Pentium B950 vs Atom C3338
Pentium B950
Atom C3338
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 Pentium B950 is positioned at rank 1142 and the Atom C3338 is on rank 543, so the Atom C3338 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B950
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3338
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium B950 | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium B950 | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Pentium B950 and Atom C3338
Pentium B950
The Pentium B950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 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: 1,022 points. Launch price was $134.
Atom C3338
The Atom C3338 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 February 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,028 points. Launch price was $27.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium B950 and Atom C3338 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 versus 2.2 GHz on the Atom C3338 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Atom C3338 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Pentium B950 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Atom C3338 uses Goldmont (2016−2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B950 scores 1,022 against the Atom C3338's 1,028 — a 0.6% lead for the Atom C3338. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B950 vs 4 MB on the Atom C3338.
| Feature | Pentium B950 | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.2 GHz+5% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz+40% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 4 MB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Goldmont (2016−2017) |
| PassMark | 1,022 | 1,028 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 379 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 671 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium B950 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom C3338 uses FCBGA1310 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Pentium B950 versus DDR4-1866 on the Atom C3338 — the Atom C3338 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom C3338 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Pentium B950) vs 1 (Atom C3338). PCIe lanes: 16 (Pentium B950) vs 10 (Atom C3338) — the Pentium B950 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM65,HM67 (Pentium B950) and Intel FCBGA1310 (Atom C3338).
| Feature | Pentium B950 | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | FCBGA1310 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR4-1866+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 128 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+60% | 10 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium B950) / not specified (Atom C3338). The Pentium B950 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Atom C3338 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B950 targets Budget.
| Feature | Pentium B950 | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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