Pentium N3700 vs Phenom II X3 N850

Pentium N3700 vs Phenom II X3 N850 Performance Spectrum

Pentium N3700

4 / 4

1,248

0.0%

1,253

+0.4%

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 N3700 vs Phenom II X3 N850 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 N3700 vs Phenom II X3 N850: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium N3700

2015

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,248 vs 1,253).
❌300% higher power demand at 6W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 N850

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 6W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X3 N850 better than Pentium N3700?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium N3700 is ahead with 9.1% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 N850 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 N850 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Phenom II X3 N850 still makes the most sense overall. Phenom II X3 N850 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark.

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

Pentium N3700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium N3700 vs Phenom II X3 N850 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium N3700

The Pentium N3700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,248 points. Launch price was $161.

Phenom II X3 N850

The Phenom II X3 N850 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: 2.2 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: 1,253 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Pentium N3700 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N850 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Pentium N3700 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium N3700 versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N850 — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Pentium N3700. The Pentium N3700 uses the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N850 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3700 scores 1,248 against the Phenom II X3 N850's 1,253 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom II X3 N850.

Feature	Pentium N3700	Phenom II X3 N850
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+33%	3 / 3
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+9%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Braswell (2015−2016)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,248	1,253

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium N3700 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 N850 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.