Core i3-2328M
VS
A6-3400M

Core i3-2328M vs A6-3400M

Intel

Core i3-2328M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2012
VS
AMD

A6-3400M

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2011

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 i3-2328M is positioned at rank 76 and the A6-3400M is on rank 869, so the Core i3-2328M 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 Core i3-2328M

#18
Ryzen 5 8500G
MSRP: $179|Avg: $150
97%
#64
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
238%
#65
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
234%
#66
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
215%
#67
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
214%
#68
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
212%
#70
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
205%
#71
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
196%
#72
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
196%
#73
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
191%
#76
Core i3-2328M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#79
Atom D2500
MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A
98%
#88
Core 2 Duo T7500
MSRP: $316|Avg: $5
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A6-3400M

#857
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1440%
#858
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1419%
#859
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1302%
#860
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1296%
#861
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1284%
#863
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1240%
#864
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1189%
#865
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1187%
#866
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1156%
#869
A6-3400M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#873
Celeron M 540
MSRP: $86|Avg: $20
100%
#877
Microsoft SQ1
MSRP: $300|Avg: $180
99%
#879
Core i5-6440HQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A
99%
#882
Celeron Dual-Core T1600
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
98%
#884
Athlon II N330
MSRP: $100|Avg: $50
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-2328M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the A6-3400M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.9% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i3-2328MA6-3400M
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i3-2328MA6-3400M
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-2328M and A6-3400M

Intel

Core i3-2328M

The Core i3-2328M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 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: 1,234 points. Launch price was $225.

AMD

A6-3400M

The A6-3400M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,223 points. Launch price was $70.

Processing Power

The Core i3-2328M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A6-3400M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A6-3400M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Core i3-2328M versus 2.3 GHz on the A6-3400M — a 4.4% clock advantage for the A6-3400M (base: 2.2 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i3-2328M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the A6-3400M uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-2328M scores 1,234 against the A6-3400M's 1,223 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i3-2328M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 329 vs 218, a 40.6% lead for the Core i3-2328M that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-2328M vs 0 kB on the A6-3400M.

FeatureCore i3-2328MA6-3400M
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.2 GHz
2.3 GHz+5%
Base Clock
2.2 GHz+57%
1.4 GHz
L3 Cache
3 MB (total)
0 kB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+300%
Process
32 nm
32 nm
Architecture
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
Llano (2011−2012)
PassMark
1,234
1,223
Geekbench 6 Single
329+51%
218
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-2328M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6-3400M uses FS1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Core i3-2328M 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. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

FeatureCore i3-2328MA6-3400M
Socket
PGA988
FS1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB+100%
8 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, EPT (Core i3-2328M) vs AMD-V (A6-3400M). Both include integrated graphics HD Graphics 3000 (Core i3-2328M) and Radeon HD 6520G (A6-3400M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-2328M targets Budget Laptop, A6-3400M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-2328M rivals Pentium B980; A6-3400M rivals Core i3-2310M.

FeatureCore i3-2328MA6-3400M
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 3000
Radeon HD 6520G
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, EPT
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget Laptop
Budget Laptop