Atom C3338 vs Core 2 Duo E8235

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 C3338 vs Core 2 Duo E8235 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 C3338 vs Core 2 Duo E8235: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom C3338

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 9W instead of 44W, a 35W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (10 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Core 2 Duo E8235

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,020 vs 1,028).
❌388.9% higher power demand at 44W vs 9W.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom C3338 better than Core 2 Duo E8235?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo E8235 is ahead with a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Atom C3338 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, Atom C3338 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Atom C3338 still makes the most sense overall. Atom C3338 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark.

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

Atom C3338 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Atom C3338 vs Core 2 Duo E8235 Technical Specifications

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

Atom C3338

The Atom C3338 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 February 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,028 points. Launch price was $27.

Core 2 Duo E8235

The Core 2 Duo E8235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,020 points. Launch price was $249.

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Processing Power

Both the Atom C3338 and Core 2 Duo E8235 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Atom C3338 versus 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8235 — a 24% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8235 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Atom C3338 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8235 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3338 scores 1,028 against the Core 2 Duo E8235's 1,020 — a 0.8% lead for the Atom C3338.

Feature	Atom C3338	Core 2 Duo E8235
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.8 GHz+27%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+87%
L3 Cache	4 MB	—
L2 Cache	4 MB	6 MB (total)+50%
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Goldmont (2016−2017)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,028	1,020

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Memory & Platform

The Atom C3338 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8235 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Atom C3338	Core 2 Duo E8235
Socket	FCBGA1310	P
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+173%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	10	—