Celeron 2950M vs Pentium N3700

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 2950M vs Pentium N3700 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 2950M vs Pentium N3700: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 2950M

2013

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Haswell), while Pentium N3700 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,238 vs 1,248).
❌8433.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 6W.

Pentium N3700

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 512W, a 506W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 2950M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium N3700 better than Celeron 2950M?

Yes. Pentium N3700 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% 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, Pentium N3700 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% 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, Pentium N3700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium N3700 still makes the most sense overall. Pentium N3700 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Pentium N3700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron 2950M vs Pentium N3700 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium N3700

The Pentium N3700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,248 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Celeron 2950M packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium N3700 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3700 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron 2950M versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium N3700 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium N3700 (base: 2 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron 2950M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium N3700 uses Braswell (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2950M scores 1,238 against the Pentium N3700's 1,248 — a 0.8% lead for the Pentium N3700. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 2950M vs 0 kB on the Pentium N3700.

Feature	Celeron 2950M	Pentium N3700
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.4 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2 GHz+25%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Braswell (2015−2016)
PassMark	1,238	1,248
Geekbench 6 Single	352	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	636	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2950M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium N3700 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron 2950M	Pentium N3700
Socket	PGA946	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2950M) / not specified (Pentium N3700). The Celeron 2950M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Pentium N3700 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2950M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2950M rivals Pentium 2020M.