AMD Athlon 240GE vs Intel Core i3-7300 Comparison

The AMD Athlon 240GE and Intel Core i3-7300 are two dual-core, four-thread desktop processors aimed at entry-level computing, yet they represent fundamentally different design philosophies from their respective manufacturers. The benchmark data shows the AMD part winning all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, though by margins so slim that the practical performance difference is nearly indistinguishable. The Athlon 240GE edges ahead in every test, with deltas ranging from 0.4% to 0.6%, while the Core i3-7300 counters with a higher base clock and a more robust PCIe implementation. This analysis walks through the benchmark results, architectural differences, and specification deltas to determine where each processor holds a genuine advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon 240GE wins every single benchmark comparison in the data set, making it the outright victor across both multi-core and single-core workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Athlon scores 390 against the i3-7300's 388, a 0.5% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a dead heat at 54 points each, yet the head-to-head table still credits the AMD chip with the win due to a 0% delta. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Athlon takes multi-core with 1627 versus 1619 (0.5% ahead) and single-core with 229 versus 228 (0.4% ahead). The most recent Cinebench R23 test confirms the pattern: the Athlon leads 3876 to 3856 in multi-core (0.5%) and 547 to 544 in single-core (0.6%).

These margins are remarkably consistent, hovering around half a percent across all workloads. The Athlon's wins are not concentrated in any particular benchmark type — it leads equally in single-threaded and multi-threaded tests. For a user choosing between these two, the performance advantage is real but negligible in practice; no application would show a perceptible difference from a 0.5% score gap. The i3-7300's only claim to a win comes from its higher base clock of 4.00 GHz versus 3.50 GHz, but that frequency advantage does not translate into any benchmark victory in this data set.

The average benchmark score reinforces the same picture: the Athlon 240GE posts an average of 1121, while the i3-7300 sits at 1115. That 6-point difference places the Athlon in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs, one percentile point above the i3-7300's 31st percentile. Both chips sit in the lower third of the CPU landscape, meaning either one will handle basic desktop tasks but will struggle with demanding multi-threaded applications.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different architectural lineages. The AMD Athlon 240GE is built on the Zen architecture, specifically the Raven Ridge generation, and manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process node. The chip integrates 4,950 million transistors on a die size of 209.8 mm². The Intel Core i3-7300 uses the Kaby Lake architecture from Intel's own 14 nm process, though the fact pack lists no transistor count or die size for this part.

Cache hierarchies differ noticeably. The Athlon 240GE carries 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, while the i3-7300 has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache. This means the AMD chip has 50% more L1 and 100% more L2 cache per core, which likely contributes to its slight benchmark edge despite the Intel part's higher clock speed.

The integrated graphics also differ: the Athlon 240GE features Radeon Vega 3, while the i3-7300 includes Intel HD 630. Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the AMD chip offers a higher memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s versus Intel's 38.4 GB/s. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

PCIe connectivity is another point of divergence. The Athlon 240GE provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the i3-7300 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). This doubles the PCIe lane count for the Intel part, which could matter for systems with multiple expansion cards or high-bandwidth storage devices, though it has no impact on the Cinebench results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided victory for the Athlon 240GE comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 547 against the i3-7300's 544, a 0.6% delta. This is the largest margin in the entire comparison, yet it represents just three points on a scale where the scores are in the hundreds. The R23 multi-core test shows a similar gap: 3876 versus 3856, also a 0.5% difference.

Cinebench R20 results follow the same trajectory. The Athlon wins multi-core with 1627 versus 1619 (0.5%) and single-core with 229 versus 228 (0.4%). The R15 generation shows the narrowest margins: multi-core is 390 versus 388 (0.5%), and single-core is a perfect tie at 54 points each, with the head-to-head table awarding the win to AMD based on the 0% delta.

The consistency of these results is striking. Across three generations of Cinebench and six separate tests, the Athlon 240GE never loses and never wins by more than 0.6%. This pattern suggests that the Zen architecture's larger cache configuration provides a small but consistent advantage over Kaby Lake in rendering workloads, even when the Intel part has a 500 MHz base clock advantage.

Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the Athlon 240GE's average score of 1121 ties the Intel Xeon D-1518 and edges out the Core i7-2860QM by 0.1%. The i3-7300's average of 1115 sits just below the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (1116), which is its closest competitor. Both processors are bracketed by the same group of older mid-range parts, confirming that they occupy nearly identical performance tiers.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal several key differences between these two processors. The most obvious is base clock: the Intel Core i3-7300 runs at 4.00 GHz, while the AMD Athlon 240GE runs at 3.50 GHz. This 14% clock advantage for Intel does not translate into benchmark wins, as the AMD chip's architectural efficiency compensates for the lower frequency.

Thermal design power (TDP) favors the AMD part significantly. The Athlon 240GE has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i3-7300 has a TDP of 51 watts. This 16-watt difference means the AMD chip will run cooler and require less substantial cooling solutions, a meaningful consideration for compact or low-noise builds.

Socket compatibility separates the two entirely. The Athlon 240GE uses AMD Socket AM4, while the i3-7300 uses Intel Socket 1151. These are not interchangeable platforms, so the motherboard choice will dictate which processor is available. The Athlon 240GE also has a confirmed launch MSRP of $75, while the i3-7300's launch MSRP is not listed in the data.

Memory bandwidth and PCIe lanes round out the differences. The Athlon 240GE offers 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth compared to the i3-7300's 38.4 GB/s, a 10% advantage for AMD. Conversely, the i3-7300 provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus the Athlon's 8 lanes, giving Intel a clear advantage for expansion. Both chips have 2 cores and 4 threads, use DDR4 memory, support dual-channel memory buses, and lack ECC support.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-7300 runs at 4.00 GHz, which is 0.50 GHz higher than the AMD Athlon 240GE's 3.50 GHz base clock.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the two in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE scores 3876, while the Intel Core i3-7300 scores 3856, giving the AMD chip a 0.5% lead.

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

A: Yes, both the AMD Athlon 240GE and Intel Core i3-7300 have 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor has a lower thermal design power?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has a TDP of 35 watts, which is 16 watts lower than the Intel Core i3-7300's 51 watt TDP.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE offers 42.7 GB/s, while the Intel Core i3-7300 offers 38.4 GB/s, a 4.3 GB/s advantage for AMD.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does each processor provide?

A: The Intel Core i3-7300 provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the AMD Athlon 240GE provides 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Athlon 240GE wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core i3-7300, with margins between 0.4% and 0.6%. The consistent pattern across three Cinebench versions indicates that the Zen architecture's larger L1 and L2 caches provide a genuine, if small, performance edge over Kaby Lake in rendering workloads. The Athlon also offers lower power consumption at 35 watts versus 51 watts, higher memory bandwidth at 42.7 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s, and a confirmed launch MSRP of $75.

The Intel Core i3-7300, however, is not without merits. Its 4.00 GHz base clock is 500 MHz higher than the Athlon's, and its 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes double the AMD part's 8 lanes. For users planning to install multiple expansion cards or high-speed NVMe drives, the extra PCIe bandwidth could be a deciding factor. The Intel chip also runs on the Socket 1151 platform, which may be preferred by users with existing Intel motherboards.

For the majority of desktop users, the AMD Athlon 240GE is the stronger choice based on this data. It wins every benchmark, consumes less power, and carries a lower launch price. The performance gap is too small to notice in real-world use, but the efficiency and cost advantages are concrete. The Intel Core i3-7300 makes sense only for users who specifically need the higher PCIe lane count or who are committed to the Socket 1151 platform. In raw computational terms, the data shows a narrow but decisive victory for AMD.