Core i3-5010U vs Phenom II X3 N870

Core i3-5010U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2015

Phenom II X3 N870

3 Cores3 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-5010U

2 / 4

2,157

+0.6%

2,145

0.0%

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 i3-5010U is positioned at rank 521 and the Phenom II X3 N870 is on rank 250, so the Phenom II X3 N870 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 i3-5010U

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

98%

#509

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

680%

#510

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

670%

#511

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

615%

#512

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

612%

#513

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

607%

#515

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

586%

#516

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

562%

#517

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

561%

#518

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

546%

#521

Core i3-5010U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 N870

#238

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

410%

#239

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

404%

#240

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

371%

#241

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

370%

#242

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

366%

#244

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

354%

#245

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

339%

#246

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

338%

#247

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

329%

#250

Phenom II X3 N870

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Phenom II X3 N870 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-5010U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-5010U	Phenom II X3 N870
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-5010U	Phenom II X3 N870
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i3-5010U Benchmark Check

Phenom II X3 N870 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-5010U and Phenom II X3 N870

Core i3-5010U

The Core i3-5010U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,157 points. Launch price was $281.

Phenom II X3 N870

The Phenom II X3 N870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-5010U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N870 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N870 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-5010U versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Phenom II X3 N870. The Core i3-5010U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-5010U scores 2,157 against the Phenom II X3 N870's 2,145 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i3-5010U.

Feature	Core i3-5010U	Phenom II X3 N870
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	2.3 GHz+10%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.5 MB+500%
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,157	2,145
Geekbench 6 Single	737	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-5010U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-5010U	Phenom II X3 N870
Socket	FCBGA1168	S1g4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-5010U) / not specified (Phenom II X3 N870). The Core i3-5010U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5500), while the Phenom II X3 N870 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-5010U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-5010U rivals A10-8700P.