A9-9420e vs Celeron 2980U

A9-9420e vs Celeron 2980U Performance Spectrum

A9-9420e

2 / 2

1,101

+0.8%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 2980U

2 / 2

1,092

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.

A9-9420e vs Celeron 2980U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A9-9420e vs Celeron 2980U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A9-9420e

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Celeron 2980U

2013

Why buy it

✅200% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A9-9420e across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,092 vs 1,101).
❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is A9-9420e better than Celeron 2980U?

Yes. A9-9420e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A9-9420e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A9-9420e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

A9-9420e still makes the most sense overall. A9-9420e comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

A9-9420e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A9-9420e vs Celeron 2980U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A9-9420e

The A9-9420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: BGA. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,101 points. Launch price was $69.

Celeron 2980U

The Celeron 2980U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,092 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the A9-9420e and Celeron 2980U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A9-9420e versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U — a 43.9% clock advantage for the A9-9420e. The A9-9420e uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Celeron 2980U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A9-9420e scores 1,101 against the Celeron 2980U's 1,092 — a 0.8% lead for the A9-9420e.

Feature	A9-9420e	Celeron 2980U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+56%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	28 nm	22 nm-21%
Architecture	Stoney Ridge (2016−2019)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,101	1,092
Geekbench 6 Single	—	354
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	694

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A9-9420e uses the BGA socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 2980U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2133 on the A9-9420e versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 2980U — the A9-9420e supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 1 (A9-9420e) vs 2 (Celeron 2980U). PCIe lanes: 4 (A9-9420e) vs 12 (Celeron 2980U) — the Celeron 2980U offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FT4,FP4 (A9-9420e) and Haswell-ULT (Celeron 2980U).

Feature	A9-9420e	Celeron 2980U
Socket	BGA	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2133+33%	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	12+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (A9-9420e) vs VT-x (Celeron 2980U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon R5 Graphics (A9-9420e) and Intel HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2980U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: A9-9420e rivals Pentium N4200; Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.