Atom C3338 vs Pentium B950
Atom C3338
Pentium B950
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 Atom C3338 is positioned at rank 543 and the Pentium B950 is on rank 1142, so the Atom C3338 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3338
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B950
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3338 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3338 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
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 Atom C3338 and Pentium B950
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.
Pentium B950
The Pentium B950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,022 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
Both the Atom C3338 and Pentium B950 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Atom C3338 versus 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Atom C3338 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Atom C3338 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium B950 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3338 scores 1,028 against the Pentium B950's 1,022 — a 0.6% lead for the Atom C3338. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Atom C3338 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B950.
| Feature | Atom C3338 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz+5% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.1 GHz+40% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB+100% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,028 | 1,022 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 379 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 671 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3338 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B950 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-1866 on the Atom C3338 versus DDR3-1333 on the Pentium B950 — the Atom C3338 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom C3338 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom C3338) vs 2 (Pentium B950). PCIe lanes: 10 (Atom C3338) vs 16 (Pentium B950) — the Pentium B950 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel FCBGA1310 (Atom C3338) and HM65,HM67 (Pentium B950).
| Feature | Atom C3338 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-1866+33% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB+700% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 2+100% |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 10 | 16+60% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Atom C3338) / VT-x (Pentium B950). The Pentium B950 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Atom C3338 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B950 targets Budget.
| Feature | Atom C3338 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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