Athlon II X2 250e vs Celeron J3355

Athlon II X2 250e vs Celeron J3355 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 250e

2 / 2

1,202

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron J3355

2 / 2

1,203

+0.1%

Atom E3827

Celeron 877

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 X2 250e vs Celeron J3355 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 X2 250e vs Celeron J3355: 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 X2 250e

2010

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Celeron J3355.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (250 vs 450).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (470 vs 850).
❌Launch MSRP is still $77 MSRP, while Celeron J3355 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌350% higher power demand at 45W vs 10W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron J3355 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron J3355

2016

Why buy it

✅+80% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 10W instead of 45W, a 35W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (6 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 500, while Athlon II X2 250e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250e.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron J3355 better than Athlon II X2 250e?

Yes. Celeron J3355 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 80.9% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.1% 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 J3355 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 80% stronger Geekbench single-core performance.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron J3355 is the stronger fit. You are getting 80.9% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron J3355 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron J3355 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $77 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% higher PassMark. Athlon II X2 250e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (15.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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

Celeron J3355 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 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 X2 250e vs Celeron J3355 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 250e

The Athlon II X2 250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,202 points. Launch price was $77.

Celeron J3355

The Celeron J3355 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,203 points. Launch price was $107.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 250e and Celeron J3355 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250e versus 2.5 GHz on the Celeron J3355 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250e (base: 3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X2 250e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron J3355 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250e scores 1,202 against the Celeron J3355's 1,203 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron J3355. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 250 vs 450, a 57.1% lead for the Celeron J3355 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 470 vs 850 (57.6% advantage for the Celeron J3355). Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Celeron J3355
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3 GHz+20%	2.5 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+50%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Apollo Lake (2014−2016)
PassMark	1,202	1,203
Geekbench 6 Single	250	450+80%
Geekbench 6 Multi	470	850+81%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 250e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron J3355 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 250e versus DDR4-2400 on the Celeron J3355 — the Celeron J3355 supports 80% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 250e 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 X2 250e) vs 6 (Celeron J3355) — the Celeron J3355 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,780G,785G,790GX (Athlon II X2 250e) and N/A (SoC) (Celeron J3355).

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Celeron J3355
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1296
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR4-2400+80%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	0	6

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250e) vs VT-x (Celeron J3355). The Celeron J3355 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 500), while the Athlon II X2 250e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop, Celeron J3355 targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250e rivals Pentium E5700; Celeron J3355 rivals Pentium J4205.