Athlon II N330 vs Phenom II X4 905e

Athlon II N330 vs Phenom II X4 905e Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N330

2 / 2

1,999

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X4 905e

4 / 4

2,014

+0.8%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 Phenom II X4 905e 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 Phenom II X4 905e: 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: +3.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,999 vs 2,014).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 905e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X4 905e

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II N330 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N330 better than Phenom II X4 905e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II N330 is ahead with a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 905e pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 905e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 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 $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Phenom II X4 905e is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.8% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon II N330 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II N330 vs Phenom II X4 905e 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.

Phenom II X4 905e

The Phenom II X4 905e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $212.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II N330 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 905e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 905e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II N330 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom II X4 905e — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 905e. The Athlon II N330 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 905e uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N330 scores 1,999 against the Phenom II X4 905e's 2,014 — a 0.7% lead for the Phenom II X4 905e.

Feature	Athlon II N330	Phenom II X4 905e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	2.5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	—	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	—	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	1,999	2,014

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N330 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 905e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.