Athlon II N330 vs Core M-5Y71

Athlon II N330 vs Core M-5Y71 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N330

2 / 2

1,999

+1.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core M-5Y71

2 / 4

1,975

0.0%

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 M-5Y71 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 M-5Y71: 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

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $181 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅Delivers 184.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.0 vs 7.0 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core M-5Y71

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II N330 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,975 vs 1,999).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.0 vs 20.0 PassMark/$ ($281 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N330 better than Core M-5Y71?

Yes. Athlon II N330 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.2% 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 4.5% 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 1.2% 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 $181 cheaper on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $281 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 184.4% better value on MSRP (20.0 vs 7.0 PassMark/$), 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 M-5Y71 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II N330 vs Core M-5Y71 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 M-5Y71

The Core M-5Y71 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 October 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-Y (2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1234. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,975 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II N330 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core M-5Y71's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II N330 versus 2.9 GHz on the Core M-5Y71 — a 23.1% clock advantage for the Core M-5Y71. The Athlon II N330 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core M-5Y71 uses Broadwell-Y (2014) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N330 scores 1,999 against the Core M-5Y71's 1,975 — a 1.2% lead for the Athlon II N330.

Feature	Athlon II N330	Core M-5Y71
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	2.9 GHz+26%
Base Clock	—	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Broadwell-Y (2014)
PassMark	1,999+1%	1,975

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N330 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core M-5Y71 uses FCBGA1234 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II N330	Core M-5Y71
Socket	S1	FCBGA1234
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II N330) / not specified (Core M-5Y71). Direct competitor: Athlon II N330 rivals Pentium P6100.

Feature	Athlon II N330	Core M-5Y71
Integrated GPU	No	—
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II N330 was priced at $100, while the Core M-5Y71 came in at $281. On launch pricing ($100 vs $281), Athlon II N330 was $181 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II N330 delivers 20.0 pts/$ vs 7.0 pts/$ for the Core M-5Y71 — making the Athlon II N330 the 95.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II N330	Core M-5Y71
MSRP	$100-64%	$281
Performance per Dollar	20.0+186%	7.0
Release Date	2010	2014

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