AMD Athlon PRO 3045B vs AMD Ryzen 3 2300U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U and AMD Athlon PRO 3045B are both 15-watt mobile processors built on AMD's Zen architecture, but they target different corners of the low-power market. The data shows a clear hierarchy, with the quad-core Ryzen 3 2300U dominating the dual-core Athlon PRO 3045B in every head-to-head benchmark recorded. Both chips sit at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating they are entry-level parts, yet their respective performance profiles and feature sets create distinct use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic separation between the two processors appears in multi-threaded workloads. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the Ryzen 3 2300U scores 422.5, while the Athlon PRO 3045B manages only 237. This represents a 78.3% advantage for the Ryzen 3 2300U, a massive gap that reflects the former's dual additional physical cores. Similarly, in Geekbench multi-core, the Ryzen 3 2300U posts 2234 versus the Athlon PRO 3045B's 1287, a 73.6% differential. These results are consistent: when all cores are engaged, the Ryzen 3 2300U is in a different performance class, delivering nearly three-quarters more performance in the Geekbench test.

Single-threaded performance tells a much closer story, though the Ryzen 3 2300U still wins. In Geekbench single-core, the Ryzen 3 2300U scores 783, and the Athlon PRO 3045B trails slightly at 766, a modest 2.2% gap. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows a similar pattern, with the Ryzen 3 2300U at 79 and the Athlon PRO 3045B not having a comparable entry in the head-to-head data. However, the Athlon PRO 3045B's own benchmark suite includes Cinebench R20 single-core (139) and Cinebench R23 single-core (332), while the Ryzen 3 2300U lacks those specific scores, making a direct comparison impossible for those tests. The available data suggests that clock speed differences—the Athlon PRO 3045B has a 2.30 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost versus the Ryzen 3 2300U's 2.00 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost—nearly compensate for the architectural differences in lightly-threaded tasks, but not entirely.

The wins tally is lopsided: the Ryzen 3 2300U wins 3 head-to-head tests, and the Athlon PRO 3045B wins 0. The average benchmark score also favors the Ryzen 3 2300U, at 880 versus 872 for the Athlon PRO 3045B, a 0.9% difference. This average is pulled closer by the fact that the Athlon PRO 3045B has additional benchmark entries (Cinebench R20 and R23) that are not shared with the Ryzen 3 2300U, but the shared tests all point in the same direction.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is the superior processor for any workload that can utilize more than two cores. The 78.3% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and the 73.6% lead in Geekbench multi-core are decisive. Anyone running compilation tasks, video encoding, or any form of parallel processing should choose the Ryzen 3 2300U without hesitation. Its 2.2% edge in single-core Geekbench also means it is nominally faster even in lightly-threaded scenarios, though this margin is unlikely to be perceptible in real-world use.

The AMD Athlon PRO 3045B, however, is not without rationale. Its single-core scores are competitive, and its benchmark suite shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2354 and a single-core score of 332, indicating that it is a capable low-power part for its segment. It also offers features the Ryzen 3 2300U lacks, notably ECC memory support and a PCIe Gen 3 configuration with 12 lanes versus the Ryzen 3 2300U's 8 lanes. For a system builder prioritizing data integrity (ECC) or requiring more PCIe lanes for add-in devices, the Athlon PRO 3045B may be the more appropriate choice, despite its lower raw performance. The Ryzen 3 2300U, with its 4 cores and 4 threads, is simply the faster CPU; the Athlon PRO 3045B is the more feature-flexible platform for specific professional or embedded use cases.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the Zen architecture and manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, but they are distinct silicon designs. The Ryzen 3 2300U uses the Raven Ridge die, which measures 210 mm² and contains 4,950 million transistors. The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the Dali die, which is smaller at 148 mm² and packs 3,500 million transistors. The core configuration differs fundamentally: the Ryzen 3 2300U has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Athlon PRO 3045B has 2 cores and 4 threads, meaning the latter relies on simultaneous multithreading to reach its thread count.

Cache hierarchies are identical in structure: both have 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. However, the Ryzen 3 2300U's four physical cores mean it has a total of 2 MB of L2 (4 × 512 KB), whereas the Athlon PRO 3045B has only 1 MB of L2 (2 × 512 KB). The L3 allocation is the same, but the Ryzen 3 2300U spreads it across more physical cores.

Memory support is another point of divergence. Both support DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with identical 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, but the Athlon PRO 3045B adds ECC memory support, which the Ryzen 3 2300U does not offer. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Ryzen 3 2300U provides 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the Athlon PRO 3045B provides 12 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both, with the Ryzen 3 2300U featuring Radeon Vega 6 and the Athlon PRO 3045B featuring a lower-tier Radeon Vega (2CU). Both use the AMD Socket FP5 and are marked as Active in production, with the Ryzen 3 2300U having a release date of January 7, 2018; the Athlon PRO 3045B's release date is not listed.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300U is significantly faster. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 422.5 versus 237 for the Athlon PRO 3045B (78.3% higher), and in Geekbench multi-core, it scores 2234 versus 1287 (73.6% higher).

Q: Is there any benchmark where the Athlon PRO 3045B wins?

A: No. In the recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the Ryzen 3 2300U wins all three tests: Cinebench R15 multi-core, Geekbench multi-core, and Geekbench single-core. The Athlon PRO 3045B has zero wins.

Q: How close are the two in single-core performance?

A: They are very close. In Geekbench single-core, the Ryzen 3 2300U scores 783 and the Athlon PRO 3045B scores 766, a difference of only 2.2% in favor of the Ryzen 3 2300U.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Athlon PRO 3045B supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 3 2300U does not list ECC support.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Ryzen 3 2300U has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Athlon PRO 3045B has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Athlon PRO 3045B has 12 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, whereas the Ryzen 3 2300U has 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 3 2300U wins every scenario where raw computational throughput matters. Its 78.3% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core and 73.6% lead in Geekbench multi-core make it the clear pick for any application that scales with core count, such as rendering, batch processing, or running multiple virtual machines. The 2.2% edge in Geekbench single-core also means it holds a slight advantage in everyday responsiveness and single-threaded applications like web browsing or office productivity, though the margin is small enough that users would be hard-pressed to notice without instrumentation.

The Athlon PRO 3045B wins in scenarios defined by platform features rather than performance. Its ECC memory support makes it suitable for environments where data corruption is unacceptable, such as file servers or financial workstations. Its 12 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide greater expansion headroom compared to the Ryzen 3 2300U's 8 lanes, which could be decisive for systems requiring multiple NVMe drives, capture cards, or other high-bandwidth peripherals. Additionally, its lower transistor count (3,500 million versus 4,950 million) and smaller die size (148 mm² versus 210 mm²) suggest a more power-efficient design at idle, though both have a 15-watt TDP. For a user who values data integrity and connectivity over multi-core speed, the Athlon PRO 3045B is the logical choice; for everyone else, the Ryzen 3 2300U is the superior processor based on the benchmark evidence.