Core i3-330E vs A4-1250

Core i3-330E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.03 GHz2010

A4-1250

2 Cores2 Thrd8 WWMax: 1 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-330E

2 / 4

1,260

+0.2%

1,258

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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 i3-330E is positioned at rank 1157 and the A4-1250 is on rank 1023, so the A4-1250 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 i3-330E

#1145

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

4121%

#1146

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4060%

#1147

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3728%

#1148

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3711%

#1149

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3677%

#1151

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3551%

#1152

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3404%

#1153

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3399%

#1154

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3308%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

100%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

99%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1162

Core i7-2620M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

98%

#1164

Celeron N3010

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

96%

#1165

Core i7-3537U

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

95%

#1166

Core M-5Y10c

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1167

Core M-5Y31

MSRP: $281|Avg: $30

95%

#1168

Core M-5Y10a

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1170

Celeron 1047UE

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

95%

#1171

Core M-5Y70

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1172

Celeron U3400

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A4-1250

#1011

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2332%

#1012

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2298%

#1013

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2110%

#1014

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2100%

#1015

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2081%

#1017

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2010%

#1018

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1927%

#1019

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1924%

#1020

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1872%

#1023

A4-1250

MSRP: $100|Avg: $30

100%

#1025

Core i5-4200M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1026

Celeron 1000M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

99%

#1028

Celeron B840

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1029

Celeron M 743

MSRP: $107|Avg: $15

98%

#1030

Core i7-3612QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

98%

#1031

Pentium 967

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

97%

#1032

Core i5-4400E

MSRP: $266|Avg: $50

97%

#1034

Pentium Dual Core T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

95%

#1037

Core i7-8665UE

MSRP: $409|Avg: $409

94%

#1038

Celeron T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The A4-1250 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-330E is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-330E	A4-1250
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)	✅ More affordable ($30)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Westmere (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Temash (2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the A4-1250 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 66% cheaper ($30 vs $89) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-330E	A4-1250
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+196%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)	✅ More affordable ($30)

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 i3-330E Benchmark Check

A4-1250 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-330E and A4-1250

Core i3-330E

The Core i3-330E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 0.03 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,260 points. Launch price was $177.

A4-1250

The A4-1250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Temash (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FT3. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,258 points. Launch price was $50.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-330E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the A4-1250's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E versus 1 GHz on the A4-1250 — a 188.3% clock advantage for the A4-1250. The Core i3-330E uses the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the A4-1250 uses Temash (2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-330E scores 1,260 against the A4-1250's 1,258 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-330E. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-330E vs 0 kB on the A4-1250.

Feature	Core i3-330E	A4-1250
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.03 GHz	1 GHz+3233%
Base Clock	2.13 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512K (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Westmere (2010−2011)	Temash (2013)
PassMark	1,260	1,258
Geekbench 6 Single	—	111
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	188

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-330E uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A4-1250 uses FT3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-330E	A4-1250
Socket	BGA1288	FT3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L 1333 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	1
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-330E) / true (A4-1250). The A4-1250 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 8210), while the Core i3-330E requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-1250 targets Tablet. Direct competitor: A4-1250 rivals Atom Z3740.

Feature	Core i3-330E	A4-1250
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon HD 8210
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	true
Target Use	—	Tablet

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-330E launched at $177 MSRP, while the A4-1250 debuted at $100. At current prices ($89 vs $30), the A4-1250 is $59 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-330E delivers 14.2 pts/$ vs 41.9 pts/$ for the A4-1250 — making the A4-1250 the 99% better value option.