Core i3-390M vs Core i3-3227U
Core i3-390M
Core i3-3227U
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 i3-390M is positioned at rank 585 and the Core i3-3227U is on rank 599, so the Core i3-390M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-390M
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-3227U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-390M | Core i3-3227U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-390M | Core i3-3227U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 i3-390M and Core i3-3227U
Core i3-390M
The Core i3-390M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 0.67 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: 1,292 points. Launch price was $39.
Core i3-3227U
The Core i3-3227U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,299 points. Launch price was $225.
Processing Power
Both the Core i3-390M and Core i3-3227U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.67 GHz on the Core i3-390M versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i3-3227U — a 95.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-3227U (base: 2.66 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i3-390M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-3227U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-390M scores 1,292 against the Core i3-3227U's 1,299 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-3227U. Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Core i3-390M | Core i3-3227U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 0.67 GHz | 1.9 GHz+184% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz+40% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,292 | 1,299 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 400 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 900 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-390M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-3227U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Core i3-3227U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.
| Feature | Core i3-390M | Core i3-3227U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 32 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i3-390M) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-3227U). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Core i3-390M) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i3-3227U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-390M targets Mobile, Core i3-3227U targets Legacy Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i3-3227U rivals AMD A6-4455M.
| Feature | Core i3-390M | Core i3-3227U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Mobile | Legacy Ultrabook |
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