Athlon X2 QL-60 vs Core i3-330E

Athlon X2 QL-60 vs Core i3-330E Performance Spectrum

Athlon X2 QL-60

2 / 2

1,273

+1.0%

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 X2 QL-60 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 X2 QL-60 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 X2 QL-60

2008

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Core i3-330E

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,260 vs 1,273).
❌Launch MSRP is still $177 MSRP, while Athlon X2 QL-60 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X2 QL-60 better than Core i3-330E?

Yes. Athlon X2 QL-60 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 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 X2 QL-60 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% 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 X2 QL-60 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon X2 QL-60 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Athlon X2 QL-60 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $177 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-330E only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 2.2% in the shared gaming data.

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 2008). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X2 QL-60 vs Core i3-330E Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X2 QL-60

The Athlon X2 QL-60 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,273 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 X2 QL-60 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-330E's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-60 versus 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E — a 193.8% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 QL-60. The Athlon X2 QL-60 uses the Lion (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i3-330E uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 QL-60 scores 1,273 against the Core i3-330E's 1,260 — a 1% lead for the Athlon X2 QL-60. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon X2 QL-60 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-330E.

Feature	Athlon X2 QL-60	Core i3-330E
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.9 GHz+6233%	0.03 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.13 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Lion (2008−2009)	Westmere (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,273+1%	1,260

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 QL-60 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-330E uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.