Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U

Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N330

2 / 2

1,999

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-5015U

2 / 4

1,990

0.0%

Celeron N3350

Celeron G1610T

Core i5-4202Y

Pentium Dual Core T2390

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.

Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U 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.

Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II N330

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Core i3-5015U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-5015U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-5015U

2015

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 5500, while Athlon II N330 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,990 vs 1,999).
❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N330 better than Core i3-5015U?

Yes. Athlon II N330 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II N330 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II N330 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II N330 is the better buy right now. Athlon II N330 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i3-5015U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II N330 vs Core i3-5015U Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	1,999	1,990

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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 Core i3-5015U supports 50.1% 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 GB — 100% 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	DDR3L-1600+50%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

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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.