Ryzen 3 3100
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Xeon E-2278GEL
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Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook
This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.
Ryzen 3 3100
2020Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (11,928 vs 12,024).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2278GEL, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Xeon E-2278GEL mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
Xeon E-2278GEL
2019Why buy it
- ✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
- ✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 3100 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
Ryzen 3 3100
2020Xeon E-2278GEL
2019Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Why buy it
- ✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
- ✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
- ✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (11,928 vs 12,024).
- ❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2278GEL, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Xeon E-2278GEL mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 3100 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
Quick Answers
So, is Ryzen 3 3100 better than Xeon E-2278GEL?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 166 FPS | 168 FPS |
| medium | 136 FPS | 144 FPS |
| high | 118 FPS | 116 FPS |
| ultra | 93 FPS | 94 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 144 FPS | 142 FPS |
| medium | 115 FPS | 119 FPS |
| high | 94 FPS | 94 FPS |
| ultra | 72 FPS | 76 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 68 FPS | 65 FPS |
| medium | 58 FPS | 58 FPS |
| high | 46 FPS | 46 FPS |
| ultra | 36 FPS | 36 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 271 FPS | 148 FPS |
| medium | 228 FPS | 131 FPS |
| high | 191 FPS | 118 FPS |
| ultra | 147 FPS | 98 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 231 FPS | 130 FPS |
| medium | 200 FPS | 118 FPS |
| high | 169 FPS | 106 FPS |
| ultra | 133 FPS | 88 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 165 FPS | 95 FPS |
| medium | 148 FPS | 88 FPS |
| high | 118 FPS | 82 FPS |
| ultra | 89 FPS | 66 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| high | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| ultra | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| high | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| ultra | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 268 FPS | 297 FPS |
| high | 226 FPS | 270 FPS |
| ultra | 179 FPS | 218 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| high | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| ultra | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| high | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| ultra | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| medium | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| high | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
| ultra | 298 FPS | 301 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 3 3100 and Xeon E-2278GEL
Ryzen 3 3100
Ryzen 3 3100
The Ryzen 3 3100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 24 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 11,928 points. Launch price was $99.
Xeon E-2278GEL
Xeon E-2278GEL
The Xeon E-2278GEL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 June 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,024 points. Launch price was $519.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 3 3100 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E-2278GEL offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E-2278GEL has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 3 3100 versus 3.9 GHz on the Xeon E-2278GEL — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Ryzen 3 3100 uses the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E-2278GEL uses Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 3100 scores 11,928 against the Xeon E-2278GEL's 12,024 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon E-2278GEL. Both processors carry 16 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 8 / 16+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz | 3.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+80% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total) | 16 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) | Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) |
| PassMark | 11,928 | 12,024 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 3 3100 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon E-2278GEL uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-3200 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | Yes | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 24 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 3 3100) / not specified (Xeon E-2278GEL). Primary use case: Ryzen 3 3100 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 3100 | Xeon E-2278GEL |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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