Core i3-9100 vs Ryzen 5 3450U

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.

Core i3-9100

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $122 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-9100 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 6,586).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Core i3-9100

2019

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $122 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-9100 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 6,586).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-9100 better than Ryzen 5 3450U?

Yes. Core i3-9100 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 21.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i3-9100 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 21.7% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-9100 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-9100 is the smarter buy today. Core i3-9100 is at an unclear MSRP at $122 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 21.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 3450U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i3-9100 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3450U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-9100	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	159 FPS	139 FPS
high	125 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	142 FPS
medium	136 FPS	112 FPS
high	106 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	68 FPS
medium	62 FPS	57 FPS
high	48 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i3-9100 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-9100	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	106 FPS
medium	165 FPS	92 FPS
high	165 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	66 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	92 FPS
medium	165 FPS	80 FPS
high	165 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	161 FPS	60 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	69 FPS
medium	165 FPS	62 FPS
high	144 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i3-9100 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-9100	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	151 FPS	164 FPS

Open Core i3-9100 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-9100	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS

Open Core i3-9100 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-9100 and Ryzen 5 3450U

Core i3-9100

The Core i3-9100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 6,586 points. Launch price was $122.

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-9100 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 3450U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-9100 versus 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-9100 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-9100 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9100 scores 6,586 against the Ryzen 5 3450U's 6,550 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-9100. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9100 vs 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U.

Feature	Core i3-9100	Ryzen 5 3450U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+20%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+71%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+50%	4 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,586	6,550

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-9100 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.