Phenom II X3 N870
VS
Pentium G3430

Phenom II X3 N870 vs Pentium G3430

AMD

Phenom II X3 N870

3 Cores3 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2010
VS
Intel

Pentium G3430

2 Cores2 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2013

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 Phenom II X3 N870 is positioned at rank 250 and the Pentium G3430 is on rank 829, so the Phenom II X3 N870 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 Phenom II X3 N870

#238
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
410%
#239
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
404%
#240
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
371%
#241
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
370%
#242
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
366%
#244
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
354%
#245
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
339%
#246
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
338%
#247
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
329%
#250
Phenom II X3 N870
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3430

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
16996%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
16060%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
11661%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
3513%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2783%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2434%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1394%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1376%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1253%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1253%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1239%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1205%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1188%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1184%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1173%
#295
Core i9-7940X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $275
99%
#829
Pentium G3430
MSRP: $116|Avg: $30
100%
#830
Core i5-4570R
MSRP: $250|Avg: $20
100%
#831
Pentium E5400
MSRP: $55|Avg: $49
100%
#832
A6-3650
MSRP: $115|Avg: $20
99%
#833
Core i7-4770R
MSRP: $360|Avg: $89
99%
#835
Core i7-2600
MSRP: $294|Avg: $50
99%
#836
Pentium G870
MSRP: $86|Avg: $15
99%
#837
Athlon II X2 210e
MSRP: $60|Avg: $28
99%
#838
Pentium G645
MSRP: $80|Avg: $15
99%
#840
Pentium G630
MSRP: $75|Avg: $46
98%
#841
Core i5-2550K
MSRP: $235|Avg: $46
98%
#842
Athlon II X4 600e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $20
98%
#843
Core i5-6442EQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
98%
#844
Core i7-4785T
MSRP: $306|Avg: $32
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium G3430 leads in gaming performance. However, the Phenom II X3 N870 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.8% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightPhenom II X3 N870Pentium G3430
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($30)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightPhenom II X3 N870Pentium G3430
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($30)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X3 N870 and Pentium G3430

AMD

Phenom II X3 N870

The Phenom II X3 N870 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: 2.3 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: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Pentium G3430

The Pentium G3430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,127 points. Launch price was $116.

Processing Power

The Phenom II X3 N870 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium G3430 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Phenom II X3 N870 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 versus 3.3 GHz on the Pentium G3430 — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Pentium G3430. The Phenom II X3 N870 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G3430 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X3 N870 scores 2,145 against the Pentium G3430's 2,127 — a 0.8% lead for the Phenom II X3 N870.

FeaturePhenom II X3 N870Pentium G3430
Cores / Threads
3 / 3+50%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.3 GHz
3.3 GHz+43%
Base Clock
3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1.5 MB+500%
256 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
22 nm-51%
Architecture
Champlain (2010−2011)
Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark
2,145
2,127
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X3 N870 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3430 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePhenom II X3 N870Pentium G3430
Socket
S1g4
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%