AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE vs Intel Core i3-9100 Comparison

The Intel Core i3-9100 and the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE present a fascinating contrast in desktop processor design, pitting a high-clock, four-thread Intel part against a power-sipping, eight-thread AMD APU. Both chips share the same 14 nm process node, yet they diverge sharply in architecture, power envelope, and the benchmark data reveals a clear, consistent winner across all recorded tests. The recorded measurements show the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE securing victory in every single head-to-head benchmark, making this comparison less about close calls and more about understanding why one design philosophy outperformed the other in this specific matchup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data from the database is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE won all six recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons. This is not a marginal victory either; the deltas are remarkably consistent, hovering around 8 percent in favor of the AMD part across every test. Starting with the older Cinebench R15 suite, the Ryzen 5 2400GE scored 615 points in the multicore test against the Core i3-9100's 566 points, a difference of 8 percent. In the single-core portion of R15, the AMD chip again took the lead with 86 points versus 79 points, an 8.1 percent advantage. This early pattern establishes that the Ryzen's advantage is not confined to multi-threaded workloads where its 8 threads would logically help; it also extends to single-thread performance, which is often considered Intel's traditional stronghold.

Moving to the more demanding Cinebench R20 workload, the same story unfolds. The Ryzen 5 2400GE posted a multicore score of 2564, while the Core i3-9100 managed 2361, a 7.9 percent gap. In the single-core R20 test, the AMD chip scored 362 versus 333 for Intel, again an 8 percent difference. The consistency of these margins across different benchmark versions and workload types suggests a fundamental performance advantage for the AMD architecture in this comparison, not merely a quirk of one particular test. The most modern test in the set, Cinebench R23, reinforces the trend: the Ryzen 5 2400GE scored 6107 in multicore and 862 in single-core, while the Core i3-9100 could only muster 5622 and 793 respectively, with both deltas again sitting at roughly 8 percent.

Interestingly, the Ryzen 5 2400GE achieves these wins despite having a lower base clock of 3.20 GHz and a lower boost clock of 3.80 GHz compared to the Core i3-9100's 3.60 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. The benchmark results indicate that raw clock speed alone does not dictate performance here. The AMD chip's architectural features, particularly its support for simultaneous multithreading (8 threads versus 4), appear to more than compensate for the clock deficit. Even in single-core tests, where thread count should not matter, the Ryzen 5 2400GE still leads by that same 8 percent margin, which is a curious result that points to deeper architectural efficiencies in the Zen core design for these specific workloads.

The average benchmark score in the database further contextualizes this matchup. The Core i3-9100 holds an average score of 1806 across all recorded benchmarks, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all CPUs. The Ryzen 5 2400GE, despite winning every head-to-head test, has a slightly lower average score of 1766 and sits in the 41st percentile. This apparent contradiction is explained by the fact that the average scores include benchmarks beyond the head-to-head set, and the i3-9100 has additional Geekbench results (3403 multicore and 1290 single-core) that are not recorded for the AMD part, which likely skew its average upward. Within the direct comparisons available, however, the Ryzen 5 2400GE is the clear victor.

The Verdict

The recorded data leads to a straightforward conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE is the faster processor in this direct comparison. It wins every benchmark test that the database includes for both chips, with a consistent margin of approximately 8 percent in both single-core and multi-core workloads. The Core i3-9100, despite its higher clock speeds and slightly better average score in the broader database, simply cannot match the Ryzen 5 2400GE's performance in the Cinebench suite. The Ryzen's 8 threads versus the Intel's 4 threads explain the multicore wins, but the single-core victories are more surprising and suggest that the Zen architecture, even at lower clocks, delivers superior instructions-per-cycle in these tests.

For users who prioritize the specific workloads represented by the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 benchmarks, the choice is clear: the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE delivers better results across the board. The Core i3-9100's higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz and its 42nd percentile ranking among all CPUs do not translate into a win in a single recorded head-to-head test. The database shows the Ryzen 5 2400GE's 41st percentile ranking is slightly lower than Intel's 42nd, but in the six tests where both processors were measured, the AMD chip outperforms the Intel chip every time. This is a case where the head-to-head data overrides the overall percentile ranking, providing a more definitive answer for this specific matchup.

The Core i3-9100 does not lack merit on paper; it has a larger L3 cache of 6 MB shared, a higher TDP of 65 watts, and a higher average benchmark score of 1806. Yet none of these advantages manifest as benchmark victories against the Ryzen 5 2400GE. The Intel part's nearest rival in the database is the Intel Core i3-9320, which scores 1808 on average, a delta of 0.1 percent, highlighting how close the i3-9100 is to its direct competitors. The Ryzen 5 2400GE, meanwhile, sits near the Intel Core i7-4870HQ with an average score of 1769, a 0.2 percent delta in the other direction. These rival comparisons reinforce the idea that both chips are competitively positioned in the broader market, but the head-to-head data still goes exclusively to AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors could not be more different in their underlying design philosophy, starting with the basic core configuration. The Intel Core i3-9100 is built on the Coffee Lake architecture and features 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning it processes only 4 threads simultaneously. The AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE uses the Zen architecture and also has 4 cores but doubles the thread count to 8 threads, allowing it to handle 8 threads concurrently. This doubling of thread capability is the single biggest architectural differentiator and directly explains the multicore benchmark wins. The Intel chip uses a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel, while the AMD chip also uses 14 nm but fabricated by GlobalFoundries, showing process technology is not the differentiator here.

Cache hierarchies diverge significantly between the two. The Core i3-9100 allocates 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with a shared L3 cache of 6 MB. The Ryzen 5 2400GE has larger per-core allocations at 128 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2, but a smaller shared L3 cache of 4 MB. The larger L3 cache on the Intel part (6 MB versus 4 MB) does not translate into a performance win, as the benchmark data shows AMD leading consistently. The Ryzen 5 2400GE also integrates a significantly larger die size of 210 mm² compared to the Intel's 126 mm², and it contains 4,950 million transistors, a figure not listed for the Intel chip. This larger, more transistor-dense die suggests a more complex design that likely contributes to its performance advantage despite higher power consumption at the architectural level.

Memory bandwidth also favors the AMD part. The Ryzen 5 2400GE supports a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while the Core i3-9100 is limited to 38.4 GB/s, both using dual-channel DDR4 memory. This bandwidth advantage could play a role in the multi-core performance delta. The integrated graphics differ dramatically as well, with Intel offering UHD Graphics 630 and AMD including the Radeon RX Vega 11, though no benchmark data is provided for either GPU. PCI Express support also differs, with the Intel chip providing 16 CPU lanes versus 8 lanes on the AMD chip. The Intel processor supports ECC memory, while the AMD chip does not. The Ryzen 5 2400GE has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, whereas the Core i3-9100 does not.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE's base clock of 3.20 GHz.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE have more threads?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 5 2400GE has 8 threads, while the Intel Core i3-9100 only has 4 threads, giving the AMD chip a significant multi-threading advantage.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100 has a TDP of 65 watts, which is substantially higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE's TDP of 35 watts.

Q: Which CPU won the Cinebench R23 multicore benchmark?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE won with a score of 6107, compared to the Intel Core i3-9100's score of 5622, a margin of 7.9 percent.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-9100 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Core i3-9100 supports ECC memory, while the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE does not.

Q: Which processor has a higher L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100 has a larger L3 cache of 6 MB shared, whereas the AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE only has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 2400GE wins in every recorded benchmark category where both chips were tested, which means it dominates the Cinebench R15 multicore, R15 single-core, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core tests. This includes both multi-core workloads and single-core workloads, covering the entire Cinebench suite in the database. The Intel Core i3-9100 does not win a single head-to-head benchmark, losing all 6 by a consistent 8 percent margin. For users looking for the better Cinebench performance, the AMD chip is the definitive choice based on the data available.

The Intel Core i3-9100 wins in the broader database in terms of average benchmark score, with 1806 points versus 1766 points for the AMD chip, a difference that favors Intel by 2.3 percent. The Intel chip has a higher percentile ranking at 42nd versus 41st percentile, and its close competitor set includes the Intel Core i3-9320 with an average score of 1808, which is 0.1 percent higher than the i3-9100. The Core i3-9100 also wins for higher clock speeds, with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, 6 MB of L3 cache, 16 PCIe lanes, and ECC memory support. The Ryzen 5 2400GE wins for lower TDP at 35 watts, unlocked multiplier, larger memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, and more threads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE is still in production and active, while the Intel Core i3-9100 is end-of-life, which could be a factor for long-term availability. The Ryzen 5 2400GE has a higher memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s, which could benefit memory-intensive applications.

The Ryzen 5 2400GE has a larger L1 and L2 cache per core 128 KB and 512 GB compared to 64 KB and 256 GB on the Intel, which also has the smaller L3. For users focused on multi-tasking workloads with 8 threads versus 4 threads, the AMD chip wins in all 6 tests. The Intel chip wins in the Geekbench multicore with 3403 points versus the Ryzen 5 2400GE score of 3403 points, a difference of 0.1 percent, and the Geekbench single-core with 1290 points.

The Ryzen 5 2400GE wins on power efficiency at 35 watts TDP with its 35TDP TDP, whereas Intel 65W TDP with the higher TDP.

The i3 9100 has a 126 mm² die size smaller than the Ryzen 2400GE 210 mm² die, which is a larger die size.

The AMD Ryzen 2400GE wins.

The i3 9100 wins.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core i3-9100 features an Intel Socket 1151 socket and the Ryzen 2400GE uses an AM4 socket, which are not interchangeable, making them incompatible with different motherboard platforms. The generation for the i3-9100 is the Core i3 series (Coffee Lake Refresh), while the Ryzen 2400GE is the Ryzen 5 series generation with the Ryzen 5 2400GE (Zen (Raven Ridge)). The Ryzen 5 2400GE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3-9100 has 4 cores and 4 threads, which differs in the number of threads. The Ryzen 5 2400GE has a memory bus with a dual-channel memory bus, which supports DDR4, both. The i3-9100 has a memory bus with dual-channel memory bus, the same.

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