Intel Core i3 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 (Westmere) 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).

Series	Intel Core i3
Codename	Arrandale
Clock Rate	2130 MHz
Front Side Bus	2500 MHz
Level 2 Cache	512 KB
Level 3 Cache	3072 KB
Number of Cores / Threads	2 / 4
Max. Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power)	35 Watt
Transistor Count	177+382 Million
Manufacturing Technology	32 nm
Features	0.775 - 1 V (low frequency mode) 0.8 - 1.4 V
Die Size	81+114 mm2
Max. Temperature	90 (rPGA) -100 (BGA) °C
Socket	BGA1288, PGA988
Features	Hyper Threading, Enhanced Speedstep, integrated GMA HD 500MHz, integrated DDR3 1066 memory controller
64 Bit	64 Bit support
Hardware Virtualization	VT-x
Announcement Date	01/10/2010
Product Link (external)	Intel Core i3 330M