A4-3300 vs Pentium N3520

A4-3300 vs Pentium N3520 Performance Spectrum

A4-3300

2 / 2

1,143

0.0%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium N3520

4 / 4

1,144

+0.1%

About PassMark

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.

A4-3300 vs Pentium N3520 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A4-3300 vs Pentium N3520: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A4-3300

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 6410D, while Pentium N3520 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium N3520.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,143 vs 1,144).
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Pentium N3520

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while A4-3300 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A4-3300 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A4-3300.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium N3520 better than A4-3300?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A4-3300 is ahead with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N3520 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N3520 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium N3520 is the better buy right now. Pentium N3520 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that A4-3300 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium N3520 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A4-3300 vs Pentium N3520 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A4-3300

The A4-3300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,143 points. Launch price was $50.

Pentium N3520

The Pentium N3520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.17 GHz, with boost up to 2.42 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The A4-3300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium N3520 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3520 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A4-3300 versus 2.42 GHz on the Pentium N3520 — a 3.3% clock advantage for the A4-3300 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.17 GHz). The A4-3300 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium N3520 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A4-3300 scores 1,143 against the Pentium N3520's 1,144 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium N3520. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A4-3300 vs 2 MB on the Pentium N3520.

Feature	A4-3300	Pentium N3520
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+3%	2.42 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+15%	2.17 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB+300%
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,143	1,144
Geekbench 6 Single	266	—

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Memory & Platform

The A4-3300 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium N3520 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A4-3300	Pentium N3520
Socket	FM1	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A4-3300) / not specified (Pentium N3520). The A4-3300 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6410D), while the Pentium N3520 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-3300 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: A4-3300 rivals Celeron G530.