Core i3-380M
VS
Phenom II X2 B55

Core i3-380M vs Phenom II X2 B55

Intel

Core i3-380M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.53 GHz2010
VS
AMD

Phenom II X2 B55

2 Cores2 Thrd80 WWMax: 3 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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 Phenom II X2 B55 is on rank 492, 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

#4
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
121%
#5
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
119%
#6
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
109%
#7
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
109%
#8
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 Phenom II X2 B55

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
7653%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
7232%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
5251%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
1582%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
1253%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
1096%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
628%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
620%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
564%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
564%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
558%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
543%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
535%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
533%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
528%
#256
Ryzen 7 1700X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $60
96%
#371
Core 5 120UL
MSRP: $277|Avg: $270
96%
#372
Ryzen Embedded V3C14
MSRP: $305|Avg: $305
96%
#492
Phenom II X2 B55
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#493
Core i5-6500T
MSRP: $117|Avg: $35
100%
#494
FX-6330
MSRP: $109|Avg: $25
100%
#495
Celeron G1630
MSRP: $42|Avg: $5
100%
#499
Pentium G4400
MSRP: $64|Avg: $85
98%
#501
Core i5-8600K
MSRP: $257|Avg: $100
97%
#506
Athlon II X4 651
MSRP: $92|Avg: $92
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom II X2 B55 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-380M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i3-380MPhenom II X2 B55
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($25)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Callisto (2009−2010) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i3-380MPhenom II X2 B55
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($25)
More affordable ($0)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-380M and Phenom II X2 B55

Intel

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.

AMD

Phenom II X2 B55

The Phenom II X2 B55 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Callisto (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,222 points. Launch price was $48.

Processing Power

The Core i3-380M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Phenom II X2 B55's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M versus 3 GHz on the Phenom II X2 B55 — a 139.9% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 B55 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i3-380M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X2 B55 uses Callisto (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-380M scores 1,212 against the Phenom II X2 B55's 1,222 — a 0.8% lead for the Phenom II X2 B55. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X2 B55.

FeatureCore i3-380MPhenom II X2 B55
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 2
Boost Clock
0.53 GHz
3 GHz+466%
Base Clock
2.53 GHz
3 GHz+19%
L3 Cache
3 MB (total)
6 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512 kB (per core)+100%
Process
32 nm-29%
45 nm
Architecture
Arrandale (2010−2011)
Callisto (2009−2010)
PassMark
1,212
1,222
Geekbench 6 Single
450
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,100
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-380M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X2 B55 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i3-380MPhenom II X2 B55
Socket
PGA988
AM3
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 (Phenom II X2 B55). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Phenom II X2 B55 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.

FeatureCore i3-380MPhenom II X2 B55
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Legacy Laptop