Atom 330 vs Phenom II X3 705e

Atom 330 vs Phenom II X3 705e Performance Spectrum

Atom 330

2 / 4

1,530

+0.7%

1,519

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

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.

Atom 330 vs Phenom II X3 705e 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.

Atom 330 vs Phenom II X3 705e: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom 330

2008

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 8W instead of 65W, a 57W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $43 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 705e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X3 705e

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,519 vs 1,530).
❌712.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 8W.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom 330 better than Phenom II X3 705e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X3 705e is ahead with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Atom 330 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom 330 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Atom 330 is the better buy right now. Atom 330 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $43 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that Phenom II X3 705e is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (35.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Phenom II X3 705e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2008). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Atom 330 vs Phenom II X3 705e Technical Specifications

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

Atom 330

The Atom 330 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Diamondville (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 0.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PBGA437. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,530 points. Launch price was $43.

Phenom II X3 705e

The Phenom II X3 705e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Heka (2009−2010) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 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: 1,519 points. Launch price was $152.

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Processing Power

The Atom 330 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 705e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 705e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Atom 330 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom II X3 705e — a 184.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X3 705e (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Atom 330 uses the Diamondville (2008−2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X3 705e uses Heka (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom 330 scores 1,530 against the Phenom II X3 705e's 1,519 — a 0.7% lead for the Atom 330. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom 330 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X3 705e.

Feature	Atom 330	Phenom II X3 705e
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	0.1 GHz	2.5 GHz+2400%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	2.5 GHz+56%
L3 Cache	0 kB	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Diamondville (2008−2009)	Heka (2009−2010)
PassMark	1,530	1,519

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Memory & Platform

The Atom 330 uses the PBGA437 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X3 705e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.