A6-6400K vs Celeron 2970M

A6-6400K

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2013

Celeron 2970M

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A6-6400K

2 / 2

1,511

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 2970M

2 / 2

1,501

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 A6-6400K is positioned at rank 688 and the Celeron 2970M is on rank 591, so the Celeron 2970M 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 A6-6400K

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

12379%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

11697%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

8493%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

2559%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2027%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1773%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1015%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1002%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

913%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

912%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

902%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

878%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

866%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

862%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

854%

#688

A6-6400K

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#689

Core i7-7700T

MSRP: $303|Avg: $75

99%

#690

Core i3-4150T

MSRP: $117|Avg: $30

98%

#691

Core i7-3770S

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

98%

#692

Core i7-6800K

MSRP: $434|Avg: $120

98%

#693

Core i5-4670S

MSRP: $213|Avg: $30

98%

#694

Core i5-3550

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

98%

#695

Core i3-7300

MSRP: $184|Avg: $46

98%

#696

FX-4300

MSRP: $122|Avg: $25

97%

#697

Core i5-3450

MSRP: $184|Avg: $95

97%

#698

Celeron G550

MSRP: $52|Avg: $15

97%

#700

Core i3-4370T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $138

97%

#701

FX-6200

MSRP: $169|Avg: $25

97%

#702

FX-4150

MSRP: $137|Avg: $20

96%

#703

Core i5-2450P

MSRP: $177|Avg: $30

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2970M

#184

Core Ultra 7 266V

MSRP: $520|Avg: $520

99%

#579

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

782%

#580

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

770%

#581

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

707%

#582

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

704%

#583

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

698%

#585

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

674%

#586

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

646%

#587

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

645%

#588

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

627%

#591

Celeron 2970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The A6-6400K delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Celeron 2970M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.7% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	A6-6400K	Celeron 2970M
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Richland (2013−2014) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	A6-6400K	Celeron 2970M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

A6-6400K Benchmark Check

Celeron 2970M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A6-6400K and Celeron 2970M

A6-6400K

The A6-6400K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Richland (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,511 points. Launch price was $70.

Celeron 2970M

The Celeron 2970M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,501 points. Launch price was $75.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the A6-6400K and Celeron 2970M share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the A6-6400K versus 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 2970M — a 60.3% clock advantage for the A6-6400K (base: 3.9 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The A6-6400K uses the Richland (2013−2014) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron 2970M uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A6-6400K scores 1,511 against the Celeron 2970M's 1,501 — a 0.7% lead for the A6-6400K. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A6-6400K vs 2 MB on the Celeron 2970M.

Feature	A6-6400K	Celeron 2970M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz+86%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+77%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	1024 kB+100%	512 kB
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Richland (2013−2014)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,511	1,501

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A6-6400K uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 2970M uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1866 on the A6-6400K versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 2970M — the A6-6400K supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: FM2 (A6-6400K) and HM87,HM86 (Celeron 2970M).

Feature	A6-6400K	Celeron 2970M
Socket	FM2	PGA946
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	1866+62100%	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32	32 GB+104857500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the A6-6400K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (A6-6400K) vs VT-x (Celeron 2970M). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 8470D (A6-6400K) and HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2970M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2970M targets Budget. Direct competitor: A6-6400K rivals Pentium G3258; Celeron 2970M rivals Pentium 2020M.