Core i3-350M vs Athlon II N370

Core i3-350M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.27 GHz2010

Athlon II N370

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-350M

2 / 4

1,088

+0.3%

1,085

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 i3-350M is positioned at rank 17 and the Athlon II N370 is on rank 923, 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 II N370

#911

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1623%

#912

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1599%

#913

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1468%

#914

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1461%

#915

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1448%

#917

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1398%

#918

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1341%

#919

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1338%

#920

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1303%

#923

Athlon II N370

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

100%

#928

A8-6410

MSRP: $100|Avg: $40

98%

#933

Athlon X2 L310

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-350M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Athlon II N370 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon II N370
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-350M stands out as the superior choice. It delivers superior performance at a comparable price point.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon II N370
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+0%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 II N370 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-350M and Athlon II N370

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 II N370

The Athlon II N370 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: 2.5 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: 1,085 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-350M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II N370's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Core i3-350M versus 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 — a 161% clock advantage for the Athlon II N370. The Core i3-350M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II N370 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-350M scores 1,088 against the Athlon II N370's 1,085 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i3-350M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 280 vs 220, a 24% lead for the Core i3-350M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 650 vs 420 (43% advantage for the Core i3-350M).

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II N370
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.27 GHz	2.5 GHz+826%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,088	1,085
Geekbench 6 Single	280+27%	220
Geekbench 6 Multi	650+55%	420

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-350M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II N370 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 i3-350M) vs 0 (Athlon II N370) — the Core i3-350M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57 (Core i3-350M) and RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N370).

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II N370
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, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-350M) vs AMD-V (Athlon II N370). The Core i3-350M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II N370 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-350M targets Entry Laptop, Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-350M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II N370
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Entry Laptop	Legacy Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-350M launched at $130 MSRP, while the Athlon II N370 debuted at $60. At current prices ($10 vs $10), the Athlon II N370 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-350M delivers 108.8 pts/$ vs 108.5 pts/$ for the Athlon II N370 — making the Core i3-350M the 0.3% better value option.