Core i3-380M vs Pentium 997

Core i3-380M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.53 GHz2010

Pentium 997

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-380M

2 / 4

1,212

0.0%

1,215

+0.2%

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 Pentium 997 is on rank 1104, 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 Pentium 997

#1092

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3235%

#1093

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3187%

#1094

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2926%

#1095

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2913%

#1096

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2886%

#1098

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2787%

#1099

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2673%

#1100

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2668%

#1101

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2596%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

99%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

98%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

97%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

96%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

95%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

95%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium 997 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-380M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-380M	Pentium 997
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)	✅ More affordable ($10)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium 997 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 60% cheaper ($10 vs $25) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-380M	Pentium 997
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+151%)
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

Pentium 997 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-380M and Pentium 997

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.

Pentium 997

The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-380M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium 997's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 — a 100.5% clock advantage for the Pentium 997 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Core i3-380M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium 997 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-380M scores 1,212 against the Pentium 997's 1,215 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium 997. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997.

Feature	Core i3-380M	Pentium 997
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.53 GHz	1.6 GHz+202%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+58%	1.6 GHz
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	1,212	1,215
Geekbench 6 Single	450	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,100	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-380M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 997 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-380M	Pentium 997
Socket	PGA988	BGA1023
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 (Core i3-380M) / not specified (Pentium 997). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Pentium 997 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.

Feature	Core i3-380M	Pentium 997
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x	—
Target Use	Legacy Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-380M launched at $49 MSRP, while the Pentium 997 debuted at $134. At current prices ($25 vs $10), the Pentium 997 is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-380M delivers 48.5 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 997 — making the Pentium 997 the 85.9% better value option.