Pentium 997 vs Core i3-380M

Pentium 997

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2012

Core i3-380M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.53 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium 997

2 / 2

1,215

+0.2%

1,212

0.0%

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 Pentium 997 is positioned at rank 1104 and the Core i3-380M is on rank 11, 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 Pentium 997

#1092

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3235%

#1093

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3187%

#1094

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2926%

#1095

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2913%

#1096

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2886%

#1098

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2787%

#1099

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2673%

#1100

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2668%

#1101

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2596%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

99%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

98%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

97%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

96%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

95%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

95%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-380M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

121%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

119%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

109%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

109%

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 Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium 997 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-380M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Pentium 997	Core i3-380M
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium 997 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 60% cheaper ($10 vs $25) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Pentium 997	Core i3-380M
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+151%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($25)

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.

Pentium 997 Benchmark Check

Core i3-380M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 997 and Core i3-380M

Pentium 997

The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium 997 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-380M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 versus 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M — a 100.5% clock advantage for the Pentium 997 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Pentium 997 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-380M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 997 scores 1,215 against the Core i3-380M's 1,212 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium 997. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M.

Feature	Pentium 997	Core i3-380M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz+202%	0.53 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	2.53 GHz+58%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,215	1,212
Geekbench 6 Single	—	450
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,100

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 997 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-380M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 997	Core i3-380M
Socket	BGA1023	PGA988
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: not specified (Pentium 997) / VT-x (Core i3-380M). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Pentium 997 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.

Feature	Pentium 997	Core i3-380M
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Legacy Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium 997 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Core i3-380M debuted at $49. At current prices ($10 vs $25), the Pentium 997 is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 997 delivers 121.5 pts/$ vs 48.5 pts/$ for the Core i3-380M — making the Pentium 997 the 85.9% better value option.