Core i3-330E vs Pentium J2900

Core i3-330E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.03 GHz2010

Pentium J2900

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-330E

2 / 4

1,260

+0.5%

1,254

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 i3-330E is positioned at rank 1157 and the Pentium J2900 is on rank 1013, so the Pentium J2900 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 Pentium J2900

#1001

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2199%

#1002

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2167%

#1003

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1990%

#1004

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1981%

#1005

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1962%

#1007

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1895%

#1008

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1817%

#1009

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1814%

#1010

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1765%

#1013

Pentium J2900

MSRP: $94|Avg: $20

100%

#1014

Celeron T1700

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

99%

#1015

Celeron T3500

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

99%

#1016

A12-9720P

MSRP: $200|Avg: $25

98%

#1017

Core i5-4300M

MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A

98%

#1018

Celeron 1005M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

97%

#1019

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

97%

#1020

Athlon Neo MV-40

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

96%

#1021

Core i7-4860EQ

MSRP: $434|Avg: $80

95%

#1022

Pentium SU2700

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

95%

#1023

A4-1250

MSRP: $100|Avg: $30

94%

#1025

Core i5-4200M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

#1026

Celeron 1000M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

93%

#1028

Celeron B840

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 Pentium J2900 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-330E is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-330E	Pentium J2900
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)	✅ More affordable ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Westmere (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-D (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium J2900 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 78% cheaper ($20 vs $89) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-330E	Pentium J2900
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+343%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)	✅ More affordable ($20)

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

Pentium J2900 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-330E and Pentium J2900

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.

Pentium J2900

The Pentium J2900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.41 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,254 points. Launch price was $94.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-330E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium J2900 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium J2900 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium J2900 — a 195.5% clock advantage for the Pentium J2900 (base: 2.13 GHz vs 2.41 GHz). The Core i3-330E uses the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium J2900 uses Bay Trail-D (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-330E scores 1,260 against the Pentium J2900's 1,254 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-330E. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-330E vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium J2900.

Feature	Core i3-330E	Pentium J2900
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	0.03 GHz	2.66 GHz+8767%
Base Clock	2.13 GHz	2.41 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB+300%
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Westmere (2010−2011)	Bay Trail-D (2013)
PassMark	1,260	1,254

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-330E uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium J2900 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-330E	Pentium J2900
Socket	BGA1288	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-330E launched at $177 MSRP, while the Pentium J2900 debuted at $94. At current prices ($89 vs $20), the Pentium J2900 is $69 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-330E delivers 14.2 pts/$ vs 62.7 pts/$ for the Pentium J2900 — making the Pentium J2900 the 126.3% better value option.