Core i3-390M vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D

CPU

GPU

Core i3-390M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 0.67 GHz2011

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Ryzen 7 7800X3D

8 Cores16 Thrd120 WWMax: 5 GHz2023

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Core i3-390M vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D Performance Spectrum

Core i3-390M

2 / 4

1,292

0.0%

Atom D2550

Pentium T3400

Pentium E5400

Pentium Dual Core T4200

34,293

+2554.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

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.

Core i3-390M vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-390M vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-390M

2011

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7800X3D across 37 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,292 vs 34,293).
❌326.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 120W.
❌Older platform position on PGA988, while Ryzen 7 7800X3D moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +782.9% higher average FPS across 37 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 120W instead of 512W, a 392W reduction.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of PGA988 and older memory support.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $449 MSRP, while Core i3-390M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7800X3D better than Core i3-390M?

Yes. Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 782.9% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2554.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 782.9% more average FPS across 37 shared CPU game tests. It also has a clear cache advantage at 96 MB versus 3 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the stronger fit. You are getting 2554.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 3100% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 3 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 7800X3D comes in at an unclear MSRP at $449 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 782.9% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (76.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 7800X3D makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2011), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of PGA988, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 96 MB L3 cache instead of 3 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 2/4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i3-390M vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-390M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.67 GHz on the Core i3-390M versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 152.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.66 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i3-390M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-390M scores 1,292 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 185.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-390M vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	Core i3-390M	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	8 / 16+300%
Boost Clock	0.67 GHz	5 GHz+646%
Base Clock	2.66 GHz	4.4 GHz+65%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+3100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	32 nm	5 nm-84%
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	1,292	34,293+2554%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	15,000

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-390M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Core i3-390M versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports 387.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 1500% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-390M) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i3-390M	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	PGA988	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 5.0+150%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR5-5200+388%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	128 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

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Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i3-390M) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Core i3-390M) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-390M targets Mobile, Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.