CPU
GPU
Athlon II N350
Core 2 Duo E8300
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 N350 is positioned at rank 1067 and the Core 2 Duo E8300 is on rank 1060, so the Core 2 Duo E8300 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 N350
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+397%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
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 N350 and Core 2 Duo E8300
Athlon II N350
The Athlon II N350 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: 2.4 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: 1,045 points. Launch price was $149.
Core 2 Duo E8300
The Core 2 Duo E8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,039 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II N350 and Core 2 Duo E8300 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Athlon II N350 versus 2.83 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8300 — a 16.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300. The Athlon II N350 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8300 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N350 scores 1,045 against the Core 2 Duo E8300's 1,039 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II N350. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 210 vs 345, a 48.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8300 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 400 vs 771 (63.4% advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300).
| Feature | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.83 GHz+18% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.83 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 6 MB (total)+500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Wolfdale (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,045 | 1,039 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,000 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 210 | 345+64% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 400 | 771+93% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II N350 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8300 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Core 2 Duo E8300 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II N350) vs 16 (Core 2 Duo E8300) — the Core 2 Duo E8300 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N350) and P35,P45,G33,G31 (Core 2 Duo E8300).
| Feature | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II N350) vs VT-x (Core 2 Duo E8300). Primary use case: Athlon II N350 targets Legacy Laptop, Core 2 Duo E8300 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II N350 rivals Pentium P6100.
| Feature | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x |
| Target Use | Legacy Laptop | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II N350 launched at $100 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo E8300 debuted at $163. At current prices ($100 vs $20), the Core 2 Duo E8300 is $80 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II N350 delivers 10.4 pts/$ vs 52.0 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E8300 — making the Core 2 Duo E8300 the 133% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II N350 | Core 2 Duo E8300 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100-39% | $163 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $100 | $20-80% |
| Performance per Dollar | 10.4 | 52.0+400% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2008 |
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