AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs AMD Ryzen 7 250 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a complete sweep for the AMD Ryzen 7 250 across every measured workload in the head-to-head comparison. The Ryzen 3 3100U records zero wins out of the eleven shared tests, while the Ryzen 7 250 wins all eleven. This is not a close contest by any metric; the deltas range from a 56.7% advantage in single-threaded workloads to a 90.3% advantage in integer math.

The Ryzen 7 250 shows its largest relative leads in compute-heavy integer and extended instruction workloads. In PassMark integer math, the Ryzen 7 250 scores 91,565 against 8,873 for the Ryzen 3 3100U, a 90.3% deficit for the older part. Extended instructions show a similar pattern, with the Ryzen 7 250 at 21,613 versus 2,116, a 90.2% gap. Floating point math also favors the Ryzen 7 250 heavily, 53,285 versus 5,854, a 89% difference. These results indicate the Ryzen 7 250 is decisively stronger in raw arithmetic and SIMD-style workloads.

Data compression and encryption workloads follow the same trajectory. The Ryzen 7 250 compresses at 300,708 in PassMark data compression compared to 38,455, a 87.2% gap. Encryption sees an 88.8% deficit for the Ryzen 3 3100U, with scores of 17,661 versus 1,972. Random string sorting, a memory-latency sensitive test, shows a 87% deficit for the Ryzen 3 3100U, with 35,861 versus 4,666.

The single-threaded results are the closest relative comparison but still decisively favor the Ryzen 7 250. In PassMark single-thread, the Ryzen 7 250 scores 3,678 versus 1,592, a 56.7% advantage. This narrower gap reflects the architectural generation difference, but it remains a substantial margin. Physics and prime number tests show 79.8% and 75.3% deficits for the Ryzen 3 3100U respectively, with scores of 1,147 versus 232 and 73 versus 18.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different generations and manufacturing approaches. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U is built on the Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename, produced on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The AMD Ryzen 7 250 uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, manufactured by TSMC on a 4 nm process, packing 25,000 million transistors into a 178 mm² die. The newer node packs more than five times the transistor count into a smaller physical area.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Ryzen 3 3100U provides 2 cores and 2 threads, while the Ryzen 7 250 provides 8 cores and 16 threads. Clock speeds also favor the newer part: the Ryzen 3 3100U has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz, while the Ryzen 7 250 runs at 3.30 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost. The power envelope differs as well, with the Ryzen 3 3100U rated at 15 W TDP versus 28 W for the Ryzen 7 250.

Cache hierarchies show both per-core and shared differences. The Ryzen 3 3100U has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Ryzen 7 250 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. While the per-core L1 is smaller on the Ryzen 7 250, the L2 per core is double, and the shared L3 is four times larger at 16 MB versus 4 MB.

Memory support is another clear generational divider. The Ryzen 3 3100U supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Ryzen 7 250 supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. That is more than double the theoretical bandwidth. Neither part supports ECC memory. PCIe capabilities also differ, with the Ryzen 3 3100U offering Gen 3 and the Ryzen 7 250 offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes for the CPU only.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Ryzen 3 3100U pairs with Radeon Vega 8, while the Ryzen 7 250 pairs with Radeon 780M. The socket changes from AMD Socket FP5 on the Ryzen 3 3100U to AMD Socket FP8 on the Ryzen 7 250, meaning the two are not physically interchangeable in a given mobile platform. The Ryzen 3 3100U belongs to the 3000 series, while the Ryzen 7 250 release date is listed as January 2025, and the Ryzen 3 3100U release date is listed as May 2026 in the database records.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy: the AMD Ryzen 7 250 outperforms the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U in every recorded benchmark. The average benchmark score for the Ryzen 7 250 is 38,221, placing it at the 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Ryzen 3 3100U averages 6,247, which places it at the 62nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 7 250 include Intel Core Ultra 5 245T at 38,194 (0.1% behind), Intel Core i5-13600HX at 38,261 (0.1% ahead), Intel Core i5-14490F at 38,149 (0.2% behind), and Intel Core Ultra 9 285H at 38,312 (0.2% ahead). The Ryzen 3 3100U sits near AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X at 6,231 (0.3% ahead), AMD EPYC 7272 at 6,186 (1% ahead), Intel Core i9-10920X at 6,347 (1.6% ahead), and Intel Core i9-7940X at 6,147 (1.6% ahead).

For workloads that stress parallel execution, multithreaded throughput, or memory bandwidth, the Ryzen 7 250 is the only rational choice from these two. The multithread score of 25,089 versus 3,348 represents an 86.7% deficit for the Ryzen 3 3100U. The Ryzen 3 3100U also trails in Cinebench tests, where the Ryzen 7 250 scores 14,676 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 1,715 in single-core, with no corresponding Cinebench results recorded for the Ryzen 3 3100U in this database.

The Ryzen 3 3100U remains a functioning mobile processor for basic tasks, but its 2-core, 2-thread configuration and older Zen+ architecture place it far behind modern expectations. Its 15 W TDP suggests it can fit into low-power mobile designs, but the benchmark evidence shows no workload category where it beats the Ryzen 7 250. The 56.7% single-thread gap is the closest margin, but even that is a large deficit. The Ryzen 7 250 wins on architecture, core count, clock speed, cache, memory bandwidth, and every measured workload. From the recorded data, the Ryzen 7 250 is the superior processor across the board.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 250 scores 3,678 in PassMark single-thread, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U scores 1,592, giving the Ryzen 7 250 a 56.7% advantage.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 250 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head results?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark integer math, where the Ryzen 7 250 scores 91,565 versus 8,873 for the Ryzen 3 3100U, a 90.3% deficit for the older chip.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen 7 250 supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U uses a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The AMD Ryzen 7 250 uses a 4 nm process at TSMC.

Q: How many benchmarks did the Ryzen 3 3100U win in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The Ryzen 3 3100U won zero of the eleven shared head-to-head benchmarks. The Ryzen 7 250 won all eleven.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data covers eleven PassMark tests. The Ryzen 7 250 wins every one. The smallest margin is in single-threaded performance, where the Ryzen 7 250 leads by 56.7% with a score of 3,678 against 1,592. This appears twice in the recorded data, once under passmark_single_thread and once under passmark_singlethread, with identical values.

Prime number finding shows a 75.3% deficit for the Ryzen 3 3100U, with scores of 73 for the Ryzen 7 250 and 18 for the Ryzen 3 3100U. Physics simulation follows at a 79.8% deficit, 1,147 versus 232. Data compression shows a 87.2% deficit, 300,708 versus 38,455. Random string sorting shows a 87% deficit, 35,861 versus 4,666. Multithread throughput shows an 86.7% deficit, 25,089 versus 3,348. Data encryption shows an 88.8% deficit, 17,661 versus 1,972. Floating point math shows an 89% deficit, 53,285 versus 5,854. Extended instructions show a 90.2% deficit, 21,613 versus 2,116. Integer math shows the largest deficit at 90.3%, 91,565 versus 8,873.

The Cinebench results in the database only cover the Ryzen 7 250, with no comparable Cinebench scores recorded for the Ryzen 3 3100U. The Ryzen 7 250 posts 2,302 in Cinebench R15 multicore, 269 in Cinebench R15 single-core, 14,676 in Cinebench R23 multicore, and 1,715 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores align with the Ryzen 7 250's position among its nearest rivals, which include Intel Core Ultra 5 245T and Intel Core i5-13600HX, all within 0.2% of each other in average score.

The percentile data places the Ryzen 7 250 at the 86th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ryzen 3 3100U sits at the 62nd percentile. The average benchmark scores reinforce this separation: 38,221 for the Ryzen 7 250 versus 6,247 for the Ryzen 3 3100U. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 7 250 are tightly clustered, with deltas of 0.1% to 0.2% against Intel parts. The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 3 3100U are also close, with deltas of 0.3% to 1.6% against a mix of AMD and Intel parts, including the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X and Intel Core i9-10920X. These groupings show that while the Ryzen 3 3100U competes in a lower performance tier, the Ryzen 7 250 competes in a much higher one, and the head-to-head results simply confirm the tier separation.