Phenom X3 8600 vs Core i3-330E

Phenom X3 8600

3 Cores3 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2008

Core i3-330E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.03 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Phenom X3 8600

3 / 3

1,267

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-330E

2 / 4

1,260

0.0%

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 8600 is positioned at rank 947 and the Core i3-330E is on rank 1157, so the Phenom X3 8600 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 X3 8600

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

24603%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

23247%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

16879%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5085%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4028%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3524%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2018%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1992%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1814%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1813%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1793%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1745%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1720%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1713%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1698%

#947

Phenom X3 8600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

100%

#948

A10-6790B

MSRP: $122|Avg: $50

100%

#949

Core i3-6100TE

MSRP: $250|Avg: $90

100%

#950

FX-4320

MSRP: $250|Avg: $100

99%

#951

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $150

99%

#952

Celeron E1200

MSRP: $53|Avg: $98

99%

#954

Core i5-660

MSRP: $196|Avg: $150

98%

#955

Athlon II X2 250

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

98%

#956

Core i3-2120T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $38

98%

#957

Phenom II X3 720

MSRP: $130|Avg: $64

97%

#958

Pentium E6300

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

97%

#959

Core i5-661

MSRP: $196|Avg: $40

96%

#960

Core i3-4150

MSRP: $281|Avg: $70

96%

#961

Core i5-750

MSRP: $210|Avg: $30

96%

#962

Core i3-2100T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $127

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-330E

#1145

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

4121%

#1146

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4060%

#1147

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3728%

#1148

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3711%

#1149

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3677%

#1151

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3551%

#1152

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3404%

#1153

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3399%

#1154

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3308%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

100%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

99%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1162

Core i7-2620M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

98%

#1164

Celeron N3010

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

96%

#1165

Core i7-3537U

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

95%

#1166

Core M-5Y10c

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1167

Core M-5Y31

MSRP: $281|Avg: $30

95%

#1168

Core M-5Y10a

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1170

Celeron 1047UE

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

95%

#1171

Core M-5Y70

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1172

Celeron U3400

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom X3 8600 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-330E in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Phenom X3 8600	Core i3-330E
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Westmere (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Phenom X3 8600 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 78% cheaper ($20 vs $89) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Phenom X3 8600	Core i3-330E
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+347%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($20)	⚠️ Higher cost ($89)

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.

Phenom X3 8600 Benchmark Check

Core i3-330E Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom X3 8600 and Core i3-330E

Phenom X3 8600

The Phenom X3 8600 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: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,267 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i3-330E

The Core i3-330E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 0.03 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,260 points. Launch price was $177.

⚡

Processing Power

The Phenom X3 8600 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-330E offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom X3 8600 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Phenom X3 8600 versus 0.03 GHz on the Core i3-330E — a 194.8% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8600. The Phenom X3 8600 uses the Toliman (2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i3-330E uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom X3 8600 scores 1,267 against the Core i3-330E's 1,260 — a 0.6% lead for the Phenom X3 8600. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X3 8600 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-330E.

Feature	Phenom X3 8600	Core i3-330E
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz+7567%	0.03 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.13 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	3 MB+50%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512 kB
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Toliman (2008)	Westmere (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,267	1,260

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom X3 8600 uses the AM2+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-330E uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Phenom X3 8600	Core i3-330E
Socket	AM2+	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Phenom X3 8600 launched at $100 MSRP, while the Core i3-330E debuted at $177. At current prices ($20 vs $89), the Phenom X3 8600 is $69 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Phenom X3 8600 delivers 63.4 pts/$ vs 14.2 pts/$ for the Core i3-330E — making the Phenom X3 8600 the 126.9% better value option.