CPU
GPU
Celeron 2961Y
Phenom X3 8250e
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 2961Y is positioned at rank 397 and the Phenom X3 8250e is on rank 538, so the Celeron 2961Y offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2961Y
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X3 8250e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2961Y | Phenom X3 8250e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2961Y | Phenom X3 8250e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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.
Path of Exile 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron 2961Y and Phenom X3 8250e
Celeron 2961Y
The Celeron 2961Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 1.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,085 points. Launch price was $107.
Phenom X3 8250e
The Phenom X3 8250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,084 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron 2961Y packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom X3 8250e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8250e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.1 GHz on the Celeron 2961Y versus 1.9 GHz on the Phenom X3 8250e — a 53.3% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8250e. The Celeron 2961Y uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom X3 8250e uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2961Y scores 1,085 against the Phenom X3 8250e's 1,084 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron 2961Y. Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Celeron 2961Y | Phenom X3 8250e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 1.1 GHz | 1.9 GHz+73% |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm-66% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Toliman (2008) |
| PassMark | 1,085 | 1,084 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2961Y uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom X3 8250e uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron 2961Y | Phenom X3 8250e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2961Y) / not specified (Phenom X3 8250e). The Celeron 2961Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Phenom X3 8250e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2961Y targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2961Y rivals Pentium 2117U.
| Feature | Celeron 2961Y | Phenom X3 8250e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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