AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a decisive outcome: the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the database, taking all 11 comparisons. The Ryzen 3 3100U does not register a single win. The gap is not marginal; it is consistently wide across every workload category. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS sits at the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ryzen 3 3100U sits at the 62nd percentile. This percentile gap alone indicates a fundamental difference in performance class, not just a slight generational improvement.

The Ryzen 3 3100U is not without context, however. Its average benchmark score of 6247 places it in the company of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, which scores 6231 (a 0.3% difference), and the AMD EPYC 7272, which scores 6186 (a 1% difference). It also trails the Intel Core i9-10920X by 1.6% and leads the Intel Core i9-7940X by 1.6%. This means the 3100U, despite its modest dual-core design, delivers average throughput comparable to those high-core-count desktop parts in the specific aggregated metric. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS, by contrast, sits near the Intel Core i7-14700T, which scores 41914 (0.1% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7400, which scores 42055 (0.2% ahead of the 8945HS). The 8945HS also leads the Intel Core i7-12850HX by 0.4% and the Intel Core 7 251TE by 0.8%.

The verdict is straightforward: the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the clear choice for any workload that benefits from raw compute, which the data shows is essentially all of them. The Ryzen 3 3100U is a mobile processor with a much lower performance envelope, and its only plausible niche would be scenarios where its lower power draw is paramount, though the database does not include power efficiency benchmarks to confirm that trade-off. The data does not support choosing the 3100U for performance reasons.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins every recorded benchmark, so its winning territory is the entire benchmark suite. The most striking wins are in the multi-threaded and math-heavy tests. In passmark_multithread, the 8945HS scores 30378 against the 3100U's 3348, a delta of 89%. In passmark_integer_math, it scores 103390 versus 8873, a 91.4% advantage. In passmark_floating_point_math, it scores 63490 versus 5854, a 90.8% advantage. These are not narrow victories; they are orders of magnitude in some cases.

The Ryzen 3 3100U has no benchmark wins, so its "winning" category is non-existent in this dataset. However, its relative standing among its nearest rivals is informative. Its average score of 6247 is within 1.6% of several much larger desktop processors, which suggests that for its intended mobile segment, it punches near those older high-end parts in aggregate. That said, the 3100U's single-thread score of 1592 is only 59.4% behind the 8945HS's 3920, which is the smallest percentage gap in the entire head-to-head set. This indicates that the 3100U's single-core performance, while still far behind, is relatively closer than its multi-core performance.

The use-case split is therefore simple: the 8945HS is the processor for any compute-intensive task, including data compression, encryption, extended instruction workloads, prime number finding, floating-point math, integer math, multithreaded applications, physics simulations, and random string sorting. The 3100U's data does not reveal any workload where it leads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design eras and use different manufacturing approaches. The Ryzen 3 3100U is a 3000 series part based on the Picasso codename, using the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is manufactured on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is an 8000 series part based on the Hawk Point codename, using the Zen 4 microarchitecture. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC.

The transistor counts reflect the manufacturing and design gap. The 3100U contains 4,940 million transistors on a die size of 210 mm². The 8945HS contains 25,000 million transistors on a smaller die of 178 mm². This is a dramatic density increase: more than five times the transistor count on a physically smaller die. The process node difference, 12 nm versus 4 nm, is the primary enabler.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads. The 8945HS has 8 cores and 16 threads. This 4x core count and 8x thread count explains much of the multi-threaded benchmark dominance. Clock speeds also differ: the 3100U has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The 8945HS has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The 8945HS's base clock is higher than the 3100U's boost clock.

Cache configurations diverge as well. The 3100U has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The 8945HS 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 8945HS, its L2 is double per core and its L3 is four times larger overall.

Memory support differs by generation. The 3100U supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The 8945HS supports DDR5 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The 8945HS also supports ECC memory, while the 3100U does not. PCIe generation also differs: the 3100U uses Gen 3, while the 8945HS uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ too: the 3100U uses Radeon Vega 8, while the 8945HS uses Radeon 780M. The sockets are different as well: FP5 for the 3100U and FP7 for the 8945HS.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has 8 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: What is the difference in single-thread performance?

A: The 8945HS scores 3920 in passmark_single_thread, while the 3100U scores 1592. The 8945HS leads by 59.4%.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The 8945HS boosts to 5.20 GHz, while the 3100U boosts to 3.20 GHz. The 8945HS also has a higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 1.90 GHz.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the 8945HS supports ECC memory. The Ryzen 3 3100U does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The 8945HS has a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s with DDR5 support. The 3100U has a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s with DDR4 support.

Q: How do the two processors compare in the passmark_multithread benchmark?

A: The 8945HS scores 30378, while the 3100U scores 3348. The 8945HS leads by 89%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clean sweep for the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS. The largest percentage win comes in passmark_extended_instructions, where the 8945HS scores 27714 against the 3100U's 2116, a delta of 92.4%. This test likely stresses specialized instruction sets, and the Zen 4 architecture's support for newer instructions gives it a massive edge.

The passmark_integer_math test shows the 8945HS scoring 103390 versus 8873, a 91.4% advantage. The passmark_floating_point_math test shows 63490 versus 5854, a 90.8% advantage. These math-heavy workloads benefit enormously from the 8945HS's 8 cores, 16 threads, and higher clocks. The passmark_data_encryption test shows 21820 versus 1972, a 91% advantage, indicating that the 8945HS handles encryption workloads far more efficiently.

The passmark_data_compression test shows 368884 versus 38455, a 89.6% advantage. The passmark_random_string_sorting test shows 44668 versus 4666, also a 89.6% advantage. The passmark_multithread test shows 30378 versus 3348, an 89% advantage. The passmark_physics test shows 1430 versus 232, an 83.8% advantage. The passmark_find_prime_numbers test shows 91 versus 18, an 80.2% advantage.

The smallest gap is in single-thread performance. The passmark_single_thread test shows 3920 versus 1592, a 59.4% advantage for the 8945HS. This is still a substantial lead, but it is notably smaller than the multi-threaded gaps. This suggests that while the 8945HS has a significant per-core advantage, the majority of its overall dominance comes from its additional cores and threads. The 3100U's single-thread score of 1592 is respectable for a dual-core part, but it cannot compete with the 8945HS's higher clocks and newer architecture.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The Ryzen 3 3100U uses the Picasso codename and Zen+ architecture, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses the Hawk Point codename and Zen 4 architecture. The process node is 12 nm for the 3100U and 4 nm for the 8945HS. The foundry is GlobalFoundries for the 3100U and TSMC for the 8945HS.

Transistor counts differ dramatically: 4,940 million for the 3100U versus 25,000 million for the 8945HS. Die sizes are 210 mm² for the 3100U and 178 mm² for the 8945HS. Core counts are 2 versus 8, and thread counts are 2 versus 16. Base clocks are 1.90 GHz versus 4.00 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.20 GHz versus 5.20 GHz.

Cache configurations differ per core: L1 is 96 KB per core for the 3100U versus 64 KB per core for the 8945HS. L2 is 512 KB per core for the 3100U versus 1 MB per core for the 8945HS. L3 is 4 MB shared for the 3100U versus 16 MB shared for the 8945HS. Memory support is DDR4 for the 3100U and DDR5 for the 8945HS. Memory bandwidth is 38.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory support is absent on the 3100U and present on the 8945HS.

PCIe generation is Gen 3 for the 3100U and Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only) for the 8945HS. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8 for the 3100U and Radeon 780M for the 8945HS. The sockets differ: FP5 for the 3100U and FP7 for the 8945HS. TDP is 15 W for the 3100U and 45 W for the 8945HS. The release dates also differ, with the 3100U releasing in 2026 and the 8945HS releasing in 2024. Both processors have locked multipliers. The market segment for both is Mobile.