AMD Ryzen 3 3250U vs Intel Celeron G6900TE Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data splits these two processors along clear architectural lines. The Intel Celeron G6900TE and AMD Ryzen 3 3250U occupy adjacent percentile positions, with the Celeron at the 25th percentile of all CPUs and the Ryzen 3 at the 24th. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 925 for the Intel part versus 908 for the AMD part, a gap of roughly 1.9%. However, the head-to-head benchmark results tell a more complex story than the averages suggest.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U wins two of the three direct comparisons, dominating in single-core performance and the older multi-core test. The Intel Celeron G6900TE wins the modern multi-core workload by a substantial margin. This split reflects different design priorities rather than a clear overall victor.

For users running modern multi-threaded rendering workloads, the Celeron G6900TE is the stronger choice. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2687 exceeds the Ryzen 3's 2010 by 33.7%. For users prioritizing single-core responsiveness or legacy benchmark performance, the Ryzen 3 3250U leads, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 776 versus 379, a 51.2% advantage.

The platform context matters as much as raw scores. The Celeron G6900TE is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 with PCIe Gen 5 support, while the Ryzen 3 3250U is a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP5 with PCIe Gen 3. The Ryzen 3 draws 15 W TDP compared to the Celeron's 35 W, making it the more power-efficient option for compact or battery-powered systems. The Celeron requires a desktop platform but offers newer connectivity standards and DDR5 memory support.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE records an average benchmark score of 925, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U scores 908. The difference is small, roughly 1.9%, and both sit within 1 percentile point of each other in the global distribution.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE scores 2687 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 33.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U's 2010. This is the largest win for the Intel part in the head-to-head data.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U wins decisively in single-core performance. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 776 compared to the Celeron's 379, a 51.2% advantage. The Ryzen 3 also records a Geekbench single-core score of 722, while no Geekbench single-core result is recorded for the Celeron.

Q: What are the architecture differences between these two CPUs?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE uses Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process from Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U uses Zen architecture on a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries. The Intel part is built for the desktop socket LGA 1700, and the AMD part is a mobile chip on Socket FP5.

Q: Which processor supports faster memory and PCIe standards?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 5. The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U supports only DDR4 memory and PCIe Gen 3. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: How do the cache configurations compare?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U has 96 KB of L1 per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, also with 4 MB of shared L3.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Celeron G6900TE and AMD Ryzen 3 3250U represent fundamentally different design generations and platform philosophies. The Celeron is built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-S desktop variant, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. The Ryzen 3 uses AMD's original Zen architecture under the codename Dali, manufactured on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process. This process gap partially explains why the Intel part, despite having the same core count, achieves higher modern multi-core throughput: it benefits from a more advanced manufacturing node.

The transistor counts and die sizes highlight the different integration levels. The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U contains 3,500 million transistors on a 148 mm² die. No transistor count or die size is recorded for the Celeron G6900TE. The AMD chip integrates its Radeon Vega 3 graphics alongside the CPU cores on that die, while the Intel part pairs its UHD Graphics 710 with the compute cores on the Alder Lake-S package.

Cache hierarchies diverge in meaningful ways. The Intel Celeron allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core and a generous 1.25 MB of L2 per core, then shares 4 MB of L3 across both cores. The AMD Ryzen 3 provides slightly more L1 at 96 KB per core but only 512 KB of L2 per core, also with 4 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L2 on the Intel part likely contributes to its stronger modern multi-core showing.

The memory and I/O capabilities separate the platforms even further. The Celeron supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, while the Ryzen 3 is limited to DDR4. Memory bandwidth is recorded for the AMD part at 38.4 GB/s, with no comparable figure for the Intel chip. The Celeron offers PCIe Gen 5 connectivity, a full two generations ahead of the Ryzen 3's PCIe Gen 3. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The market positioning differs as well. The Celeron G6900TE is a desktop processor, while the Ryzen 3 3250U is a mobile part. The Intel chip uses Socket 1700 and the AMD chip uses Socket FP5. The Ryzen 3 belongs to AMD's 3000 series and uses the Dali codename, while the Celeron's series is not recorded in the database.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ across nearly every specification field recorded. Core and thread counts: the Celeron has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the Ryzen 3 has 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to simultaneous multithreading. Clock speeds: the Celeron runs at a fixed 2.40 GHz base clock with no boost clock recorded, while the Ryzen 3 has a 2.60 GHz base clock and a 3.50 GHz boost clock. The Ryzen 3 can dynamically raise its frequency, whereas the Celeron's recorded clocks are static.

Power and platform: the Celeron is rated at 35 W TDP on Intel Socket 1700, while the Ryzen 3 draws only 15 W on AMD Socket FP5. The Celeron is a desktop part, the Ryzen 3 is mobile. Manufacturing: Intel 10 nm process from Intel foundry versus 14 nm from GlobalFoundries. The AMD chip records 3,500 million transistors and a 148 mm² die size, with neither metric recorded for the Intel part.

Memory and I/O: the Celeron supports DDR4 and DDR5, the Ryzen 3 only DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory. The Ryzen 3 records 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, the Celeron has no figure. PCIe: the Celeron supports Gen 5, the Ryzen 3 Gen 3. Integrated graphics differ: UHD Graphics 710 on the Intel side, Radeon Vega 3 on the AMD side.

Release timing: the Celeron launched on 2022-01-03, the Ryzen 3 on 2020-01-05. Both remain active in production. The Celeron part number is SRL68, the Ryzen 3 part number is YM3250C4T2OFG. Neither has a recorded launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head dataset contains three direct comparisons, with the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U winning two and the Intel Celeron G6900TE winning one. The Intel win is the most lopsided result in either direction.

Cinebench R23 multi-core heavily favors the Celeron G6900TE at 2687 points versus 2010 for the Ryzen 3, a delta of 33.7% advantage. This is one of the largest multi-core gaps in the recorded data. The Celeron R23 multi-core result of 2687 aligns with the Celeron's Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 1128 and R15 multi-core score of 270, showing a consistent multi-core profile across Cinebench versions. The Ryzen 3's R23 multi-core score of 2010 sits below its R15 multi-core score of 353 when normalized per test generation, though such cross-version comparisons across different Cinebench releases are not directly equivalent.

Cinebench R23 single-core goes to the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U by a huge margin of 51.2%, scoring 776 versus 379 for the Celeron. The Ryzen 3's single-core advantage is also visible in its Geekbench single-core score of 722, a test for which no Celeron score exists in the database. The Ryzen 3 records a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 121.6, again with no Cinebench R15 single-core result recorded for the Celeron.

Cinebench R15 multi-core gives the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U another win at 353 versus 353 for the Celeron's 270, a delta of 23.5%. The Ryzen 3 leads this older benchmark, but the margin is smaller than in the R23 tests. Notably, the Ryzen 3 wins the R15 multi-core test while losing the R23 multi-core test, which suggests that the Intel Celeron's newer architecture scales better with the more demanding modern rendering workload.

The average benchmark scores place the Celeron at 925 and the Ryzen 3 at 908. The Celeron's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-4350T at 926 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core i5-4288U at 927 (0.2% behind), the Intel Core i7-870 at 928 (0.3% behind), and the AMD FX-4320 at 921 (0.4% ahead). The Ryzen 3's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-4330T at 908 (0% difference), the Intel Core i3-10110Y at 908 (0% difference), the AMD PRO A12-9800E at 910 (0.3% ahead), and the AMD A10-7860K at 904 (0.4% behind). Both CPUs cluster tightly with older mid-range parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Celeron G6900TE wins in modern multi-threaded rendering workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2687 outperforms the Ryzen 3 by 33.7%, making it the better choice for tasks that stress all available cores with current-generation rendering engines. The Celeron's larger per-core L2 cache (1.25 MB per core versus 512 KB per core) likely contributes to this strength. Desktop users need a dedicated desktop motherboard with Socket 1700, but the platform offers DDR5 support and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity for newer hardware compatibility.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3250U wins in single-core performance and legacy benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 776 is more than double the Celeron's 379, a 51.2% advantage, aided by the Ryzen 3's 3.50 GHz boost clock (the Celeron has no boost clock recorded). The Ryzen 3 also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core at 353 to 270, a 23.5% margin. Mobile users benefit from the Ryzen 3's 15 W TDP, making it suitable for compact or battery-powered systems on Socket FP5 motherboards with the lower-power Zen architecture and its integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics.

For users who value low power consumption, the Ryzen 3's 15 W TDP versus the Celeron's 35 W is a clear advantage. The Ryzen 3's mobile market segment also aligns with lighter thermal envelopes. The Celeron's 35 W TDP suits desktop builds where power draw is less critical and the higher TDP can feed the more demanding multi-core workload performance.

The data does not reveal a universal winner across the board, it reveals two distinct niches. The Celeron G6900TE excels at modern multi-core rendering and newer platform standards, the Ryzen 3 3250U excels at single-core responsiveness and power efficiency. Buyers should choose based on workload priorities: the Celeron for modern multi-threaded tasks and the Ryzen 3 for single-threaded responsiveness and lower power consumption.