AMD launched its potato Athlon 3000G processor years ago still it is one of the best-selling entry-level APU in the market, thanks to its insane value. Though we are getting rumours that AMD could launch its viable successor this month or soon, still, should you buy this ultra-affordable piece of silicon?
Well, it is based on a 14nm process and so it’s a bit, however, getting it now is very cheap and the motherboards are darn inexpensive. This is a perfect processor for those who want an entry-level PC for doing basic work including opening Microsoft apps browsing the web and even doing video calls on the fly.
As education has gone digital, well, not a lot of people will be willing to spend on a laptop and make a cheap PC build, for those this Athlon 3000G still holds a lot of value even as we step into 2022. This dual-core processor can be used as a gaming option as well thanks to the Vega 3 iGPU that lets you play games at 720p, still good for an entry-level APU.
Still, does it makes sense to buy this APU in 2022? Let’s find out:
Specifications
- 2 Cores & 4 Threads
- Base Clock: 3.5GHz, 5MB Cache, TDP: 35W
- System Memory Specification: 2667MHz, System Memory Type: DDR4, Memory Channels: 2
- Socket: AM4, Motherboard Compatibility: AMD 300, 400 serles chipset based motherboards
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics, Heatsink Fan: AMD Stock Cooler
Test Config Specifications
- Processor: AMD Athlon 3000G
- RAM: 16GB Corsair Vengeance 3000MHz DDR4 RAM
- Motherboard: ASUS Prime A320M-K
- Cooler: AMD Stock Cooler
- PSU: Cooler Master 450W
Productivity/Casual Work
If you are considering this dual-core processor for casual work, then, yes, this APU handles light workload easily and is a good option for those who just need a PC for getting the basic things done. It is not the best option to throw upon heavy tasks but basic work like browsing, streaming, Office stuff, this APU should be able to handle with ease.
To compare with the likes of other modern processors, here are some benchmarks for your reference:
As you see this dual-core AMD Athlon 3000G is far behind in the benchmark charts, showing how dual-core chips have fallen behind in 2022. Still, for very cheap PC builds or for just casual work stuff, this AMD processor is a really good one.
Gaming
For gaming, this is naturally an entry-level option meant for very casual gaming and you can game using both its iGPU and using a dedicated graphics card as well. However, you can never expect an insane gaming experience but a decent 720p gaming and if you are making a really entry-level gaming PC then the AMD Athlon 3000G makes real value.
Mostly retailing for about Rs.5k, the APU is really cheap and pair it with a low-budget A320M or B450M motherboard and you have the initial build ready for Rs.10k, add the PSU, RAM, cabinet and stuff, your entry-level gaming PC is ready within Rs.20k in India as of 2022.
So, to give you an idea of how this APU performs in real-world performance here are some of the gaming benchmarks at 720p low settings:
As you see in terms of iGPU gaming, you get decent performance at 720p and in Battle Royal games you can comfortably plat at 1080p low settings. For an APU that costs so cheap, you cannot as more and if you overclock it you should get a bit better performance, overall, a decent gaming experience to be honest.
Verdict
If you want an ultra-affordable APU that is able to deliver decent performance in both normal work and casual gaming the Athlon 3000G is a good option. While still there is a rumour of an Athlon successor coming this year, you can make a cheap PC build with the discounted Athlon 3000G.
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