AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs AMD Ryzen Embedded 8840U Comparison

The Verdict

The Ryzen 3 3100U and Ryzen Embedded 8840U occupy entirely different segments of the mobile processor market. The 3100U is a 2-core, 2-thread Picasso part built on a 12 nm process, while the 8840U is an 8-core, 16-thread Hawk Point part on a 4 nm node. The data indicates the 8840U is the overwhelmingly stronger processor, though the 3100U's average benchmark score of 6247 places it in the 62nd percentile of all CPUs, a respectable standing for a dual-core mobile chip. The 8840U has no recorded benchmark scores in the database, which limits direct comparison, but its architecture, core count, and clock speeds make its performance class clear.

The 3100U suits basic mobile workloads: light productivity, web browsing, and older software that does not scale beyond two threads. Its 15 W TDP and 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth align with low-power laptops. The 8840U targets embedded systems requiring substantial compute, with a 28 W TDP, 16 MB of shared L3 cache, and DDR5 support at 89.6 GB/s. Buyers choosing between these two are not comparing similar products; the 8840U is a generation ahead and multiple tiers above in core count. The 3100U is the efficient entry point, the 8840U is the compute-heavy workhorse.

Where Each One Wins

The 3100U wins in power efficiency and thermal simplicity. Its 15 W TDP is nearly half the 8840U's 28 W, making it suitable for fanless or lightly cooled chassis. It uses DDR4 memory, which is older but widely available and lower in power draw. The 3100U's Picasso architecture, based on Zen+, delivers a single-thread score of 1592 in PassMark, a usable level for everyday tasks. Its PassMark multi-thread score of 3348 and integer math score of 8873 are enough for basic office software and media playback. The integrated Radeon Vega 8 GPU handles light graphics acceleration without a discrete card.

The 8840U wins in every compute-heavy category. It has 8 cores and 16 threads versus 2 cores and 2 threads, a 4x core advantage and 8x thread advantage. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 5.10 GHz far exceed the 3100U's 1.90 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. The 8840U uses Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, compared to the 3100U's Zen+ on 12 nm GlobalFoundries. It supports DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, more than double the 3100U's 38.4 GB/s. The 8840U also supports ECC memory, a critical feature for embedded and server applications. Its Radeon 780M integrated graphics is a generation newer and substantially more capable than the Vega 8. The 8840U's PCIe Gen 4 interface with 20 CPU lanes provides faster I/O than the 3100U's PCIe Gen 3.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras of AMD design. The 3100U uses the Picasso codename, built on the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 12 nm process with 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. Each core has 96 KB of L1 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache, with 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The 8840U uses the Hawk Point codename, built on the Zen 4 microarchitecture. TSMC manufactures it on a 4 nm process with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. Despite having four times the cores, the 8840U's die is smaller than the 3100U's due to the advanced process node. Each 8840U core has 64 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory support diverges sharply. The 3100U uses dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The 8840U uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. The 8840U's memory bandwidth advantage is 2.33x. PCIe connectivity also differs: the 3100U offers PCIe Gen 3, while the 8840U offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The 8840U's socket is AMD Socket FP8, while the 3100U uses AMD Socket FP5. Both have locked multipliers, so neither supports user overclocking. The 8840U's integrated graphics is the Radeon 780M, while the 3100U uses Radeon Vega 8. Both target the mobile market segment and both are listed as Active in production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Ryzen Embedded 8840U has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The 8840U supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The 3100U supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The 8840U offers more than double the bandwidth.

Q: Does the 8840U support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Ryzen Embedded 8840U supports ECC memory. The Ryzen 3 3100U does not support ECC memory.

Q: What process nodes are used?

A: The 3100U uses a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. The 8840U uses a 4 nm process from TSMC.

Q: What are the TDP ratings?

A: The 3100U has a 15 W TDP. The 8840U has a 28 W TDP.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The 8840U has a 5.10 GHz boost clock. The 3100U has a 3.20 GHz boost clock.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database has no direct head-to-head benchmark results between these two processors. The 8840U has no recorded benchmark scores, and the head-to-head table is empty. However, the 3100U's individual PassMark results provide a baseline for its performance class. Its single-thread score is 1592, its multi-thread score is 3348, its integer math score is 8873, its floating point math score is 5854, and its data compression score is 38455. The 8840U's architecture and specifications indicate it would exceed these scores by a wide margin, but the database does not quantify that gap.

The 3100U's nearest rivals in the database are all high-core-count desktop and server processors, which shows its average score of 6247 is competitive in a broad field. It sits 0.3% above the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, 1% above the AMD EPYC 7272, 1.6% below the Intel Core i9-10920X, and 1.6% above the Intel Core i9-7940X. These deltas are small, meaning the 3100U's overall average benchmark score lands in the same range as those much larger processors. This is notable because the 3100U achieves this with only 2 cores and 2 threads, while its rivals have many more cores. The 3100U's percentile rank of 62 among all CPUs confirms it outperforms a majority of the database's tracked processors despite its modest core count.

The 8840U's percentile rank is 50 with an average benchmark score of 0, which reflects missing data rather than actual performance. Without recorded benchmarks, the database cannot place it among rivals. Its specifications, however, suggest a different performance envelope entirely. The 8840U's 8 cores and 16 threads, 5.10 GHz boost clock, 16 MB L3 cache, and DDR5 bandwidth position it for workloads that the 3100U cannot handle. The 3100U's 4 MB L3 cache and dual-core design limit its scaling in multi-threaded applications, while the 8840U's larger cache and core count allow parallel workloads to spread across 16 threads.

In practical terms, the 3100U's data encryption score of 1972, extended instructions score of 2116, and prime number finding score of 18 reflect its limitations in compute-intensive tasks. The 8840U's Zen 4 architecture includes newer instruction set extensions and a larger execution engine, which would improve these metrics, though the database lacks direct numbers. The 3100U's random string sorting score of 4666 and physics score of 232 round out its profile as a light-duty processor. The 8840U's Radeon 780M integrated graphics, compared to the 3100U's Radeon Vega 8, indicates better GPU compute for embedded visual workloads.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The 3100U belongs to the 3000 series, while the 8840U belongs to the 8000 series. The 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads; the 8840U has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 1.90 GHz for the 3100U and 3.30 GHz for the 8840U. Boost clocks are 3.20 GHz and 5.10 GHz respectively. TDP is 15 W versus 28 W. Sockets differ: FP5 for the 3100U, FP8 for the 8840U. The codenames are Picasso and Hawk Point. Generations are Zen+ (Picasso) and Zen 4 (Hawk Point). Process nodes are 12 nm and 4 nm. Foundries are GlobalFoundries and TSMC. Transistor counts are 4,940 million and 25,000 million. Die sizes are 210 mm² and 178 mm². L1 cache is 96 KB per core versus 64 KB per core. L2 cache is 512 KB per core versus 1 MB per core. L3 cache is 4 MB shared versus 16 MB shared. Memory support is DDR4 versus DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 38.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is absent versus present. PCIe is Gen 3 versus Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8 versus Radeon 780M. Release dates are May 2026 for the 3100U and April 2024 for the 8840U. Both are Active in production, both are Mobile market segment, both have locked multipliers, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP.