Athlon II X2 255 vs Celeron 3855U
Athlon II X2 255
Celeron 3855U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II X2 255 is positioned at rank 793 and the Celeron 3855U is on rank 193, so the Celeron 3855U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 255
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3855U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Celeron 3855U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Celeron 3855U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 255 and Celeron 3855U
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Celeron 3855U
The Celeron 3855U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, LPDDR3-1600/1866, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 255 and Celeron 3855U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 3855U — a 63.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Athlon II X2 255 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 3855U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 255 scores 1,210 against the Celeron 3855U's 1,215 — a 0.4% lead for the Celeron 3855U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 265 vs 361, a 30.7% lead for the Celeron 3855U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 500 vs 632 (23.3% advantage for the Celeron 3855U). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255 vs 2 MB on the Celeron 3855U.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Celeron 3855U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz+94% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz+94% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,210 | 1,215 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 265 | 361+36% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 500 | 632+26% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 255 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 3855U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 255 versus DDR4 2133 MHz on the Celeron 3855U — the Celeron 3855U supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3855U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 255) vs 10 (Celeron 3855U) — the Celeron 3855U offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,780G,785G,790GX,870,880G,890GX,890FX (Athlon II X2 255) and FCBGA1356 (Celeron 3855U).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Celeron 3855U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR4 2133 MHz+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 10 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255) vs true (Celeron 3855U). The Celeron 3855U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 510), while the Athlon II X2 255 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop, Celeron 3855U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700; Celeron 3855U rivals Pentium 3825U.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Celeron 3855U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 510 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | true |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | Budget |
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