Celeron 2970M vs Athlon II Neo K125
Celeron 2970M
Athlon II Neo K125
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 2970M is positioned at rank 591 and the Athlon II Neo K125 is on rank 982, so the Celeron 2970M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2970M
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II Neo K125
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2970M | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Geneva (2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2970M | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
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 2970M and Athlon II Neo K125
Celeron 2970M
The Celeron 2970M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,501 points. Launch price was $75.
Athlon II Neo K125
The Athlon II Neo K125 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Geneva (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,491 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron 2970M packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II Neo K125 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Celeron 2970M has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 2970M versus 1.7 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K125 — a 25.6% clock advantage for the Celeron 2970M. The Celeron 2970M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses Geneva (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2970M scores 1,501 against the Athlon II Neo K125's 1,491 — a 0.7% lead for the Celeron 2970M.
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2+100% | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz+29% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Geneva (2010) |
| PassMark | 1,501 | 1,491 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2970M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Celeron 2970M supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron 2970M) vs 0 (Athlon II Neo K125) — the Celeron 2970M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM87,HM86 (Celeron 2970M) and AMD ASB2 (Athlon II Neo K125).
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA946 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+700% | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2970M) / not specified (Athlon II Neo K125). The Celeron 2970M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Athlon II Neo K125 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2970M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2970M rivals Pentium 2020M.
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Celeron 2970M and Athlon II Neo K125
