Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2930

Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2930 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N350

2 / 2

1,045

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron N2930

4 / 4

1,032

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.

Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2930 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 N350 vs Celeron N2930: 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 N350

2010

Why buy it

✅+23.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 1W instead of 7W, a 6W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (400 vs 502).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Celeron N2930 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2930 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron N2930

2014

Why buy it

✅+25.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics, while Athlon II N350 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (170 vs 210).
❌600% higher power demand at 7W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N350 better than Celeron N2930?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II N350 is ahead with 23.5% stronger Geekbench single-core performance. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2930 pulls ahead with 25.5% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2930 is the stronger fit. You are getting 25.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II N350 is the better buy right now. Athlon II N350 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 23.5% stronger Geekbench single-core performance. The compromise is that Celeron N2930 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 25.5% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (10.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 N2930 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2930 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II N350

The Athlon II N350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,045 points. Launch price was $149.

Celeron N2930

The Celeron N2930 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.16 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,032 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II N350 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Celeron N2930 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N2930 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Athlon II N350 versus 2.16 GHz on the Celeron N2930 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II N350. The Athlon II N350 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N2930 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N350 scores 1,045 against the Celeron N2930's 1,032 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon II N350. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 210 vs 170, a 21.1% lead for the Athlon II N350 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 400 vs 502 (22.6% advantage for the Celeron N2930).

Feature	Athlon II N350	Celeron N2930
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+11%	2.16 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.83 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	512K (per core)+51100%
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,045+1%	1,032
Geekbench 6 Single	210+24%	170
Geekbench 6 Multi	400	502+26%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N350 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N2930 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II N350 versus DDR3L-1333 on the Celeron N2930 — the Celeron N2930 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II N350) vs 4 (Celeron N2930) — the Celeron N2930 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N350) and SoC (Celeron N2930).

Feature	Athlon II N350	Celeron N2930
Socket	S1	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3L-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II N350) vs Yes (Celeron N2930). The Celeron N2930 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II N350 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II N350 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II N350 rivals Pentium P6100.