Phenom X3 8250e vs Pentium 3556U
Phenom X3 8250e
Pentium 3556U
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 X3 8250e is positioned at rank 538 and the Pentium 3556U is on rank 253, so the Pentium 3556U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X3 8250e
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 3556U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom X3 8250e | Pentium 3556U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom X3 8250e | Pentium 3556U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Phenom X3 8250e and Pentium 3556U
Phenom X3 8250e
The Phenom X3 8250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,084 points. Launch price was $149.
Pentium 3556U
The Pentium 3556U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,072 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Phenom X3 8250e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium 3556U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Phenom X3 8250e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Phenom X3 8250e versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium 3556U — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8250e. The Phenom X3 8250e uses the Toliman (2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium 3556U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom X3 8250e scores 1,084 against the Pentium 3556U's 1,072 — a 1.1% lead for the Phenom X3 8250e. Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Phenom X3 8250e | Pentium 3556U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.9 GHz+12% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 22 nm-66% |
| Architecture | Toliman (2008) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,084+1% | 1,072 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom X3 8250e uses the AM2+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 3556U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom X3 8250e | Pentium 3556U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM2+ | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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