Silver 3050U specifications and capabilities.

Processing Power

The Athlon Silver 3050U is a 2-core / 2-thread processor based on the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 3.2 GHz from a base frequency of 2.2 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 4 MB (total) of L3 cache, plus 512 kB (per core) of L2 cache and 96 kB (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 2,950, placing it in the Entry Level performance tier as a Aging generation product. Geekbench 6 single-core (the most relevant metric for gaming FPS) records 873, while multi-core reaches 1,524. Cinebench R23 multi-core (measuring sustained rendering workload performance) scores 900.

SpecificationAthlon Silver 3050U
Cores / ThreadsPhysical/logical processing units2C / 2T
Max Boost ClockPeak single-core speed under boost3.2 GHz
Base ClockGuaranteed minimum operating frequency2.2 GHz
ArchitectureCPU microarchitecture designDali (Zen) (2020)
Process NodeFabrication technology — smaller = more efficient14 nm
L3 CacheShared cache — reduces memory latency for all cores4 MB (total)
L2 CachePer-core fast cache for frequently accessed data512 kB (per core)
L1 CacheUltra-fast per-core cache96 kB (per core)
Die SizePhysical silicon area of the processor148 mm2
Transistor CountMore transistors = more capabilities3,500 million
Max TemperatureMaximum safe operating temperature (Tjmax)95 °C
64-bit SupportYes
Windows 11 CompatibleYes
PassMark ScoreOverall multi-threaded benchmark score2,950
Cinebench R23 MultiSustained multi-core rendering performance900
Geekbench 6 SingleSingle-core performance — most relevant for gaming873
Geekbench 6 MultiMulti-core parallel workload performance1,524
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Silver 3050U fits into the FP5 socket and supports PCIe 3.0 with 8 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR4 memory at speeds up to DDR4-2400 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 32 GB across 2 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). Integrated graphics: Radeon Vega 3 — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

SpecificationAthlon Silver 3050U
TypeDesktop or Laptop processorLaptop
SeriesProduct familyAMD Picasso (Ryzen 3000 APU)
SocketMotherboard socket requiredFP5
PCIe GenerationPeripheral interconnect speed — affects GPU and SSD bandwidthPCIe 3.0
PCIe LanesTotal available lanes for GPUs, NVMe drives, and expansion8
RAM TypeSupported memory standardDDR4
Max RAM SpeedMaximum officially supported memory frequencyDDR4-2400
Max RAM CapacityMaximum installable memory32 GB
RAM ChannelsDual-channel doubles bandwidth vs single-channel2
ECC SupportError-Correcting Code memory — prevents data corruptionNo
Integrated GPUBuilt-in graphics processorRadeon Vega 3
Compatible ChipsetsMotherboard chipsets that support this CPUMobile
Max CPUs in ConfigMulti-socket support for servers1
🔧

Advanced Features

The Athlon Silver 3050U is primarily designed for Budget. Virtualization: AMD-V — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads). Its primary market competitor is the Pentium Gold 7505.

SpecificationAthlon Silver 3050U
Primary Use CaseIntended workload categoryBudget
OverclockingWhether CPU clock can be manually increased🔒 Locked
AVX-512Advanced vector instructions for AI/ML workloads❌ Not Supported
VirtualizationHardware-assisted virtualization technologyAMD-V
Direct CompetitorMarket equivalent from rival manufacturerPentium Gold 7505
🌡️

Power & Cooling

The Athlon Silver 3050U has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 15 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed. No stock cooler is included — you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler separately. Recommended cooling: Stock.

SpecificationAthlon Silver 3050U
TDPThermal Design Power — heat output under sustained workload15 Watt
Max TemperatureMaximum safe junction temperature (Tjmax)95 °C
Included CoolerStock cooler bundled in the boxNo
Recommended CoolerSuggested aftermarket cooling solutionStock
💰

Value Analysis

Performance ranking position: #2271 out of all indexed processors.

SpecificationAthlon Silver 3050U
Launch PriceOriginal retail price at launch$149
Performance RankPosition in overall performance ranking#2271
Release DateLaunch date2009-01-01
Release Year2020
DesignerArchitecture designer (e.g. Intel, AMD)AMD
ManufacturerFabrication foundry (e.g. TSMC)GlobalFoundries

Specifications Reference

Raw spec sheet for quick lookup. The analysis cards above explain what these fields mean in practice.

4 categories

General Information

8 specs

TypeLaptop
SeriesAMD Picasso (Ryzen 3000 APU)
DesignerAMD
Launch Price$149
ManufacturerGlobalFoundries
Release Date2009-01-01
Architecture CodenameDali (Zen) (2020)
Performance Ranking Position2271

Technical Specifications

14 specs

Cores2
Threads2
Die Size148 mm2
L1 Cache96 kB (per core)
L2 Cache512 kB (per core)
L3 Cache4 MB (total)
Multiplier23
Max Frequency3.2 GHz
64-Bit Support+
Base Frequency2.2 GHz
Transistor Count3,500 million
Process Technology14 nm
Max Core Temperature95 °C
Windows 11 Compatible+

Compatibility

4 specs

SocketFP5
PCIe GenerationPCIe 3.0
Power Consumption (TDP)15 Watt
Max Processors In Config1

Memory

5 specs

RAM TypesDDR4
Memory Channels2
Memory Bandwidth38.397 GB/s
ECC Memory Support+
Max Memory Capacity32 GB

Our Recommendation for Athlon Silver 3050U

Suggested pairings based on performance balance

Compare Athlon Silver 3050U

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