C-50 vs Core i3-390M

C-50 vs Core i3-390M Performance Spectrum

C-50

2 / 2

1,282

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-390M

2 / 4

1,292

+0.8%

Atom D2550

Pentium T3400

Pentium E5400

Pentium Dual Core T4200

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.

C-50 vs Core i3-390M 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.

C-50 vs Core i3-390M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

C-50

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 9W instead of 512W, a 503W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,282 vs 1,292).

Core i3-390M

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌5588.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 9W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-390M better than C-50?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, C-50 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, Core i3-390M 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, Core i3-390M is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-390M still makes the most sense overall. Core i3-390M 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?

Core i3-390M makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

C-50 vs Core i3-390M Technical Specifications

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

C-50

The C-50 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 1,282 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i3-390M

The Core i3-390M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 0.67 GHz. L3 cache: 3 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: 1,292 points. Launch price was $39.

⚡

Processing Power

The C-50 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-390M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1 GHz on the C-50 versus 0.67 GHz on the Core i3-390M — a 39.5% clock advantage for the C-50. The C-50 uses the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture (40 nm), while the Core i3-390M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the C-50 scores 1,282 against the Core i3-390M's 1,292 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-390M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the C-50 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-390M.

Feature	C-50	Core i3-390M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1 GHz+49%	0.67 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	40 nm	32 nm-20%
Architecture	Ontario (2011−2012)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,282	1,292

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Memory & Platform

The C-50 uses the FT1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-390M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Core i3-390M supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (C-50) vs 2 (Core i3-390M). PCIe lanes: 4 (C-50) vs 16 (Core i3-390M) — the Core i3-390M offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	C-50	Core i3-390M
Socket	FT1	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	16+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (C-50) / VT-x (Core i3-390M). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 6250 (C-50) and HD Graphics (Core i3-390M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-390M targets Mobile.