Celeron 2955U
VS
Core i3-3240T

Celeron 2955U vs Core i3-3240T

Intel

Celeron 2955U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.4 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Core i3-3240T

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3 GHz2012

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 2955U is positioned at rank 427 and the Core i3-3240T is on rank 851, so the Celeron 2955U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2955U

#415
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
567%
#416
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
559%
#417
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
513%
#418
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
511%
#419
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
506%
#421
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
489%
#422
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
469%
#423
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
468%
#424
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
455%
#427
Celeron 2955U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-3240T

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
17552%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
16584%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
12042%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
3628%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2873%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2514%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1440%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1421%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1294%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1294%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1279%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1245%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1227%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1222%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1211%
#851
Core i3-3240T
MSRP: $117|Avg: $8
100%
#852
Athlon II X2 240
MSRP: $60|Avg: $10
99%
#854
Core i5-2500S
MSRP: $192|Avg: $61
99%
#856
Athlon X2 BE-2400
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
99%
#857
Core i3-2102
MSRP: $117|Avg: $15
98%
#858
Pentium G850
MSRP: $86|Avg: $75
98%
#859
Core i5-3475S
MSRP: $249|Avg: $42
98%
#860
Core i7-2600K
MSRP: $317|Avg: $109
97%
#861
Pentium G860
MSRP: $86|Avg: $36
97%
#862
Athlon II X2 245
MSRP: $66|Avg: $15
97%
#863
Core i7-2700K
MSRP: $332|Avg: $45
97%
#865
Core i5-4670K
MSRP: $328|Avg: $200
96%
#866
Core i5-3330S
MSRP: $231|Avg: $30
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-3240T delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Celeron 2955U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCeleron 2955UCore i3-3240T
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($8)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCeleron 2955UCore i3-3240T
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($8)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 2955U and Core i3-3240T

Intel

Celeron 2955U

The Celeron 2955U 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 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,069 points. Launch price was $69.

Intel

Core i3-3240T

The Core i3-3240T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,078 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Celeron 2955U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-3240T's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Celeron 2955U versus 3 GHz on the Core i3-3240T — a 72.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-3240T (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Celeron 2955U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i3-3240T uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2955U scores 2,069 against the Core i3-3240T's 2,078 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-3240T. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 2955U vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-3240T.

FeatureCeleron 2955UCore i3-3240T
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 4
Boost Clock
1.4 GHz
3 GHz+114%
Base Clock
1.4 GHz
2.9 GHz+107%
L3 Cache
2 MB (total)
3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
256 kB (per core)
Process
22 nm
22 nm
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark
2,069
2,078
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2955U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-3240T uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCeleron 2955UCore i3-3240T
Socket
FCBGA1168
LGA1155
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
10
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2955U) / not specified (Core i3-3240T). The Celeron 2955U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Core i3-3240T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2955U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2955U rivals Pentium 2117U.

FeatureCeleron 2955UCore i3-3240T
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics (Haswell)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Budget