Atom D2500 vs Celeron U3600

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.

Atom D2500 vs Celeron U3600 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.

Atom D2500 vs Celeron U3600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Atom D2500

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $92 less on MSRP ($42 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅Delivers 208.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.4 vs 4.7 PassMark/$ ($42 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅Draws 10W instead of 18W, a 8W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel GMA 3600, while Celeron U3600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Celeron U3600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (605 vs 625).

Celeron U3600

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 4.7 vs 14.4 PassMark/$ ($134 MSRP vs $42 MSRP).
❌80% higher power demand at 18W vs 10W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom D2500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron U3600 better than Atom D2500?

Yes. Celeron U3600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.3% 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 U3600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.1% 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 U3600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron U3600 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Celeron U3600 comes in 219.0% more expensive on MSRP at $134 MSRP versus $42 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Atom D2500 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 5.1% in the shared gaming data.

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

Celeron U3600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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.

Atom D2500 vs Celeron U3600 Technical Specifications

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

Atom D2500

The Atom D2500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Cedarview (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 605 points. Launch price was $69.

Celeron U3600

The Celeron U3600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 0.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 625 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Atom D2500 and Celeron U3600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Atom D2500 versus 0.1 GHz on the Celeron U3600 — a 179.7% clock advantage for the Atom D2500 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Atom D2500 uses the Cedarview (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron U3600 uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Atom D2500 scores 605 against the Celeron U3600's 625 — a 3.3% lead for the Celeron U3600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom D2500 vs 2 MB on the Celeron U3600.

Feature	Atom D2500	Celeron U3600
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.87 GHz+1770%	0.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.86 GHz+55%	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Cedarview (2011−2012)	Westmere (2010−2011)
PassMark	605	625+3%

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Memory & Platform

The Atom D2500 uses the FCBGA559 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron U3600 uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Atom D2500	Celeron U3600
Socket	FCBGA559	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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Advanced Features

The Atom D2500 includes integrated graphics (Intel GMA 3600), while the Celeron U3600 requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Atom D2500	Celeron U3600
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel GMA 3600	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Atom D2500 was priced at $42, while the Celeron U3600 came in at $134. On launch pricing ($42 vs $134), Atom D2500 was $92 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Atom D2500 delivers 14.4 pts/$ vs 4.7 pts/$ for the Celeron U3600 — making the Atom D2500 the 102.2% better value option.

Feature	Atom D2500	Celeron U3600
MSRP	$42-69%	$134
Performance per Dollar	14.4+206%	4.7
Release Date	2011	2011

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