CPU Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a split decision between the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE and the Intel Processor N97. The Intel processor claims three of the four head-to-head wins, but the single AMD victory is a decisive one. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE scores 3938 against the Intel Processor N97’s 2913, a commanding 35.2% lead. That is the largest margin of victory in either direction across all tested workloads.

The Intel Processor N97’s wins are concentrated in single-threaded performance and the older Cinebench R15 suite. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel chip scores 161 versus the AMD part’s 55, a massive 65.8% advantage. That is the most lopsided result in the entire comparison. The Intel processor also leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core, scoring 479 against 396, a 17.3% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel part again takes the lead with 973 versus 555, a 43% difference.

The pattern is clear: the Intel Processor N97 dominates in lightly threaded and legacy benchmarks, while the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE strikes back hard in the modern multi-threaded Cinebench R23 workload. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, 1138 for the AMD chip and 1132 for the Intel chip, and both processors sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs. This means that despite their divergent strengths, they land at the same overall performance tier. The deltaPct values versus their nearest rivals are also remarkably close, with the AMD part within 0.1% to 0.3% of the Intel Xeon E5640, Core i5-2550K, Core i5-3570T, and Core i3-N300. The Intel N97 is similarly clustered within 0.1% to 0.3% of the Core i3-10110U, Pentium Gold G5500, Core i3-4370, and Core i5-4690T.

Interpreting these results, the Intel Processor N97 would be the better choice for responsiveness in single-threaded applications, while the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE offers a substantial edge in sustained multi-core rendering workloads. The R15 single-core result, showing a 65.8% deficit for the AMD part, is particularly stark and suggests the Zen+ architecture in the Athlon is significantly outmatched in that metric. Conversely, the 35.2% multi-core lead in R23 shows that the AMD chip’s two cores with four threads can outperform the Intel chip’s four cores when the workload scales well.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing nodes. The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, using the Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename. It belongs to the 3000 series and is part of the Athlon (Zen (Dali)) generation. The Intel Processor N97, by contrast, uses a 10 nm process at Intel, with the Gracemont architecture and codename. It is part of the Intel Processor (Alder Lake-N) generation. The Intel chip is manufactured on a smaller process node, which contributes to its dramatically lower thermal design power (TDP) of 12 watts versus the AMD chip’s 35 watts.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The AMD part has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel part has 4 cores and 4 threads. This means the AMD chip relies on simultaneous multithreading (SMT) to reach four threads, whereas the Intel chip has four physical cores without SMT. Cache hierarchies also diverge. Both parts feature 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core on the AMD side, but the Intel chip’s L2 cache is 2 MB shared, while the AMD chip’s L2 is per-core. The L3 cache is 4 MB shared on the AMD chip versus 6 MB shared on the Intel chip.

Memory support is another key differentiator. The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth and includes ECC memory support. The Intel Processor N97 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, but only on a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. PCIe connectivity is similar in generation but not in lane count: both use Gen 3, with the AMD part providing 8 CPU-only lanes and the Intel part providing 9 CPU-only lanes.

Integrated graphics also differ. The AMD chip features Radeon Vega 3, while the Intel chip features UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel part uses Intel BGA 1264. The AMD processor was released in July 2020, while the Intel processor arrived in January 2023. Both are listed as active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part’s base clock is 3.40 GHz with no boost clock listed, whereas the Intel part has a base clock of 2000.00 MHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Processor N97 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient based on the data?

A: The Intel Processor N97 has a 12-watt TDP, compared to the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE’s 35-watt TDP. That is a 23-watt difference in favor of the Intel chip.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE wins with a score of 3938 against the Intel Processor N97’s 2913, a 35.2% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD chip supports ECC memory. The Intel Processor N97 does not.

Q: What is the memory channel configuration for each processor?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE supports dual-channel memory, while the Intel Processor N97 supports single-channel memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Processor N97 scores 973, which is 43% higher than the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE’s 555.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE | Intel Processor N97 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 2000.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 12 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| Architecture | Zen+ | Gracemont |

| Codename | Picasso | Gracemont |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 10 nm |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (shared) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 8 Lanes | Gen 3, 9 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 3 | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2020-07-20 | 2023-01-02 |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is the clear winner in modern multi-core rendering. Its 35.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core suggests it is better suited for workloads that can fully utilize four threads with heavy parallel processing. The dual-channel memory bus and higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s) also give it an edge in memory-intensive tasks. For users who require ECC memory support, the AMD chip is the only option between the two. Its desktop socket (AM4) also implies easier upgradeability in a standard desktop platform.

The Intel Processor N97 wins in every single-core benchmark tested. The 65.8% advantage in Cinebench R15 single-core and the 43% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core make it the more responsive processor for everyday tasks, legacy applications, and lightly threaded software. Its 12-watt TDP is a massive advantage for power-constrained or fanless designs, typical of mobile or embedded systems. The Intel chip also offers DDR5 memory support, which the AMD chip lacks, and a slightly higher PCIe lane count at 9 versus 8. The 4 physical cores without SMT may also provide more consistent performance in workloads that do not benefit from simultaneous multithreading.

In terms of overall average benchmark scores, the two are nearly tied at 1138 for the AMD part and 1132 for the Intel part, and both sit at the 32nd percentile. The choice between them depends entirely on the workload. For multi-threaded rendering and ECC reliability, the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE is the stronger pick. For single-threaded speed, low power consumption, and modern memory support, the Intel Processor N97 takes the lead. The data does not crown a single overall winner; it presents two processors with complementary strengths.