Athlon II M320 vs Celeron G1840

AMD

Athlon II M320

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2009
VS
Intel

Celeron G1840

2 Cores2 Thrd50 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2014

Athlon II M320 vs Celeron G1840 Performance Spectrum

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 II M320 vs Celeron G1840 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 II M320 vs Celeron G1840: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II M320

2009

Why buy it

  • βœ…+135% higher Geekbench multi-core.
  • βœ…Draws 1W instead of 50W, a 49W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (188 vs 488).
  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.9 vs 51.0 PassMark/$ ($75 MSRP vs $35 MSRP).
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron G1840 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron G1840

2014

Why buy it

  • βœ…+159.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
  • βœ…Costs $40 less on MSRP ($35 MSRP vs $75 MSRP).
  • βœ…Delivers 113.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 51.0 vs 23.9 PassMark/$ ($35 MSRP vs $75 MSRP).
  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Haswell), while Athlon II M320 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (832 vs 1,955).
  • ❌4900% higher power demand at 50W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron G1840 better than Athlon II M320?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron G1840 is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M320 pulls ahead with 135% better Geekbench multi-core.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M320 is the stronger fit. You are getting 135% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Celeron G1840 is the better buy right now. Celeron G1840 comes in $40 cheaper on MSRP at $35 MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Athlon II M320 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 135% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 113.0% better value on MSRP (51.0 vs 23.9 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron G1840 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II M320 vs Celeron G1840 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II M320

The Athlon II M320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Celeron G1840

The Celeron G1840 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013βˆ’2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,784 points. Launch price was $53.

⚑

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II M320 and Celeron G1840 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II M320 versus 2.8 GHz on the Celeron G1840 β€” a 28.6% clock advantage for the Celeron G1840. The Athlon II M320 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron G1840 uses Haswell (2013βˆ’2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M320 scores 1,795 against the Celeron G1840's 1,784 β€” a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II M320. Geekbench 6 single-core β€” the metric most relevant to gaming β€” records 188 vs 488, a 88.8% lead for the Celeron G1840 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,955 vs 832 (80.6% advantage for the Athlon II M320).

FeatureAthlon II M320Celeron G1840
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.1 GHz
2.8 GHz+33%
Base Clock
β€”
2.8 GHz
L3 Cache
β€”
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB+300%
256 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
22 nm-51%
Architecture
Caspian (2009)
Haswell (2013βˆ’2015)
PassMark
1,795
1,784
Geekbench 6 Single
188
488+160%
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,955+135%
832
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M320 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron G1840 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M320 versus DDR3-1333 on the Celeron G1840 β€” the Celeron G1840 supports 66.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G1840 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB β€” 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II M320) vs 16 (Celeron G1840) β€” the Celeron G1840 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Socket S1g3 (Athlon II M320) and H81,B85,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Celeron G1840).

FeatureAthlon II M320Celeron G1840
Socket
S1g3
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR2-800
DDR3-1333+67%
Max RAM Capacity
8 GB
32 GB+300%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
0
16
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M320) vs VT-x (Celeron G1840). The Celeron G1840 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Athlon II M320 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II M320 targets Legacy Laptop, Celeron G1840 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II M320 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400; Celeron G1840 rivals Pentium G3240.

FeatureAthlon II M320Celeron G1840
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
None
HD Graphics (Haswell)
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
VT-x
Target Use
Legacy Laptop
Budget
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II M320 was priced at $75, while the Celeron G1840 came in at $35. On launch pricing ($75 vs $35), Celeron G1840 was $40 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M320 delivers 23.9 pts/$ vs 51.0 pts/$ for the Celeron G1840 β€” making the Celeron G1840 the 72.2% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II M320Celeron G1840
MSRP
$75
$35-53%
Performance per Dollar
23.9
51.0+113%
Release Date
2009
2014

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