Core i3-350M vs Athlon II X2 210e

Core i3-350M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.27 GHz2010

Athlon II X2 210e

2 Cores2 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-350M

2 / 4

1,088

0.0%

1,089

+0.1%

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 X2 210e is on rank 837, 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 X2 210e

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

17174%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

16228%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

11783%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3550%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2812%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2460%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1409%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1390%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1266%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1266%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1252%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1218%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1201%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1196%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1185%

#837

Athlon II X2 210e

MSRP: $60|Avg: $28

100%

#839

Pentium G645

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

100%

#840

Pentium G630

MSRP: $75|Avg: $46

99%

#841

Core i5-2550K

MSRP: $235|Avg: $46

99%

#842

Athlon II X4 600e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

99%

#843

Core i7-4785T

MSRP: $306|Avg: $32

99%

#844

Core i5-6442EQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

99%

#845

Core i5-4690S

MSRP: $306|Avg: $189

99%

#846

Core i3-3250

MSRP: $138|Avg: $40

98%

#847

Core i3-3240

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

98%

#848

Pentium G640T

MSRP: $64|Avg: $69

98%

#849

Core i7-5930K

MSRP: $583|Avg: $410

98%

#851

Core i3-3240T

MSRP: $117|Avg: $8

98%

#852

Athlon II X2 240

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Athlon II X2 210e delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-350M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon II X2 210e
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($28)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 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 $28), it costs 64% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 180% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Athlon II X2 210e.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Athlon II X2 210e
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+180%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($28)

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 X2 210e Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-350M and Athlon II X2 210e

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 X2 210e

The Athlon II X2 210e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,089 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-350M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II X2 210e's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Core i3-350M versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 210e — a 162.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 210e (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i3-350M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 210e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-350M scores 1,088 against the Athlon II X2 210e's 1,089 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X2 210e. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-350M vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 210e.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II X2 210e
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.27 GHz	2.6 GHz+863%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	2.6 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,088	1,089
Geekbench 6 Single	280	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	650	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-350M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 210e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Core i3-350M versus 1333 on the Athlon II X2 210e — the Athlon II X2 210e supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 210e supports up to 16 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 II X2 210e) — the Core i3-350M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57 (Core i3-350M) and AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 210e).

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II X2 210e
Socket	PGA988	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	1333+44333%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB+52428700%	16
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 true (Athlon II X2 210e). The Core i3-350M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II X2 210e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-350M targets Entry Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-350M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Athlon II X2 210e rivals Pentium E5300.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Athlon II X2 210e
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	true
Target Use	Entry Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-350M launched at $130 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 210e debuted at $60. At current prices ($10 vs $28), the Core i3-350M is $18 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-350M delivers 108.8 pts/$ vs 38.9 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 210e — making the Core i3-350M the 94.7% better value option.