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 3 100HL

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $107 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 54.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 3 100HL

2024

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $107 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅Delivers 54.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 57.5 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $306 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,586 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.5 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($306 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Core 3 100HL?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.0% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 3600 is $107 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $306 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 54.6% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 57.5 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core 3 100HL can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core 3 100HL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 3 100HL Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	177 FPS	200 FPS
medium	144 FPS	161 FPS
high	119 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	154 FPS
medium	114 FPS	119 FPS
high	94 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	70 FPS
medium	68 FPS	58 FPS
high	54 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 5 3600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	201 FPS	442 FPS
medium	171 FPS	404 FPS
high	155 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	295 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	420 FPS
medium	155 FPS	359 FPS
high	143 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	297 FPS
medium	125 FPS	259 FPS
high	118 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 5 3600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	440 FPS	442 FPS
medium	440 FPS	442 FPS
high	440 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	442 FPS
medium	440 FPS	442 FPS
high	440 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	432 FPS
4K
low	439 FPS	442 FPS
medium	350 FPS	361 FPS
high	312 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 5 3600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	440 FPS	442 FPS
medium	440 FPS	442 FPS
high	440 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	442 FPS
medium	440 FPS	442 FPS
high	440 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	440 FPS	442 FPS
medium	440 FPS	442 FPS
high	440 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	391 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 5 3600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 100HL and Ryzen 5 3600

Core 3 100HL

The Core 3 100HL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,586 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 3 100HL packs 8 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 3 100HL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 3 100HL versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Core 3 100HL (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core 3 100HL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 100HL scores 17,586 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 3 100HL vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	8 / 12+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+10%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.6 GHz+71%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	17,586	17,685
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 3 100HL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 3 100HL) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 3 100HL launched at $306 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($306 vs $199), the Ryzen 5 3600 is $107 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 3 100HL delivers 57.5 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 42.9% better value option.