Celeron 2957U vs Phenom II X4 830

Intel

Celeron 2957U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.4 GHz2014
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Phenom II X4 830

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2009
Similar parts
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Celeron 2957U vs Phenom II X4 830 Performance Spectrum

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.

Celeron 2957U vs Phenom II X4 830 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 2957U vs Phenom II X4 830: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 2957U

2014

Why buy it

  • +0.2% higher PassMark.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (10 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Haswell), while Phenom II X4 830 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 4 MB).
  • 438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Phenom II X4 830

2009

Why buy it

  • +100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).
  • Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,072 vs 2,077).
  • No integrated graphics, while Celeron 2957U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron 2957U better than Phenom II X4 830?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 830 is ahead with a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2957U pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Phenom II X4 830 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron 2957U 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 2957U still makes the most sense overall. Celeron 2957U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron 2957U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron 2957U vs Phenom II X4 830 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Celeron 2957U

The Celeron 2957U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2014 (11 years ago). 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,077 points. Launch price was $107.

AMD

Phenom II X4 830

The Phenom II X4 830 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,072 points. Launch price was $80.

Processing Power

The Celeron 2957U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 830 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 830 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Celeron 2957U versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 830 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 830 (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Celeron 2957U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X4 830 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2957U scores 2,077 against the Phenom II X4 830's 2,072 — a 0.2% lead for the Celeron 2957U. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 2957U vs 4 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 830.

FeatureCeleron 2957UPhenom II X4 830
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
1.4 GHz
2.8 GHz+100%
Base Clock
1.4 GHz
2.8 GHz+100%
L3 Cache
2 MB
4 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache
512 kB
512 kB (per core)
Process
22 nm-51%
45 nm
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark
2,077
2,072
Geekbench 6 Single
284
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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2957U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 830 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCeleron 2957UPhenom II X4 830
Socket
FCBGA1168
AM3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
10
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2957U) / not specified (Phenom II X4 830). The Celeron 2957U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Phenom II X4 830 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2957U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2957U rivals Pentium 2117U.

FeatureCeleron 2957UPhenom II X4 830
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics (Haswell)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Budget