Celeron 2970M vs Pentium 987

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 2970M vs Pentium 987 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 2970M vs Pentium 987: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 2970M

2014

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 987 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌2911.8% higher power demand at 512W vs 17W.

Pentium 987

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 512W, a 495W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,487 vs 1,501).
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Celeron 2970M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 2970M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron 2970M better than Pentium 987?

Yes. Celeron 2970M is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% 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, Celeron 2970M is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% 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, Celeron 2970M is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron 2970M is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Celeron 2970M comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium 987 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 2.2% in the shared gaming data.

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

Celeron 2970M makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron 2970M vs Pentium 987 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium 987

The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron 2970M and Pentium 987 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 2970M versus 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 — a 37.8% clock advantage for the Celeron 2970M (base: 2.2 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron 2970M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium 987 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2970M scores 1,501 against the Pentium 987's 1,487 — a 0.9% lead for the Celeron 2970M. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 2970M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987.

Feature	Celeron 2970M	Pentium 987
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+47%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz+47%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,501	1,487

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2970M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 987 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron 2970M	Pentium 987
Socket	PGA946	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
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 2970M) / not specified (Pentium 987). The Celeron 2970M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Pentium 987 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2970M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2970M rivals Pentium 2020M.