Core i3-330M vs Athlon II N350
Core i3-330M
Athlon II N350
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 i3-330M is positioned at rank 276 and the Athlon II N350 is on rank 1067, so the Core i3-330M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-330M
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II N350
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-330M | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-330M | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-330M and Athlon II N350
Core i3-330M
The Core i3-330M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 0.13 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,032 points. Launch price was $49.
Athlon II N350
The Athlon II N350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,045 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i3-330M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II N350's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.13 GHz on the Core i3-330M versus 2.4 GHz on the Athlon II N350 — a 179.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II N350. The Core i3-330M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II N350 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-330M scores 1,032 against the Athlon II N350's 1,045 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon II N350. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 317 vs 210, a 40.6% lead for the Core i3-330M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 689 vs 400 (53.1% advantage for the Core i3-330M).
| Feature | Core i3-330M | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.13 GHz | 2.4 GHz+1746% |
| Base Clock | 2.13 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,032 | 1,045+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 317+51% | 210 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 689+72% | 400 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-330M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II N350 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-330M) vs 0 (Athlon II N350) — the Core i3-330M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,PM55,QM57 (Core i3-330M) and RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N350).
| Feature | Core i3-330M | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x / EPT (Core i3-330M) vs AMD-V (Athlon II N350). The Core i3-330M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Arrandale)), while the Athlon II N350 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-330M targets Legacy Budget, Athlon II N350 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-330M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Athlon II N350 rivals Pentium P6100.
| Feature | Core i3-330M | Athlon II N350 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Arrandale) | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x / EPT | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Legacy Budget | Legacy Laptop |
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