Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U
Athlon II N330
Core i3-5015U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II N330 is positioned at rank 884 and the Core i3-5015U is on rank 648, so the Core i3-5015U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II N330
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-5015U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II N330 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II N330 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II N330 and Core i3-5015U
Athlon II N330
The Athlon II N330 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,999 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i3-5015U
The Core i3-5015U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,990 points. Launch price was $275.
Processing Power
The Athlon II N330 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-5015U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II N330 versus 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-5015U — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II N330. The Athlon II N330 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-5015U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N330 scores 1,999 against the Core i3-5015U's 1,990 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II N330.
| Feature | Athlon II N330 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz+10% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Broadwell-U (2015) |
| PassMark | 1,999 | 1,990 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II N330 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-5015U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Athlon II N330 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-5015U — the Athlon II N330 supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-5015U supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II N330) vs 12 (Core i3-5015U) — the Core i3-5015U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II N330 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1066+35433% | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | 16 GB+209715100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II N330) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-5015U). The Core i3-5015U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5500), while the Athlon II N330 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-5015U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Athlon II N330 rivals Pentium P6100.
| Feature | Athlon II N330 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | HD Graphics 5500 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Mobile |
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