Core 2 Duo E8300 vs Athlon II N350
Core 2 Duo E8300
Athlon II N350
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 Core 2 Duo E8300 is positioned at rank 1060 and the Athlon II N350 is on rank 1067, so the Core 2 Duo E8300 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8300
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II N350
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+397%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
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 Core 2 Duo E8300 and Athlon II N350
Core 2 Duo E8300
The Core 2 Duo E8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,039 points. Launch price was $249.
Athlon II N350
The Athlon II N350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,045 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo E8300 and Athlon II N350 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.83 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8300 versus 2.4 GHz on the Athlon II N350 — a 16.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300. The Core 2 Duo E8300 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II N350 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E8300 scores 1,039 against the Athlon II N350's 1,045 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II N350. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 345 vs 210, a 48.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8300 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 771 vs 400 (63.4% advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300).
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.83 GHz+18% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.83 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+500% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,039 | 1,045 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,000 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 345+64% | 210 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 771+93% | 400 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo E8300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II N350 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Core 2 Duo E8300 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core 2 Duo E8300) vs 0 (Athlon II N350) — the Core 2 Duo E8300 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: P35,P45,G33,G31 (Core 2 Duo E8300) and RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N350).
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+100% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core 2 Duo E8300) vs AMD-V (Athlon II N350). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E8300 targets Budget, Athlon II N350 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II N350 rivals Pentium P6100.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Legacy Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Core 2 Duo E8300 launched at $163 MSRP, while the Athlon II N350 debuted at $100. At current prices ($20 vs $100), the Core 2 Duo E8300 is $80 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E8300 delivers 52.0 pts/$ vs 10.4 pts/$ for the Athlon II N350 — making the Core 2 Duo E8300 the 133% better value option.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $163 | $100-39% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-80% | $100 |
| Performance per Dollar | 52.0+400% | 10.4 |
| Release Date | 2008 | 2010 |
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