i3 is dualcore < core2duo < core2Quad 2.4 will wort for that software .. in second generation
i still use core2duo mobo 775 RAM 3Gb for CDR/AI/Blender/ in my office .. no problem till Now , but more worth buy 3generation support hyperthreading
it's enough for it and important RAM size need more too, my core2duo just E2400 very old 2.4ghz more than your choice .. but one hard is blender .. i use option soft for it Sketchup 8 and no problem and one the OS stil use XP .. if use win7 very hard and slow
blender seems to work well with gpus. Atop end cpu is a lot slower. You should have got a core i3 at least. Core 2 duo at 3.3ghz is not that fast anymore, an i3 at 2.8ghz is like a 5ghz core 2 duo speed wise and core i3 takes less power if ivy bridge. core 2 quad would have been around 60% faster then the core 2 duo you got.
which and where calculated 5GHz core2duo: i3 2.8 ghz prove it ...??? and why do not you suggest he buy the best and fastest as i7-4960X Ivy Bridge-E + tri SLI gtx 680 ???