Core i5-3339Y vs Phenom II X3 720

The Core i5-3339Y packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 720 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 720 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i5-3339Y versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X3 720 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Phenom II X3 720 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-3339Y uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X3 720 uses Heka (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3339Y scores 1,589 against the Phenom II X3 720's 1,600 — a 0.7% lead for the Phenom II X3 720. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 368 vs 380, a 3.2% lead for the Phenom II X3 720 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 707 vs 980 (32.4% advantage for the Phenom II X3 720). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3339Y vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X3 720.

The Core i5-3339Y uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 720 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Core i5-3339Y versus DDR3-1333 on the Phenom II X3 720 — the Core i5-3339Y supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-3339Y supports up to 32 of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM76,UM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i5-3339Y) and AM3,AM2+ (Phenom II X3 720).

Only the Phenom II X3 720 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (Core i5-3339Y) vs AMD-V (Phenom II X3 720). The Core i5-3339Y includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Phenom II X3 720 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Phenom II X3 720 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-3339Y rivals AMD A8-4555M.