Celeron 2970M vs Phenom II X2 N640
Celeron 2970M
Phenom II X2 N640
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 Phenom II X2 N640 is on rank 977, 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 Phenom II X2 N640
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2970M | Phenom II X2 N640 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($55) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2970M | Phenom II X2 N640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($55) |
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 Phenom II X2 N640
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.
Phenom II X2 N640
The Phenom II X2 N640 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.9 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,505 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 2970M and Phenom II X2 N640 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 2970M versus 2.9 GHz on the Phenom II X2 N640 — a 27.5% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 N640. The Celeron 2970M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X2 N640 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2970M scores 1,501 against the Phenom II X2 N640's 1,505 — a 0.3% lead for the Phenom II X2 N640.
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Phenom II X2 N640 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.9 GHz+32% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,501 | 1,505 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 300 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 422 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2970M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X2 N640 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 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM87,HM86 (Celeron 2970M) and RS880M (Phenom II X2 N640).
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Phenom II X2 N640 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA946 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Celeron 2970M) vs AMD-V (Phenom II X2 N640). The Celeron 2970M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Phenom II X2 N640 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2970M targets Budget, Phenom II X2 N640 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron 2970M rivals Pentium 2020M.
| Feature | Celeron 2970M | Phenom II X2 N640 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Legacy Laptop |
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