Athlon II N370 vs Celeron 2980U

Athlon II N370 vs Celeron 2980U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N370

2 / 2

1,085

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 2980U

2 / 2

1,092

+0.6%

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 N370 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.

Athlon II N370 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.

Athlon II N370

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.8% higher average FPS across 21 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (420 vs 694).
❌Launch MSRP is still $60 MSRP, while Celeron 2980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 2980U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron 2980U

2013

Why buy it

✅+65.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Haswell), while Athlon II N370 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II N370 across 21 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N370 better than Celeron 2980U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II N370 is ahead with a 3.8% average FPS lead across 21 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2980U pulls ahead with 65.2% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2980U is the stronger fit. You are getting 65.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II N370 is the better buy right now. Athlon II N370 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $60 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.8% average FPS lead across 21 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Celeron 2980U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 65.2% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (18.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2980U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010) 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.

Athlon II N370 vs Celeron 2980U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II N370

The Athlon II N370 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: 2.5 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: 1,085 points. Launch price was $149.

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.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II N370 and Celeron 2980U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U — a 43.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II N370. The Athlon II N370 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 2980U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N370 scores 1,085 against the Celeron 2980U's 1,092 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 2980U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 220 vs 354, a 46.7% lead for the Celeron 2980U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 420 vs 694 (49.2% advantage for the Celeron 2980U).

Feature	Athlon II N370	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	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,085	1,092
Geekbench 6 Single	220	354+61%
Geekbench 6 Multi	420	694+65%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N370 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 2980U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II N370 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 2980U — the Celeron 2980U supports 50.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 2980U supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II N370) vs 12 (Celeron 2980U) — the Celeron 2980U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N370) and Haswell-ULT (Celeron 2980U).

Feature	Athlon II N370	Celeron 2980U
Socket	S1	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3L-1600+50%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II N370) vs VT-x (Celeron 2980U). The Celeron 2980U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Athlon II N370 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop, Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100; Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.