AMD Athlon 240GE vs Intel Core i3-4370 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data delivers a clear outcome: the AMD Athlon 240GE wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, taking 5 out of 5 tests. The Intel Core i3-4370 does not win any of the measured workloads. For users choosing between these two desktop processors, the Athlon 240GE is the stronger performer across all tested Cinebench scenarios, both multi-core and single-core. The Intel part holds its own only in the sense of matching overall database percentiles: both chips sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy similar standing in the broader market. However, the actual benchmark scores favor AMD consistently. The Athlon 240GE’s margin over the i3-4370 is remarkably uniform, ranging from 15.2% to 15.4% across every test, which suggests a systematic performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. If the priority is raw Cinebench throughput, the AMD Athlon 240GE is the pick from the data. The Intel i3-4370 remains a functional dual-core part, but it trails in every measured metric, and the database shows no scenario where it pulls ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design eras and manufacturing approaches. The Intel Core i3-4370 is built on the Haswell architecture, using a 22 nm process node from Intel’s own fabs. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die. The AMD Athlon 240GE, meanwhile, uses the Zen architecture (specifically the Raven Ridge variant) on a 14 nm node from GlobalFoundries, with a much larger 4,950 million transistor count spread across a 209.8 mm² die. That transistor disparity is substantial: AMD crams over three times as many transistors into a die that is only about 18% larger in area, reflecting the denser 14 nm process and the integrated GPU complex.

Both chips have 2 cores and 4 threads, so the threading model is identical on paper. Clock speeds differ slightly: the Intel part runs at a base clock of 3.80 GHz, while the AMD part sits at 3.50 GHz. Neither has a boost clock listed in the database, so the base frequencies are the operating ceilings for both. Cache layouts differ in the lower levels. The i3-4370 has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, while the Athlon 240GE has 96 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, giving AMD a larger per-core cache footprint. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache, so the last-level cache is equal.

Memory support is a major divergence. The Intel part uses DDR3 with a dual-channel bus; the AMD part uses DDR4 also on a dual-channel bus, and the database records a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s for the Athlon. The i3-4370 has no bandwidth figure listed, but the architecture generation difference means the AMD chip benefits from the newer memory standard. PCIe support is Gen 3 on both, though the AMD part specifies 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part lists no lane count. Integrated graphics differ: the i3-4370 carries Intel HD 4600, while the Athlon 240GE includes Radeon Vega 3, a more modern GPU solution.

Socket compatibility is entirely separate: the Intel chip fits Socket 1150, the AMD chip fits Socket AM4. Process nodes, foundries, and transistor counts all favor the AMD part in terms of design recency. The Intel chip launched in July 2014, while the AMD chip arrived in December 2018, over four years later. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking headroom is absent for both. The Athlon 240GE has an active production status, while the i3-4370’s status is not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-4370 runs at 3.80 GHz, while the AMD Athlon 240GE runs at 3.50 GHz. The Intel part has a 0.30 GHz clock advantage, but that does not translate into a benchmark win.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread count?

A: Yes, both have 2 cores and 4 threads. The threading configuration is identical, so benchmark differences come from architectural efficiency, cache sizes, memory support, and other factors rather than core counts.

Q: Which chip has more transistors?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has 4,950 million transistors, compared to 1,400 million for the Intel Core i3-4370. That is a 3.5 times larger transistor count, enabled by the more advanced 14 nm process node.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i3-4370 has an average benchmark score of 1130, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has an average of 1121. The Intel part is slightly ahead by 9 points in the aggregate, even though the Athlon wins every head-to-head Cinebench test. This discrepancy reflects the different benchmark suites included in the average.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The Intel Core i3-4370 supports DDR3, while the AMD Athlon 240GE supports DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the AMD part’s memory bandwidth is recorded at 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a better integrated GPU?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE includes Radeon Vega 3, while the Intel Core i3-4370 includes Intel HD 4600. The database does not provide GPU benchmark scores for either, so the comparison is limited to naming the components.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. Clock speed: the Intel i3-4370 has a 3.80 GHz base clock, the AMD Athlon 240GE has 3.50 GHz. TDP: the Intel part draws 54 watts, the AMD part draws 35 watts, a 19 watt difference favoring AMD’s efficiency. Socket: Intel Socket 1150 versus AMD Socket AM4. Architecture and generation: Haswell (Core i3, Haswell) versus Zen (Athlon, Zen Raven Ridge). Process node: 22 nm versus 14 nm. Foundry: Intel versus GlobalFoundries. Transistors: 1,400 million versus 4,950 million. Die size: 177 mm² versus 209.8 mm².

Cache hierarchies differ at L1 and L2: the Intel part has 64 KB per core L1 and 256 KB per core L2, while the AMD part has 96 KB per core L1 and 512 KB per core L2. L3 cache is identical at 4 MB shared for both. Memory support: DDR3 versus DDR4, with the AMD part’s bandwidth recorded at 42.7 GB/s. PCIe: both are Gen 3, but the AMD part specifies 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has no lane count listed. Integrated graphics: Intel HD 4600 versus Radeon Vega 3. Release date: July 2014 versus December 2018. Production status: not recorded for Intel, active for AMD. The AMD part also has a recorded part number (YD240GC6M2OFB) and a launch MSRP of $75, while the Intel part has neither. Neither has a boost clock, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a sweep for the AMD Athlon 240GE across all five recorded Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel i3-4370 scores 330, while the Athlon 240GE scores 390, a 15.4% deficit for Intel. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Intel part scores 1379, the AMD part scores 1627, a 15.2% gap. The single-core results are similar: in R20 single-core, Intel scores 194, AMD scores 229, a 15.3% difference. In R23 multi-core, Intel scores 3284, AMD scores 3876, again a 15.3% gap. In R23 single-core, Intel scores 463, AMD scores 547, a 15.4% deficit. Every test lands within a tight 15.2% to 15.4% band, indicating a consistent performance ceiling for the Intel part relative to the AMD part.

The Intel i3-4370 has no wins in this comparison. The wins tally is 0 for Intel and 5 for AMD. The largest absolute score difference is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where AMD leads by 592 points. The smallest absolute difference is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where AMD leads by 35 points. In percentage terms, the margins are effectively identical across all tests, which points to a fundamental architectural advantage for the Zen-based Athlon rather than any workload dependency. The Intel part’s higher base clock (3.80 GHz versus 3.50 GHz) does not compensate for the AMD chip’s newer architecture, larger caches, and more efficient memory subsystem.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the measured benchmarks, the AMD Athlon 240GE wins in every scenario the database recorded. That includes both multi-core and single-core Cinebench workloads, so there is no split by thread count or workload type. The Athlon’s wins span R15, R20, and R23 versions, covering both older and newer Cinebench releases. The consistency of the 15% margins across all five tests suggests that the AMD part’s advantage is structural, not situational. Users running rendering workloads, single-threaded tasks, or mixed usage would all see the Athlon 240GE come out ahead.

The Intel Core i3-4370 does not win any benchmark, so the data does not support a use case where it outperforms the Athlon 240GE. However, the Intel part’s average benchmark score across the broader database (1130) is slightly higher than the AMD part’s average (1121), and both sit at the same 32nd percentile among all CPUs. That means the i3-4370 is not a weak processor in absolute terms; it just loses this specific head-to-head. The Intel chip’s higher base clock and lower transistor count could theoretically benefit workloads that rely on raw frequency, but no such benefit appears in the recorded Cinebench results. For users constrained to the Intel Socket 1150 platform, the i3-4370 remains a functional choice, but the database shows no measured performance advantage over the Athlon 240GE. The AMD chip also offers a lower TDP (35 watts versus 54 watts), which could make it the preferred option for thermally constrained builds, though that is a specification observation rather than a benchmark result.