Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Celeron N3000

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Celeron N3000 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 FX-55

1 / 1

690

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron N3000

2 / 2

705

+2.2%

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.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Celeron N3000 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.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Celeron N3000: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 64 FX-55

2004

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Celeron N3000 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (690 vs 705).
❌Launch MSRP is still $827 MSRP, while Celeron N3000 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌5100% higher power demand at 104W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N3000 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron N3000

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 2W instead of 104W, a 102W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 400, while Athlon 64 FX-55 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N3000 better than Athlon 64 FX-55?

Yes. Celeron N3000 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.2% 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, Celeron N3000 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.6% 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, Celeron N3000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron N3000 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron N3000 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $827 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon 64 FX-55 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2004 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (0.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on 939.

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

Celeron N3000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2004) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 1/1. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Celeron N3000 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 FX-55

The Athlon 64 FX-55 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2004 (21 years ago). It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 104 Watt. Memory support: DDR1 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 690 points. Launch price was $180.

Celeron N3000

The Celeron N3000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.04 GHz, with boost up to 2.08 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 705 points. Launch price was $107.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 64 FX-55 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Celeron N3000 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N3000 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-55 versus 2.08 GHz on the Celeron N3000 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-55 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.04 GHz). The Athlon 64 FX-55 uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Celeron N3000 uses Braswell (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-55 scores 690 against the Celeron N3000's 705 — a 2.2% lead for the Celeron N3000. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-55	Celeron N3000
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 2+100%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+25%	2.08 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+150%	1.04 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	130 nm	14 nm-89%
Architecture	Clawhammer (2001−2005)	Braswell (2015−2016)
PassMark	690	705+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	160
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	290

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 FX-55 uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron N3000 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR1-400 on the Athlon 64 FX-55 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron N3000 — the Celeron N3000 supports 300% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron N3000 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon 64 FX-55) vs 4 (Celeron N3000) — the Celeron N3000 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: nForce3,nForce4,Xpress 200 (Athlon 64 FX-55) and SoC (Celeron N3000).

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-55	Celeron N3000
Socket	939	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	DDR1-400	DDR3L-1600+300%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon 64 FX-55) / VT-x, VT-d (Celeron N3000). The Celeron N3000 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 400), while the Athlon 64 FX-55 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N3000 targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron N3000 rivals AMD E2-7110.