Should I get a Ryzen 3 3100 or an i3 10100?
Should I get a Ryzen 3 3100 or an i3 10100?
Compare the Ryzen 3 3100 and i3 10100 based on performance and features. Since both are similar in price, decide which better fits your needs.
For a budget MBO (B series), you can apply XMP and boost performance. The 10100 cannot be overclocked, even with a high-end (Z series) board.
It could be advantageous to upgrade later with an AMD processor.
At MicroCenter I discovered the 3100 model for $109. The motherboard deal reduced the cost to $89. PCPartPicker listed the parts with a detailed item price. The RAM package included 16 GB DDR4-3000 CL16 memory for $51.99. Amazon offered the Crucial MX500 250 GB M.2-2280 SSD for $32. The Seagate 1 TB 2.5" 5400RPM HDD was available at $0. The MSI Radeon RX 580 8 GB card was priced at $100. The case featured a Fractal Design Focus G ATX mid-tower model for $46.98. The power supply from SeaSonic S12III was $44.99, including shipping and taxes. All figures reflect prices from November 2020.
The cheaper option isn't necessarily the best value; it will still be quite different either way.
Ryzen 3 3100 gains attention for its overclocking capabilities. Some users managed to push it to 4.5Ghz with voltages between 1.35 and 1.4V—something quite impressive. It seems the chip came with a premium silicon package, which is still remarkable considering its price point.