Core i3-330E vs Phenom X3 8600

Core i3-330E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.03 GHz2010

Phenom X3 8600

3 Cores3 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-330E

2 / 4

1,260

0.0%

1,267

+0.6%

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 Phenom X3 8600 is on rank 947, so the Phenom X3 8600 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 Phenom X3 8600

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

24603%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

23247%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

16879%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5085%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4028%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3524%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2018%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1992%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1814%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1813%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1793%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1745%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1720%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1713%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1698%

#947

Phenom X3 8600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

100%

#948

A10-6790B

MSRP: $122|Avg: $50

100%

#949

Core i3-6100TE

MSRP: $250|Avg: $90

100%

#950

FX-4320

MSRP: $250|Avg: $100

99%

#951

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $150

99%

#952

Celeron E1200

MSRP: $53|Avg: $98

99%

#954

Core i5-660

MSRP: $196|Avg: $150

98%

#955

Athlon II X2 250

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

98%

#956

Core i3-2120T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $38

98%

#957

Phenom II X3 720

MSRP: $130|Avg: $64

97%

#958

Pentium E6300

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

97%

#959

Core i5-661

MSRP: $196|Avg: $40

96%

#960

Core i3-4150

MSRP: $281|Avg: $70

96%

#961

Core i5-750

MSRP: $210|Avg: $30

96%

#962

Core i3-2100T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $127

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom X3 8600 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-330E in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-330E	Phenom X3 8600
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)	✅ More affordable ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Westmere (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Phenom X3 8600 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 78% cheaper ($20 vs $89) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-330E	Phenom X3 8600
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+347%)
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

Phenom X3 8600 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-330E and Phenom X3 8600

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.

Phenom X3 8600

The Phenom X3 8600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,267 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-330E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom X3 8600 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8600 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom X3 8600 — a 194.8% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8600. The Core i3-330E uses the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom X3 8600 uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-330E scores 1,260 against the Phenom X3 8600's 1,267 — a 0.6% lead for the Phenom X3 8600. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-330E vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X3 8600.

Feature	Core i3-330E	Phenom X3 8600
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	0.03 GHz	2.3 GHz+7567%
Base Clock	2.13 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm-51%	65 nm
Architecture	Westmere (2010−2011)	Toliman (2008)
PassMark	1,260	1,267

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-330E uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom X3 8600 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-330E	Phenom X3 8600
Socket	BGA1288	AM2+
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-330E launched at $177 MSRP, while the Phenom X3 8600 debuted at $100. At current prices ($89 vs $20), the Phenom X3 8600 is $69 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-330E delivers 14.2 pts/$ vs 63.4 pts/$ for the Phenom X3 8600 — making the Phenom X3 8600 the 126.9% better value option.