Core i3-3120M vs Atom D525

CPU

GPU

Core i3-3120M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2012

Atom D525

2 Cores4 Thrd13 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-3120M

2 / 4

1,709

+0.1%

1,707

0.0%

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 i3-3120M is positioned at rank 460 and the Atom D525 is on rank 31, 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 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 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 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	Core i3-3120M	Atom D525
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

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

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 i3-3120M Benchmark Check

Atom D525 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

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

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.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

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

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

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-3120M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Atom D525 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 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: 2 (Core i3-3120M) vs 1 (Atom D525). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-3120M) vs 0 (Atom D525) — the Core i3-3120M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM76,HM77 (Core i3-3120M) and Intel NM10 (Atom D525).

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

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-3120M) / not specified (Atom D525). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i3-3120M) and Intel GMA 3150 (Atom D525) — 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.