Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2940

Athlon II N350 vs Celeron N2940 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N350

2 / 2

1,045

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron N2940

4 / 4

1,054

+0.9%

Core Duo T2050

Celeron N3000

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

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 N2940 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 N2940: 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

✅Draws 1W instead of 7W, a 6W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (210 vs 240).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (400 vs 850).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Celeron N2940 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2940 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron N2940

2014

Why buy it

✅+14.3% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), while Athlon II N350 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌600% higher power demand at 7W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N2940 better than Athlon II N350?

Yes. Celeron N2940 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 112.5% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.9% higher 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 N2940 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 14.3% stronger Geekbench single-core performance.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2940 is the stronger fit. You are getting 112.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Celeron N2940 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron N2940 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% higher PassMark. Athlon II N350 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (10.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on S1.

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

Celeron N2940 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 N2940 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 N2940

The Celeron N2940 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 2.25 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: 1,054 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II N350 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Celeron N2940 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N2940 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Athlon II N350 versus 2.25 GHz on the Celeron N2940 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II N350. The Athlon II N350 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N2940 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N350 scores 1,045 against the Celeron N2940's 1,054 — a 0.9% lead for the Celeron N2940. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 210 vs 240, a 13.3% lead for the Celeron N2940 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 400 vs 850 (72% advantage for the Celeron N2940).

Feature	Athlon II N350	Celeron N2940
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+7%	2.25 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	1,054
Geekbench 6 Single	210	240+14%
Geekbench 6 Multi	400	850+113%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N350 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N2940 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 N2940 — the Celeron N2940 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 N2940) — the Celeron N2940 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N350) and SoC (Celeron N2940).

Feature	Athlon II N350	Celeron N2940
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

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II N350) vs VT-x (Celeron N2940). The Celeron N2940 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Athlon II N350 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II N350 targets Legacy Laptop, Celeron N2940 targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II N350 rivals Pentium P6100; Celeron N2940 rivals AMD A6-6310.