I never tried those two, but I recommend the fallowing workout.

(Strength gains will come QUICK!)

 

MONDAY$
Power Clean - 3 sets of 3 reps warm up, then 3 to 5 sets of 3 reps with a work weight, about 80% of a 1RM.
Bench Press - (medium to heavy day)- (if med)- 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps warm up then 3 sets of 5 with a work weight. (if heavy)- work up over six sets of 5 to 6 reps to limit set of 3 to 5 reps on the last set. A rule of thumb puts a limit triple at about 90% of one's 1RM.
Squat - (light speed day)- one warm up set of 10 reps. Then 5 sets of 5 reps with no more than 65% and no more than 60 seconds rest between sets. Start with 60% . Apply 100% effort on every rep and do each rep as fast as possible.

WEDNESDAY
One Power Clean followed by 3 Military Presses followed by 2 Push Presses for 5 reps total per set - 3 warm up sets, then 3 sets of 5 reps with a work weight.
Deadlift - warm up- 10 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, then the same work weight for 3 t4 sets of 3 t4 reps.

NOTE: Because squats and deadlifts overlap the working of a lot of the same muscles, squats are not recommended the same day as deadlifts.

FRIDAY
Bent Row - 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps warm up, then 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps with a work weight.
Squat - (medium to heavy day) same formula as BP on Monday.
Bench Press - (light speed day) same formula as Squat on Monday.

i have used 5/3/1 before and did not like it. did'nt work for me. everyone is different and it might work great for you. i like rest-pause routines and use drop sets. good luck.

Yeah, the super-precise measurements involved in 5/3/1 can get annoying if you don't have fractional plates.

But it's still a worthwhile program for the fact that it gets lifters focused on the lifts that really matter: squatting, deadlifting, overhead pressing, and benching.

Plus, Jim Wendler's wicked funny, and the book is a solid read.

I have never tried starting strength but I believe if you are a beginner then that would be a better program as you will progress quicker.  The 5/3/1 would be more suited for intermediate and advance lifters.  I am currently doing the 5/3/1 and it's a slow progressing program, but I believe it will be effective. Another good program is the Texas Method.

If by basic lifts, you mean SQ/BP/DL (and military press), try 5/3/1, and the "Big But Boring" version for assistance work.  (Get Jim's book, you'll see what that means.)  Don't "customize" it, just do it as designed.

If you want to include power cleans, might start with Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength and his "Texas Method" for program structure.  Same deal - execute the program, don't screw it up with a little of this and a little of that.

Both of them will have you lifting three days per week, and doing a lot of basic lifts with relatively heavy but manageable loads - good when the primary goal is strength in the basics. 

They're both great programs for getting stronger, and you don't have to be "advanced" to use them.  You DO, however, need to learn and use solid technique if you want to get stronger over the long haul.  You can do both over the long haul - Run one of them for three months, then the other for three months - gotta stick with them long enough to get through a few cycles and see which one is best for you.  You won't go wrong with either of them, given your goals.  They'll both make you vastly stronger over the course of a year or two.