AMD Athlon PRO 300U vs Intel Core i3-4170 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Athlon PRO 300U wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 349 vs 306 in Cinebench R15 multi-core (14.1% ahead), 1456 vs 1275 in R20 multi-core (14.2% ahead), and 3468 vs 3038 in R23 multi-core (14.2% ahead).

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-4170 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows 5 wins for the AMD Athlon PRO 300U and 0 wins for the Intel Core i3-4170 across all tested Cinebench workloads.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference?

A: In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD Athlon PRO 300U scores 205 versus 180 for the Intel Core i3-4170, a 13.9% advantage. In R23 single-core, the AMD scores 489 versus 429, a 14% lead.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: Both processors have an identical average benchmark score of 1193. The nearest rival data lists a deltaPct of 0 between them, with the Intel Core i7-8665UE also at 1193.

Q: What are the production statuses of these two chips?

A: The AMD Athlon PRO 300U is marked as Active in production, while the Intel Core i3-4170 is listed as End-of-life.

Q: Which processor has the higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-4170 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz, compared to the AMD Athlon PRO 300U's 2.40 GHz. However, the AMD chip features a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, while the Intel chip has no listed boost clock.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Athlon PRO 300U and Intel Core i3-4170 represent fundamentally different design generations and market targets. The AMD part is built on the Zen architecture (codename Raven Ridge 2) using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the Intel part uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process at Intel. This process node difference — 14 nm versus 22 nm — is a key factor in the power and efficiency gap between them.

Both processors have the same core and thread configuration: 2 cores and 4 threads. However, their cache hierarchies differ significantly. The AMD Athlon PRO 300U offers 128 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i3-4170 has smaller per-core caches — 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 — and 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part's larger caches may contribute to its benchmark advantages.

Memory support is another clear divider. The AMD Athlon PRO 300U supports DDR4 memory via dual-channel configuration, whereas the Intel Core i3-4170 supports DDR3 with a documented memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The AMD chip's memory bandwidth is not specified in the data, but the DDR4 support suggests a more modern memory interface.

The integrated graphics differ as well: AMD pairs the Athlon PRO 300U with Radeon Vega 3 graphics, while Intel uses HD 4400 graphics. The AMD chip also has a notably lower TDP of 15 watts versus the Intel part's 54 watts, reflecting its mobile orientation. The Intel chip includes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while PCIe information for the AMD chip is not provided.

Market positioning is also distinct. The AMD Athlon PRO 300U is a Mobile segment processor on AMD Socket FP5, released in April 2019. The Intel Core i3-4170 is a Desktop segment chip on Intel Socket 1150, released in April 2014 — a five-year gap in release timing. The Intel part has known transistor count (1,400 million) and die size (177 mm²), while those figures are not listed for the AMD chip. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a consistent picture: the AMD Athlon PRO 300U outperforms the Intel Core i3-4170 in every measured workload. Across five Cinebench tests — R15, R20, and R23 variants — the AMD chip wins with deltas ranging from 13.9% to 14.2%. This is a uniform, though not overwhelming, margin. It is not a case of one chip winning on some tests and losing on others; the AMD part is simply faster everywhere.

Despite this, both processors share an identical average benchmark score of 1193 and occupy the same 33rd percentile among all CPUs. The nearest rival data confirms they are statistically tied in aggregate, with the Intel Core i7-8665UE also at 1193. This suggests that while the AMD chip wins the head-to-head Cinebench matchups, the overall performance profile is very similar.

Who should pick which? For users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering or single-thread responsiveness, the data favors the AMD Athlon PRO 300U. It is also the only one of the two still in active production, which matters for new system builds. The Intel Core i3-4170, being end-of-life, may be relevant only for existing Socket 1150 platforms where upgrading the CPU is simpler than replacing the motherboard and memory. The Intel chip's higher base clock (3.70 GHz) does not translate into benchmark wins, and its lack of a boost clock puts it at a disadvantage in burst workloads.

The AMD Athlon PRO 300U is the clear recommendation based on performance data, production status, and architectural modernity. The Intel Core i3-4170 is a legacy part that, while matching the average score, loses every direct comparison in this dataset.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon PRO 300U | Intel Core i3-4170 |

|---|---|---|

| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |

| Base Clock | 2.40 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.30 GHz | Not listed |

| TDP | 15 W | 54 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| Architecture | Zen | Haswell |

| Codename | Raven Ridge 2 | Haswell |

| Generation | Athlon (Zen (Raven Ridge 2)) | Core i3 (Haswell) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,400 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 177 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 128 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 3 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 25.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Not listed | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 3 | Intel HD 4400 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2019-04-07 | 2014-04-30 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $117 |

| Part Number | Not listed | SR1PL |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Athlon PRO 300U dominates the head-to-head benchmark results, winning all five recorded comparisons. The largest single margin comes in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the AMD chip scores 1456 against Intel's 1275 — a 14.2% difference. The same margin appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core (3468 vs 3038), indicating that the multi-threaded advantage is consistent across different Cinebench versions.

The smallest relative margin is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the AMD Athlon PRO 300U scores 205 versus 180 for the Intel Core i3-4170, a 13.9% delta. This is closely followed by Cinebench R23 single-core at 489 vs 429, a 14% difference. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 14.1% delta, with scores of 349 and 306. Notably, the deltas are remarkably tight — all within 13.9% to 14.2% — suggesting the performance gap is uniform across single- and multi-threaded workloads.

For the Intel Core i3-4170, the only bright spot is the Geekbench results, which appear in its individual benchmark list but are not part of the head-to-head comparison. The Intel chip scores 2033 in Geekbench multi-core and 1090 in single-core, but no corresponding AMD Geekbench scores are provided, so no direct comparison can be made. The head-to-head dataset includes only Cinebench tests, and Intel wins none of them.

The Intel Core i3-4170's higher base clock of 3.70 GHz does not overcome the AMD chip's architectural advantages. Despite lacking a boost clock, the Intel part cannot match the AMD Athlon PRO 300U's performance in any Cinebench test. The AMD chip's larger L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB) and more modern Zen architecture likely contribute to these consistent wins.

In summary, the head-to-head data shows a clean sweep: 5 wins for the AMD Athlon PRO 300U, 0 wins for the Intel Core i3-4170, with all margins in the 13.9%–14.2% range. The Intel chip's only listed benchmarks it wins are Geekbench tests, but those lack a direct AMD comparison in this dataset. For anyone choosing between these two based on Cinebench performance, the AMD Athlon PRO 300U is the unequivocal winner.