Atom D525 vs Core i3-3120M

Atom D525

2 Cores4 Thrd13 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2010

Core i3-3120M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Atom D525

2 / 4

1,707

0.0%

1,709

+0.1%

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 D525 is positioned at rank 31 and the Core i3-3120M is on rank 460, so the Atom D525 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Atom D525

#19

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

172%

#20

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

169%

#21

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

155%

#22

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

155%

#23

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

153%

#25

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

148%

#26

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

142%

#27

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

142%

#28

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

138%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

100%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

100%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

98%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

91%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

90%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-3120M

#144

Core i7-12650H

MSRP: $457|Avg: N/A

97%

#448

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

601%

#449

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

592%

#450

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

544%

#451

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

541%

#452

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

536%

#454

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

518%

#455

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

496%

#456

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

496%

#457

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

482%

#460

Core i3-3120M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#472

Ryzen Embedded R1505G

MSRP: $80|Avg: $80

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-3120M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Atom D525 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Atom D525	Core i3-3120M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Atom D525	Core i3-3120M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Atom D525 Benchmark Check

Core i3-3120M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Atom D525 and Core i3-3120M

Atom D525

The Atom D525 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,707 points. Launch price was $63.

Core i3-3120M

The Core i3-3120M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,709 points. Launch price was $160.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Atom D525 and Core i3-3120M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.83 GHz on the Atom D525 versus 2.5 GHz on the Core i3-3120M — a 30.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-3120M (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Atom D525 uses the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-3120M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Atom D525 scores 1,707 against the Core i3-3120M's 1,709 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-3120M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom D525 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-3120M.

Feature	Atom D525	Core i3-3120M
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.83 GHz	2.5 GHz+37%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.5 GHz+39%
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Pinetrail (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,707	1,709
Geekbench 6 Single	—	440
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	930

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Atom D525 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-3120M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-800 memory speed. The Core i3-3120M supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Atom D525) vs 2 (Core i3-3120M). PCIe lanes: 0 (Atom D525) vs 16 (Core i3-3120M) — the Core i3-3120M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel NM10 (Atom D525) and HM76,HM77 (Core i3-3120M).

Feature	Atom D525	Core i3-3120M
Socket	FCBGA559	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	32 GB+700%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Atom D525) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-3120M). Both include integrated graphics — Intel GMA 3150 (Atom D525) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i3-3120M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-3120M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-3120M rivals AMD A8-4500M.