Pentium N3520 vs Phenom II X2 550

Pentium N3520 vs Phenom II X2 550 Performance Spectrum

Pentium N3520

4 / 4

1,144

+0.2%

1,142

0.0%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

Pentium N3520 vs Phenom II X2 550 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.

Pentium N3520 vs Phenom II X2 550: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium N3520

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 80W, a 78W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 6 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Phenom II X2 550 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X2 550

2009

Why buy it

✅+200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,142 vs 1,144).
❌3900% higher power demand at 80W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium N3520 better than Phenom II X2 550?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X2 550 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N3520 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Phenom II X2 550 also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N3520 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium N3520 is the better buy right now. Pentium N3520 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Phenom II X2 550 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium N3520 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium N3520 vs Phenom II X2 550 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium N3520

The Pentium N3520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.17 GHz, with boost up to 2.42 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $161.

Phenom II X2 550

The Phenom II X2 550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 November 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Callisto (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,142 points. Launch price was $133.

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Processing Power

The Pentium N3520 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X2 550 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium N3520 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.42 GHz on the Pentium N3520 versus 3.1 GHz on the Phenom II X2 550 — a 24.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 550 (base: 2.17 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Pentium N3520 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X2 550 uses Callisto (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3520 scores 1,144 against the Phenom II X2 550's 1,142 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium N3520. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium N3520 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X2 550.

Feature	Pentium N3520	Phenom II X2 550
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.42 GHz	3.1 GHz+28%
Base Clock	2.17 GHz	3.1 GHz+43%
L3 Cache	2 MB	6 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Callisto (2009−2010)
PassMark	1,144	1,142

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium N3520 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X2 550 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.