Celeron 2980U
VS
Celeron 2961Y

Celeron 2980U vs Celeron 2961Y

Intel

Celeron 2980U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2013
VS
Intel

Celeron 2961Y

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.1 GHz2013

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 2980U is positioned at rank 392 and the Celeron 2961Y is on rank 397, so the Celeron 2980U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2980U

#119
Ryzen 7 PRO 250
MSRP: $400|Avg: $380
100%
#120
Core i7-11850HE
MSRP: $400|Avg: $75
98%
#380
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
537%
#381
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
529%
#382
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
486%
#383
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
484%
#384
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
479%
#386
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
463%
#387
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
444%
#388
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
443%
#389
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
431%
#392
Celeron 2980U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2961Y

#120
Core i7-11850HE
MSRP: $400|Avg: $75
98%
#385
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
541%
#386
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
533%
#387
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
489%
#388
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
487%
#389
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
483%
#391
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
466%
#392
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
447%
#393
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
446%
#394
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
434%
#397
Celeron 2961Y
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Celeron 2980U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Celeron 2961Y in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCeleron 2980UCeleron 2961Y
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower 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 (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCeleron 2980UCeleron 2961Y
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 2980U and Celeron 2961Y

Intel

Celeron 2980U

The Celeron 2980U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,092 points. Launch price was $69.

Intel

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.

Processing Power

Both the Celeron 2980U and Celeron 2961Y share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U versus 1.1 GHz on the Celeron 2961Y — a 37% clock advantage for the Celeron 2980U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). Both are built on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture using a 22 nm process. In PassMark, the Celeron 2980U scores 1,092 against the Celeron 2961Y's 1,085 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 2980U. Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.

FeatureCeleron 2980UCeleron 2961Y
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
1.6 GHz+45%
1.1 GHz
Base Clock
1.6 GHz+45%
1.1 GHz
L3 Cache
2 MB (total)
2 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
256K (per core)
Process
22 nm
22 nm
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark
1,092
1,085
Geekbench 6 Single
354
Geekbench 6 Multi
694
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the FCBGA1168 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 12 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Haswell-ULT (Celeron 2980U) and Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 2961Y).

FeatureCeleron 2980UCeleron 2961Y
Socket
FCBGA1168
FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
12
12
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x virtualization. Both include integrated graphics Intel HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2980U) and HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2961Y) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2980U targets Low Power, Celeron 2961Y targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000; Celeron 2961Y rivals Pentium 2117U.

FeatureCeleron 2980UCeleron 2961Y
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)
HD Graphics (Haswell)
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x
VT-x
Target Use
Low Power
Budget