Core i3-2357M vs Phenom II X4 N970

CPU

GPU

Core i3-2357M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.3 GHz2011

Phenom II X4 N970

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-2357M

2 / 4

1,645

0.0%

1,647

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i3-2357M is positioned at rank 96 and the Phenom II X4 N970 is on rank 388, so the Core i3-2357M 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 i3-2357M

#27

Core Ultra 7 265HX

MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A

99%

#84

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

268%

#85

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

264%

#86

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

242%

#87

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

241%

#88

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

239%

#90

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

231%

#91

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

221%

#92

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

221%

#93

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

215%

#96

Core i3-2357M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#98

N150

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $128

99%

#102

N100

MSRP: $128|Avg: $128

98%

#106

Ryzen 5 2500U

MSRP: $349|Avg: N/A

96%

#109

Celeron 4305U

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

95%

#110

Celeron J1850

MSRP: $82|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 N970

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

99%

#376

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

534%

#377

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

527%

#378

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

483%

#379

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

481%

#380

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

477%

#382

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

460%

#383

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

442%

#384

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

441%

#385

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

429%

#388

Phenom II X4 N970

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#391

Core i5-1145GRE

MSRP: $362|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom II X4 N970 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-2357M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-2357M	Phenom II X4 N970
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-2357M	Phenom II X4 N970
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.

Core i3-2357M Benchmark Check

Phenom II X4 N970 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-2357M and Phenom II X4 N970

Core i3-2357M

The Core i3-2357M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 1.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,645 points. Launch price was $250.

Phenom II X4 N970

The Phenom II X4 N970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,647 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-2357M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N970 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.3 GHz on the Core i3-2357M versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 — a 51.4% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 N970. The Core i3-2357M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-2357M scores 1,645 against the Phenom II X4 N970's 1,647 — a 0.1% lead for the Phenom II X4 N970.

Feature	Core i3-2357M	Phenom II X4 N970
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	1.3 GHz	2.2 GHz+69%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,645	1,647
Cinebench R23 Multi	440	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	440	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-2357M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-2357M	Phenom II X4 N970
Socket	BGA1023	S1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i3-2357M) / not specified (Phenom II X4 N970). The Core i3-2357M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Phenom II X4 N970 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i3-2357M rivals Core 2 Duo SU9600.