Celeron 2950M vs Core 2 Duo E4600
Celeron 2950M
Core 2 Duo E4600
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 Celeron 2950M is positioned at rank 545 and the Core 2 Duo E4600 is on rank 1006, so the Celeron 2950M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2950M
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E4600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2950M | Core 2 Duo E4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($9.6) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Allendale (2006−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2950M | Core 2 Duo E4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($9.6) |
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 Celeron 2950M and Core 2 Duo E4600
Celeron 2950M
The Celeron 2950M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,238 points. Launch price was $75.
Core 2 Duo E4600
The Core 2 Duo E4600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,235 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 2950M and Core 2 Duo E4600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron 2950M versus 2.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E4600 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E4600 (base: 2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Celeron 2950M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E4600 uses Allendale (2006−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2950M scores 1,238 against the Core 2 Duo E4600's 1,235 — a 0.2% lead for the Celeron 2950M. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 2950M vs 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E4600.
| Feature | Celeron 2950M | Core 2 Duo E4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz+20% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz+20% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 22 nm-66% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Allendale (2006−2009) |
| PassMark | 1,238 | 1,235 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 352 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 636 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2950M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo E4600 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 2950M versus DDR2-800 on the Core 2 Duo E4600 — the Celeron 2950M supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 2950M 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: 16 (Celeron 2950M) vs 0 (Core 2 Duo E4600) — the Celeron 2950M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM87,HM86 (Celeron 2950M) and Q963,P35,G31 (Core 2 Duo E4600).
| Feature | Celeron 2950M | Core 2 Duo E4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA946 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+173% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600+50% | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2950M) / not specified (Core 2 Duo E4600). The Celeron 2950M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Core 2 Duo E4600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2950M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2950M rivals Pentium 2020M.
| Feature | Celeron 2950M | Core 2 Duo E4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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