Core i3-380M vs Athlon II X2 255

Core i3-380M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.53 GHz2010

Athlon II X2 255

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-380M

2 / 4

1,212

+0.2%

1,210

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 i3-380M is positioned at rank 11 and the Athlon II X2 255 is on rank 793, so the Core i3-380M 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 i3-380M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

121%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

119%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

109%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

109%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

108%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

104%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

100%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

100%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

97%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

90%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

89%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

88%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

79%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

75%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

75%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 255

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

15454%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

14603%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

10603%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3194%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2530%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2213%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1268%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1251%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1139%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1139%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1126%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1096%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1081%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1076%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1067%

#294

Core i9-7920X

MSRP: $1199|Avg: $236

97%

#394

Ryzen 3 2200GE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

98%

#793

Athlon II X2 255

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

100%

#794

Core i3-3245

MSRP: $120|Avg: $50

100%

#796

FX-4170

MSRP: $157|Avg: $23

99%

#798

Athlon II X3 415e

MSRP: $75|Avg: $15

98%

#799

Core i5-2300

MSRP: $177|Avg: $17

97%

#800

Core i7-4820K

MSRP: $332|Avg: $40

97%

#802

Core i7-3770K

MSRP: $332|Avg: $75

97%

#803

Core i5-4460T

MSRP: $187|Avg: $30

97%

#804

Core i3-3220

MSRP: $117|Avg: $88

96%

#805

Core i7-3770T

MSRP: $278|Avg: $105

96%

#807

Pentium G620

MSRP: $64|Avg: $12

96%

#808

Pentium G645T

MSRP: $64|Avg: $15

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-380M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Athlon II X2 255 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-380M	Athlon II X2 255
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)	✅ More affordable ($10)
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 Athlon II X2 255 holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $10 (vs $25), it costs 60% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 150% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i3-380M.

Insight	Core i3-380M	Athlon II X2 255
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+150%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)	✅ More affordable ($10)

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 i3-380M Benchmark Check

Athlon II X2 255 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-380M and Athlon II X2 255

Core i3-380M

The Core i3-380M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 October 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 0.53 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: 1,212 points. Launch price was $49.

Athlon II X2 255

The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-380M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II X2 255's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M versus 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 — a 141.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i3-380M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-380M scores 1,212 against the Athlon II X2 255's 1,210 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-380M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 450 vs 265, a 51.7% lead for the Core i3-380M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,100 vs 500 (75% advantage for the Core i3-380M). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255.

Feature	Core i3-380M	Athlon II X2 255
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.53 GHz	3.1 GHz+485%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz	3.1 GHz+23%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,212	1,210
Geekbench 6 Single	450+70%	265
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,100+120%	500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-380M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 255 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 i3-380M) vs 0 (Athlon II X2 255) — the Core i3-380M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57 (Core i3-380M) and 760G,780G,785G,790GX,870,880G,890GX,890FX (Athlon II X2 255).

Feature	Core i3-380M	Athlon II X2 255
Socket	PGA988	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	16	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i3-380M) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Athlon II X2 255 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop, Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Core i3-380M	Athlon II X2 255
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x	AMD-V
Target Use	Legacy Laptop	Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-380M launched at $49 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 255 debuted at $60. At current prices ($25 vs $10), the Athlon II X2 255 is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-380M delivers 48.5 pts/$ vs 121.0 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 255 — making the Athlon II X2 255 the 85.6% better value option.