A8-3520M vs Celeron 3955U
A8-3520M
Celeron 3955U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 A8-3520M is positioned at rank 806 and the Celeron 3955U is on rank 616, so the Celeron 3955U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A8-3520M
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3955U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A8-3520M | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A8-3520M | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of A8-3520M and Celeron 3955U
A8-3520M
The A8-3520M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,441 points. Launch price was $90.
Celeron 3955U
The Celeron 3955U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, LPDDR3-1600/1866, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,443 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
The A8-3520M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron 3955U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A8-3520M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A8-3520M versus 2 GHz on the Celeron 3955U — a 22.2% clock advantage for the A8-3520M (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The A8-3520M uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron 3955U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A8-3520M scores 1,441 against the Celeron 3955U's 1,443 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron 3955U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 255 vs 431, a 51.3% lead for the Celeron 3955U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A8-3520M vs 2 MB on the Celeron 3955U.
| Feature | A8-3520M | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz+25% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2 GHz+25% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,441 | 1,443 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 255 | 431+69% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 741 |
Memory & Platform
The A8-3520M uses the FS1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 3955U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the A8-3520M versus DDR4-2133 on the Celeron 3955U — the Celeron 3955U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3955U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (A8-3520M) vs 12 (Celeron 3955U) — the A8-3520M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | A8-3520M | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FS1 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR4-2133+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 20+67% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A8-3520M) vs VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 3955U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 6620G (A8-3520M) and HD Graphics 510 (Celeron 3955U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3520M targets Budget Laptop, Celeron 3955U targets Budget. Direct competitor: A8-3520M rivals Core i3-2330M; Celeron 3955U rivals Pentium 3825U.
| Feature | A8-3520M | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 6620G | HD Graphics 510 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | Budget |
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