Celeron 1037U vs Celeron 2981U

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.

Celeron 1037U vs Celeron 2981U 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.

Celeron 1037U vs Celeron 2981U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 1037U

2013

Why buy it

✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,034 vs 1,036).

Celeron 2981U

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $137 MSRP, while Celeron 1037U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron 2981U better than Celeron 1037U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron 1037U is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2981U pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2981U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron 2981U is the better buy right now. Celeron 2981U comes in at an unclear MSRP at $137 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Celeron 1037U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2981U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) 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.

Celeron 1037U vs Celeron 2981U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron 1037U

The Celeron 1037U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,034 points. Launch price was $86.

Celeron 2981U

The Celeron 2981U 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,036 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Celeron 1037U and Celeron 2981U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Celeron 1037U versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2981U — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Celeron 1037U (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron 1037U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Celeron 2981U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 1037U scores 1,034 against the Celeron 2981U's 1,036 — a 0.2% lead for the Celeron 2981U. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 1037U vs 2 MB on the Celeron 2981U.

Feature	Celeron 1037U	Celeron 2981U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz+12%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	1.8 GHz+12%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	2 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,034	1,036
Geekbench 6 Single	324	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	626	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron 1037U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 2981U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. The Celeron 1037U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron 1037U) vs 12 (Celeron 2981U) — the Celeron 1037U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM70,NM70,HM76 (Celeron 1037U) and Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 2981U).

Feature	Celeron 1037U	Celeron 2981U
Socket	BGA1023	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+100%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, EPT (Celeron 1037U) vs VT-x (Celeron 2981U). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) (Celeron 1037U) and HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2981U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 1037U targets Budget Mobile, Celeron 2981U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 1037U rivals AMD E1-2500; Celeron 2981U rivals Pentium 2117U.

Feature	Celeron 1037U	Celeron 2981U
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)	HD Graphics (Haswell)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, EPT	VT-x
Target Use	Budget Mobile	Budget