AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs AMD Ryzen 5 7400 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 7400 wins all 11 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U. The margin is substantial across every workload, but the size of the gap varies considerably depending on the test type.

The closest contest is in single-thread performance. The Ryzen 5 7400 scores 3248 in the passmark_single_thread test, while the Ryzen 3 3100U manages 1592. That leaves the Ryzen 5 7400 with a delta of -51%, meaning the Ryzen 5 7400 is roughly double the score of the Ryzen 3 3100U. This is the smallest percentage gap in the entire head-to-head set, which is telling: even in a workload that usually favors clock speed and architecture efficiency over core count, the Ryzen 5 7400 has a decisive edge.

The largest delta appears in extended instructions. The Ryzen 5 7400 records 19924 versus 2116 for the Ryzen 3 3100U, a delta of -89.4%. This suggests the newer processor handles advanced instruction sets with far greater efficiency, which often matters for specialized compute tasks such as encryption and compression workloads.

Data compression tells a similar story. The Ryzen 5 7400 scores 261749, while the Ryzen 3 3100U scores 38455, a delta of -85.3%. The absolute gap here is enormous: 223294 points. This is the single largest numerical difference in the benchmark suite.

Integer math results are also heavily lopsided. The Ryzen 5 7400 delivers 64733, compared to 8873 for the Ryzen 3 3100U, a delta of -86.3%. Floating point math follows with 40784 versus 5854, a delta of -85.6%. These two tests measure raw arithmetic throughput, and the results confirm that the Ryzen 5 7400 is operating in a different performance class.

Data encryption shows 14865 for the Ryzen 5 7400 against 1972 for the Ryzen 3 3100U, a delta of -86.7%. The find_prime_numbers test, which measures prime number generation, shows 79 versus 18, a delta of -77.2%. This is the second-smallest percentage gap, though the absolute numbers are small for both chips.

Multithread performance is a key differentiator. The Ryzen 5 7400 scores 21712, while the Ryzen 3 3100U scores 3348, a delta of -84.6%. Physics simulation scores are 1150 versus 232, a delta of -79.8%. Random string sorting shows 31110 versus 4666, a delta of -85%.

The average benchmark score reinforces this pattern. The Ryzen 5 7400 has an average score of 42055, while the Ryzen 3 3100U has 6247. The Ryzen 5 7400 sits at the 88th percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the Ryzen 3 3100U sits at the 62nd percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different generations and are built on fundamentally different platforms. The Ryzen 3 3100U is part of the 3000 series, uses the Picasso codename, and is based on the Zen+ architecture. The Ryzen 5 7400 belongs to the 7000 series, uses the Raphael codename, and is based on the Zen 4 architecture. This generational jump explains much of the performance gap.

The manufacturing process differs significantly. The Ryzen 3 3100U is fabricated on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The Ryzen 5 7400 uses a 5 nm process from TSMC. The transistor counts reflect this: the Ryzen 3 3100U has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Ryzen 5 7400 has 6,570 million transistors on a much smaller 71 mm² die. The denser process allows the Ryzen 5 7400 to pack more transistors into less physical space.

Core and thread counts are a major differentiator. The Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7400 has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is a 3x increase in core count and a 6x increase in thread count. The Ryzen 5 7400 also has simultaneous multithreading, which the Ryzen 3 3100U lacks.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Ryzen 3 3100U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ryzen 5 7400 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. While the per-core L1 is smaller on the Ryzen 5 7400, the L2 is double per core and the L3 is four times larger overall.

Clock speeds favor the newer chip substantially. The Ryzen 3 3100U has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The Ryzen 5 7400 starts at 3.30 GHz base and boosts to 4.30 GHz. Even the base clock of the Ryzen 5 7400 exceeds the boost clock of the Ryzen 3 3100U by 0.10 GHz.

Memory support is a clear generation boundary. The Ryzen 3 3100U supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel access and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Ryzen 5 7400 supports DDR5 memory, also dual-channel, but with a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. That is more than double the bandwidth. The Ryzen 5 7400 also supports ECC memory, while the Ryzen 3 3100U does not.

PCIe support differs as well. The Ryzen 3 3100U uses PCIe Gen 3, while the Ryzen 5 7400 uses PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The socket changed from AMD Socket FP5 to AMD Socket AM5, and the market segment shifted from mobile to desktop. The Ryzen 5 7400 has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Ryzen 3 3100U does not.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 7400 wins every benchmark test in the database, so the question is not which processor wins, but how large the margins are in different application types.

For single-threaded workloads, the Ryzen 5 7400 is 51% ahead. This applies to everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and light productivity where one core does most of the work. The higher base and boost clocks, combined with the Zen 4 architecture, deliver the advantage.

For multithreaded workloads, the gap widens to 84.6%. This includes video rendering, 3D modeling, software compilation, and data analysis. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration with larger L3 cache and higher memory bandwidth lets the Ryzen 5 7400 keep many threads fed simultaneously.

For encryption and compression tasks, the Ryzen 5 7400 leads by 86.7% and 85.3% respectively. These workloads benefit from both parallel execution and advanced instruction sets. The extended instructions test shows an 89.4% lead, indicating the Zen 4 architecture has significantly better support for modern SIMD and crypto instructions.

For floating point and integer math, the Ryzen 5 7400 leads by 85.6% and 86.3%. Scientific computing, financial modeling, and engineering simulations would all favor the newer chip heavily.

The Ryzen 3 3100U, with its 15 W TDP and mobile socket, belongs in low-power laptops and compact systems. Its 2-core, 2-thread configuration with modest clocks (1.90 GHz base, 3.20 GHz boost) is sufficient for basic productivity and media consumption. The integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics provide display output without a discrete GPU.

The Ryzen 5 7400, with a 65 W TDP on a desktop socket, targets mainstream desktop builds. Its Radeon Graphics integrated solution can handle basic display tasks, but the processor's strength is in compute-heavy applications that take advantage of its 6 cores, 12 threads, and DDR5 bandwidth.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400 scores 3248 in the passmark_single_thread test, compared to 1592 for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U. The Ryzen 5 7400 is 51% ahead.

Q: How big is the difference in multithread performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400 scores 21712 in passmark_multithread, while the Ryzen 3 3100U scores 3348. The Ryzen 5 7400 leads by 84.6%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads. The Ryzen 5 7400 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which memory types do these processors support?

A: The Ryzen 3 3100U supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Ryzen 5 7400 supports DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. Only the Ryzen 5 7400 supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the process node difference?

A: The Ryzen 3 3100U is built on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The Ryzen 5 7400 is built on a 5 nm process by TSMC.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400 has an average benchmark score of 42055, placing it at the 88th percentile. The Ryzen 3 3100U has an average score of 6247, placing it at the 62nd percentile.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy. The Ryzen 5 7400 is dominant across every measured workload, with deltas ranging from -51% in single-thread tests to -89.4% in extended instructions. Its average benchmark score of 42055 is approximately 6.7 times higher than the Ryzen 3 3100U's 6247.

The Ryzen 3 3100U is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, 2 cores, and 2 threads. It targets basic computing tasks where power efficiency matters more than raw throughput. Its 62nd percentile ranking indicates it outperforms a majority of CPUs in the database, but it sits far below the Ryzen 5 7400's 88th percentile.

The Ryzen 5 7400 is a desktop processor with a 65 W TDP, 6 cores, and 12 threads. It uses DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen 5, and a 5 nm process. The benchmark results show it competes closely with processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS (0.2% delta), the Intel Core i7-14700T (0.3% delta), and the Intel Core i7-12850HX (0.7% delta), while slightly trailing the Intel Core i9-12900K (-0.7% delta).

The Ryzen 3 3100U, by comparison, sits near the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X (0.3% delta), the AMD EPYC 7272 (1% delta), and the Intel Core i9-7940X (1.6% delta), while slightly trailing the Intel Core i9-10920X (-1.6% delta). These rival rankings show that the Ryzen 3 3100U is competitive within its own performance tier, but that tier is far below where the Ryzen 5 7400 operates.

For anyone choosing between these two processors, the decision comes down to platform and workload. The Ryzen 3 3100U is found in mobile systems with limited thermal headroom. The Ryzen 5 7400 is a desktop processor built for multithreaded applications. The benchmark data gives no reason to prefer the Ryzen 3 3100U on performance grounds alone.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 3 3100U | AMD Ryzen 5 7400 |

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

| Series | 3000 series | 7000 series |

| Cores | 2 | 6 |

| Threads | 2 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1.90 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.20 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP5 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Zen+ (Picasso) | Zen 4 (Raphael) |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 6,570 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 71 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 96 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 83.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 8 | Radeon Graphics |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |