Core i3-350M vs Pentium B970

Core i3-350M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.27 GHz2010

Pentium B970

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-350M

2 / 4

1,088

0.0%

1,093

+0.5%

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 Pentium B970 is on rank 1112, 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 Pentium B970

#1100

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3357%

#1101

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3308%

#1102

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3037%

#1103

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3023%

#1104

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2995%

#1106

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2892%

#1107

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2773%

#1108

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2769%

#1109

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2695%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

100%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

99%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

98%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

97%

#1119

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

97%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1122

Pentium U5600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

96%

#1123

Core m5-6Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

95%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

94%

#1127

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium B970 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-350M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Pentium B970
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 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 $39), it costs 74% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 288% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Pentium B970.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Pentium B970
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+288%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)

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

Pentium B970 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-350M and Pentium B970

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.

Pentium B970

The Pentium B970 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 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: 1,093 points. Launch price was $125.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-350M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium B970's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Core i3-350M versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium B970 — a 158% clock advantage for the Pentium B970 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i3-350M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium B970 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-350M scores 1,088 against the Pentium B970's 1,093 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium B970. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-350M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B970.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Pentium B970
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.27 GHz	2.3 GHz+752%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	2.3 GHz+2%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,088	1,093
Geekbench 6 Single	280	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	650	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the PGA988 socket with PCIe 2.0.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Pentium B970
Socket	PGA988	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-350M) / not specified (Pentium B970). The Core i3-350M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Pentium B970 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	Pentium B970
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
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 Pentium B970 debuted at $125. At current prices ($10 vs $39), the Core i3-350M is $29 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-350M delivers 108.8 pts/$ vs 28.0 pts/$ for the Pentium B970 — making the Core i3-350M the 118.1% better value option.