Athlon Neo MV-40 vs Core i3-330E

Athlon Neo MV-40 vs Core i3-330E Performance Spectrum

Athlon Neo MV-40

1 / 1

1,274

+1.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-330E

2 / 4

1,260

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 Neo MV-40 vs Core i3-330E 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 Neo MV-40 vs Core i3-330E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon Neo MV-40

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $77 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $177 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 12.7 vs 7.1 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $177 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.

Core i3-330E

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 512W, a 477W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,260 vs 1,274).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.1 vs 12.7 PassMark/$ ($177 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon Neo MV-40 better than Core i3-330E?

Yes. Athlon Neo MV-40 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon Neo MV-40 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.4% 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 Neo MV-40 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Athlon Neo MV-40 is the better buy right now. Athlon Neo MV-40 comes in $77 cheaper on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $177 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 79.0% better value on MSRP (12.7 vs 7.1 PassMark/$), 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 i3-330E 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 Neo MV-40 vs Core i3-330E Technical Specifications

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

Athlon Neo MV-40

The Athlon Neo MV-40 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Huron (2009) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: ASB1. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,274 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i3-330E

The Core i3-330E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 0.03 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,260 points. Launch price was $177.

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Processing Power

The Athlon Neo MV-40 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Core i3-330E offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i3-330E has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon Neo MV-40 versus 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E — a 192.6% clock advantage for the Athlon Neo MV-40. The Athlon Neo MV-40 uses the Huron (2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i3-330E uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Neo MV-40 scores 1,274 against the Core i3-330E's 1,260 — a 1.1% lead for the Athlon Neo MV-40.

Feature	Athlon Neo MV-40	Core i3-330E
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz+5233%	0.03 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.13 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Huron (2009)	Westmere (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,274+1%	1,260

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Neo MV-40 uses the ASB1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-330E uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon Neo MV-40	Core i3-330E
Socket	ASB1	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-667	—
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Neo MV-40 was priced at $100, while the Core i3-330E came in at $177. On launch pricing ($100 vs $177), Athlon Neo MV-40 was $77 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Neo MV-40 delivers 12.7 pts/$ vs 7.1 pts/$ for the Core i3-330E — making the Athlon Neo MV-40 the 56.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon Neo MV-40	Core i3-330E
MSRP	$100-44%	$177
Performance per Dollar	12.7+79%	7.1
Release Date	2009	2010

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