Core 3 100HL vs Ryzen 7 4980U

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

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $306 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,469 vs 17,586).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core 3 100HL

2024

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $306 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,469 vs 17,586).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core 3 100HL moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 3 100HL better than Ryzen 7 4980U?

Yes. Core 3 100HL is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core 3 100HL is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.3% 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 3 100HL is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core 3 100HL is the smarter buy today. Core 3 100HL is at an unclear MSRP at $306 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (57.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core 3 100HL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FP6, 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 7 4980U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 7 4980U
1080p
low	177 FPS	171 FPS
medium	144 FPS	142 FPS
high	119 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	147 FPS
medium	114 FPS	120 FPS
high	94 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	83 FPS
medium	68 FPS	73 FPS
high	54 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 7 4980U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 7 4980U
1080p
low	201 FPS	198 FPS
medium	171 FPS	164 FPS
high	155 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	131 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	172 FPS
medium	155 FPS	146 FPS
high	143 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	115 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	138 FPS
medium	125 FPS	122 FPS
high	118 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	99 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 7 4980U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 7 4980U
1080p
low	440 FPS	437 FPS
medium	440 FPS	437 FPS
high	440 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	437 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	437 FPS
medium	440 FPS	437 FPS
high	440 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	387 FPS	420 FPS
4K
low	439 FPS	437 FPS
medium	350 FPS	388 FPS
high	312 FPS	340 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	277 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 7 4980U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 7 4980U
1080p
low	440 FPS	437 FPS
medium	440 FPS	437 FPS
high	440 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	437 FPS
1440p
low	440 FPS	437 FPS
medium	440 FPS	437 FPS
high	440 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	430 FPS
4K
low	440 FPS	437 FPS
medium	440 FPS	415 FPS
high	440 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	391 FPS	309 FPS

Open Core 3 100HL Open Ryzen 7 4980U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 100HL and Ryzen 7 4980U

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 7 4980U

The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core 3 100HL packs 8 cores / 12 threads, matching the Ryzen 7 4980U's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 3 100HL versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core 3 100HL (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core 3 100HL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 100HL scores 17,586 against the Ryzen 7 4980U's 17,469 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 3 100HL. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 3 100HL vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U.

Feature	Core 3 100HL	Ryzen 7 4980U
Cores / Threads	8 / 12	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz+5%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	17,586	17,469

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Memory & Platform

The Core 3 100HL uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.