Core i3-350M vs Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Core i3-350M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.27 GHz2010

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

2 Cores2 Thrd89 WWMax: 2 GHz2005

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-350M

2 / 4

1,088

0.0%

1,095

+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 i3-350M is positioned at rank 17 and the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is on rank 1094, so the Core i3-350M 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 i3-350M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

135%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

133%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

122%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

121%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

120%

#11

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

116%

#12

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

111%

#13

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

111%

#14

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

108%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

100%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

99%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

98%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

88%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

84%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

84%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

80%

#28

Core 2 Duo T5750

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $8

80%

#29

Core 2 Duo T7200

MSRP: $286|Avg: $6

79%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

79%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

78%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

78%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

100879%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

95320%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

69210%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

20850%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

16516%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

14448%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

8275%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

8167%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

7436%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

7436%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

7352%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

7154%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

7054%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

7026%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

6962%

#1094

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $20

100%

#1095

Athlon 64 3000+

MSRP: $149|Avg: $10

98%

#1096

Athlon XP 3100+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

92%

#1097

Athlon 64 3300+

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

84%

#1098

Athlon 64 2800+

MSRP: $178|Avg: $15

76%

#1099

Athlon 64 3700+

MSRP: $272|Avg: $20

74%

#1100

Athlon 64 FX-72

MSRP: $799|Avg: $40

73%

#1101

Athlon 64 X2 4200+

MSRP: $581|Avg: $110

70%

#1102

Athlon 64 3500+

MSRP: $272|Avg: $10

68%

#1103

Pentium D 830

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

63%

#1104

Pentium D 960

MSRP: $523|Avg: $15

62%

#1105

Athlon XP 2500+

MSRP: $172|Avg: $15

60%

#1106

Athlon 64 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $10

59%

#1107

Pentium 4 2.53

MSRP: $193|Avg: $13

58%

#1108

Pentium 4 2.40

MSRP: $193|Avg: $193

54%

#1109

Athlon XP 2400+

MSRP: $193|Avg: $10

51%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-350M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Manchester (2005−2006) / 90 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Core i3-350M holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $10 (vs $20), it costs 50% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 99% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Athlon 64 X2 3800+.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+99%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($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 i3-350M Benchmark Check

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-350M and Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Core i3-350M

The Core i3-350M 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 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 0.27 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,088 points. Launch price was $130.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-350M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon 64 X2 3800+'s 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Core i3-350M versus 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ — a 152.4% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 X2 3800+. The Core i3-350M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses Manchester (2005−2006) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-350M scores 1,088 against the Athlon 64 X2 3800+'s 1,095 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon 64 X2 3800+. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-350M vs 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.27 GHz	2 GHz+641%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	32 nm-64%	90 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Manchester (2005−2006)
PassMark	1,088	1,095
Geekbench 6 Single	280	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	650	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-350M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses 939 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Core i3-350M versus DDR2-800 on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ — the Core i3-350M supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-350M) vs 0 (Athlon 64 X2 3800+) — the Core i3-350M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57 (Core i3-350M) and AMD AM2 (Athlon 64 X2 3800+).

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Socket	PGA988	939
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066+50%	DDR2-800
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-350M) / not specified (Athlon 64 X2 3800+). The Core i3-350M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-350M targets Entry Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-350M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Entry Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-350M launched at $130 MSRP, while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ debuted at $354. At current prices ($10 vs $20), the Core i3-350M is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-350M delivers 108.8 pts/$ vs 54.8 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ — making the Core i3-350M the 66.1% better value option.