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Intel Core i3 330M

Intel 330M

The Intel Core i3-330M is a lower-middle class dual core CPU for laptops and clocks with 2.16 GHz. The difference to the Core i5-430M is the lacking Turbo Boost overclocking and the slower core speed. Each core is based on the Nehalem (Westemere) micro-architecture. Hyperthreading enables the Dual Core CPU to handle 4 threads at once (for a better usage of the pipeline). 

A feature of the new Core i3-330M is the integrated graphics card called Intel HD Graphics or GMA HD and a DDR3 1066 MHz memory controller. Both are on a separate die that is still manufactured in 45nm whereas the CPU die is already manufactured in the new 32nm process. 

The performance in synthetic benchmarks is mostly on par with a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo P8600 (due to the improved hyperthreading). The speed should be at least as fast as a 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo and therefore the i3-330M positions itself in the middle class (lower middle class regarding Core i CPUs). It should handle all applications well, but some demanding games could profit from a faster CPU.

The 32nm CPU cores of the Westmere generation can also process some new instructions to accelerate AES encryptions. In the i3-330M Intel has deactivated these new AES functions.

The integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD (GMA HD) graphics card is known to be clocked up to 500 MHz and should be clearly faster than the old GMA 4500MHD. The Core i5 and i7 models should still be a bit faster because of the higher max. clock speed of the GPU. A GeForce 9400M (ION) should still be a faster (especially as Nvidia and ATI cards have a better driver support than Intel up to now). According to rumors, the GMA core will also use the Turbo Mode regulate the clock speed.

The power consumption of 35 Watt TDP (max.) counts for the whole package and therefore it is clearly better than the 35 Watt TDP of the Core 2 Duo T-series (CPU alone).

SeriesIntel Core i3
CodenameArrandale
Clock Rate2130 MHz
Front Side Bus2500 MHz
Level 2 Cache512 KB
Level 3 Cache3072 KB
Number of Cores / Threads2 / 4
Max. Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power)35 Watt
Transistor Count177+382 Million
Manufacturing Technology32 nm
Features0.775 - 1 V (low frequency mode) 0.8 - 1.4 V
Die Size81+114 mm2
Max. Temperature90 (rPGA) -100 (BGA) °C
SocketBGA1288, PGA988
FeaturesHyper Threading, Enhanced Speedstep, integrated GMA HD 500MHz, integrated DDR3 1066 memory controller
64 Bit64 Bit support
Hardware VirtualizationVT-x
Announcement Date01/10/2010
Product Link (external)Intel Core i3 330M

CPU Benchmarks

3DMark 06 - CPU:
0% min:1906, avg:2206.06896552, max:2280min:1906, avg:2206.06896552, max:2280min:1906, avg:2206.06896552, max:2280min:1906, avg:2206.06896552, max:2280min:1906, avg:2206.06896552, max:2280 100%
min: 1906     avg: 2206 (30%)     max: 2280 Points
Super Pi 1M:
0% min:20, avg:20.8569047619, max:23min:20, avg:20.8569047619, max:23min:20, avg:20.8569047619, max:23min:20, avg:20.8569047619, max:23min:20, avg:20.8569047619, max:23 100%
min: 20     avg: 21 (5%)     max: 23 Seconds
Super Pi 2M:
0% min:47, avg:49.2448888889, max:69min:47, avg:49.2448888889, max:69min:47, avg:49.2448888889, max:69min:47, avg:49.2448888889, max:69min:47, avg:49.2448888889, max:69 100%
min: 47     avg: 49 (2%)     max: 69 Seconds
Super Pi 32M:
0% min:1097, avg:1117.3464, max:1230min:1097, avg:1117.3464, max:1230min:1097, avg:1117.3464, max:1230min:1097, avg:1117.3464, max:1230 100%
min: 1097     avg: 1117 (5%)     max: 1230 Seconds
SiSoft Sandra Dhrystone (MIPS):
0% min:25565, avg:26975.9090909, max:31260min:25565, avg:26975.9090909, max:31260min:25565, avg:26975.9090909, max:31260min:25565, avg:26975.9090909, max:31260min:25565, avg:26975.9090909, max:31260 100%
min: 25565     avg: 26976 (18%)     max: 31260 MIPS
SiSoft Sandra Whetstone (MFLOPS):
0% min:20210, avg:20490.25, max:22700min:20210, avg:20490.25, max:22700min:20210, avg:20490.25, max:22700min:20210, avg:20490.25, max:22700min:20210, avg:20490.25, max:22700 100%
min: 20210     avg: 20490 (20%)     max: 22700 MFLOPS
PCMark 05: Standard 1024x768
0% min:4929, avg:5493.85714286, max:5958min:4929, avg:5493.85714286, max:5958min:4929, avg:5493.85714286, max:5958min:4929, avg:5493.85714286, max:5958min:4929, avg:5493.85714286, max:5958 100%
min: 4929     avg: 5494 (62%)     max: 5958 Points
PCMark Vantage: Result 1024x768
0% min:3681, avg:4687.94444444, max:5156min:3681, avg:4687.94444444, max:5156min:3681, avg:4687.94444444, max:5156min:3681, avg:4687.94444444, max:5156min:3681, avg:4687.94444444, max:5156 100%
min: 3681     avg: 4688 (44%)     max: 5156 Points
Cinebench R10: Rendering Single 32Bit
0% min:1671, avg:2300.78571429, max:2360min:1671, avg:2300.78571429, max:2360min:1671, avg:2300.78571429, max:2360min:1671, avg:2300.78571429, max:2360min:1671, avg:2300.78571429, max:2360 100%
min: 1671     avg: 2301 (48%)     max: 2360 Points
Cinebench R10: Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
0% min:5361, avg:5518.29032258, max:6333min:5361, avg:5518.29032258, max:6333min:5361, avg:5518.29032258, max:6333min:5361, avg:5518.29032258, max:6333 100%
min: 5361     avg: 5518 (24%)     max: 6333 Points
Cinebench R10: Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
0% min:6254, avg:6561.19047619, max:6756min:6254, avg:6561.19047619, max:6756min:6254, avg:6561.19047619, max:6756min:6254, avg:6561.19047619, max:6756min:6254, avg:6561.19047619, max:6756 100%
min: 6254     avg: 6561 (24%)     max: 6756 Points
Cinebench R10: Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
0% min:1932, avg:2770.47619048, max:2931min:1932, avg:2770.47619048, max:2931min:1932, avg:2770.47619048, max:2931min:1932, avg:2770.47619048, max:2931min:1932, avg:2770.47619048, max:2931 100%
min: 1932     avg: 2770 (55%)     max: 2931 Points
3DMark Vantage: P CPU no PhysX 1280x1024
0% min:6061, avg:6663.2, max:13901min:6061, avg:6663.2, max:13901min:6061, avg:6663.2, max:13901min:6061, avg:6663.2, max:13901min:6061, avg:6663.2, max:13901 100%
min: 6061     avg: 6663 (21%)     max: 13901 Points
wPrime: 32m
0% min:23, avg:27.2796956522, max:63.96min:23, avg:27.2796956522, max:63.96min:23, avg:27.2796956522, max:63.96min:23, avg:27.2796956522, max:63.96min:23, avg:27.2796956522, max:63.96 100%
min: 23     avg: 27 (10%)     max: 63.96 seconds
wPrime: 1024m
0% min:695, avg:868.103695652, max:2356.664min:695, avg:868.103695652, max:2356.664min:695, avg:868.103695652, max:2356.664min:695, avg:868.103695652, max:2356.664min:695, avg:868.103695652, max:2356.664 100%
min: 695     avg: 868 (10%)     max: 2356.664 seconds
Windows 7 Experience Index: Processor
0% min:5.9, avg:6.16875, max:6.2min:5.9, avg:6.16875, max:6.2min:5.9, avg:6.16875, max:6.2min:5.9, avg:6.16875, max:6.2min:5.9, avg:6.16875, max:6.2 100%
min: 5.9     avg: 6 (82%)     max: 6.2 points
Cinebench R11.5: CPU 64Bit
0% min:1.71, avg:1.74666666667, max:1.77min:1.71, avg:1.74666666667, max:1.77min:1.71, avg:1.74666666667, max:1.77min:1.71, avg:1.74666666667, max:1.77min:1.71, avg:1.74666666667, max:1.77 100%
min: 1.71     avg: 2 (20%)     max: 1.77 Points