Celeron 2980U vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955

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 2980U vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 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 2980U vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 2980U

2013

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Haswell), while Pentium Extreme Edition 955 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,092 vs 1,095).
❌293.8% higher power demand at 512W vs 130W.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2005

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 130W instead of 512W, a 382W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Celeron 2980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 2980U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Extreme Edition 955 better than Celeron 2980U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron 2980U is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is the better buy right now. Pentium Extreme Edition 955 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $999 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Celeron 2980U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (1.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Celeron 2980U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2005). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron 2980U vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 December 2005 (19 years ago). It is based on the Presler (2005−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.466 GHz, with boost up to 0.47 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $999.

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Processing Power

The Celeron 2980U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U versus 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — a 109.2% clock advantage for the Celeron 2980U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.466 GHz). The Celeron 2980U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses Presler (2005−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2980U scores 1,092 against the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 1,095 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.

Feature	Celeron 2980U	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz+240%	0.47 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	3.466 GHz+117%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB (per core)
Process	22 nm-66%	65 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Presler (2005−2007)
PassMark	1,092	1,095
Geekbench 6 Single	354	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	694	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2980U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron 2980U	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Socket	FCBGA1168	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+173%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2980U) / not specified (Pentium Extreme Edition 955). The Celeron 2980U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.