Athlon II N370 vs Celeron 3215U

Athlon II N370 vs Celeron 3215U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N370

2 / 2

1,085

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 3215U

2 / 2

1,091

+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 3215U 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 3215U: 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

✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (220 vs 339).
❌Lower PassMark (1,085 vs 1,091).
❌Launch MSRP is still $60 MSRP, while Celeron 3215U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 3215U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron 3215U

2015

Why buy it

✅+54.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Broadwell), while Athlon II N370 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron 3215U better than Athlon II N370?

Yes. Celeron 3215U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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 3215U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% 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 3215U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron 3215U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron 3215U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $60 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II N370 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (18.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 3215U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 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 3215U 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 3215U

The Celeron 3215U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell (2015−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,091 points. Launch price was $107.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II N370 and Celeron 3215U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 versus 1.7 GHz on the Celeron 3215U — a 38.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II N370. The Athlon II N370 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 3215U uses Broadwell (2015−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N370 scores 1,085 against the Celeron 3215U's 1,091 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 3215U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 220 vs 339, a 42.6% lead for the Celeron 3215U that directly translates to higher frame rates.

Feature	Athlon II N370	Celeron 3215U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+47%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Broadwell (2015−2019)
PassMark	1,085	1,091
Geekbench 6 Single	220	339+54%
Geekbench 6 Multi	420	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N370 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 3215U 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 3215U — the Celeron 3215U supports 50.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3215U 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 3215U) — the Celeron 3215U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N370) and Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 3215U).

Feature	Athlon II N370	Celeron 3215U
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, VT-d (Celeron 3215U). The Celeron 3215U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Broadwell)), while the Athlon II N370 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop, Celeron 3215U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100; Celeron 3215U rivals Pentium 3825U.