Celeron 2981U vs Celeron 1037U
Celeron 2981U
Celeron 1037U
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 2981U is positioned at rank 426 and the Celeron 1037U is on rank 275, so the Celeron 1037U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2981U
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 1037U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2981U | Celeron 1037U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($137) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2981U | Celeron 1037U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($137) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 2981U and Celeron 1037U
Celeron 2981U
The Celeron 2981U 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,036 points. Launch price was $69.
Celeron 1037U
The Celeron 1037U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,034 points. Launch price was $86.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 2981U and Celeron 1037U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2981U versus 1.8 GHz on the Celeron 1037U — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Celeron 1037U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Celeron 2981U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Celeron 1037U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2981U scores 1,036 against the Celeron 1037U's 1,034 — a 0.2% lead for the Celeron 2981U. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 2981U vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 1037U.
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | Celeron 1037U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.8 GHz+12% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.8 GHz+12% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,036 | 1,034 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 324 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 626 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2981U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 1037U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Celeron 1037U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Celeron 2981U) vs 16 (Celeron 1037U) — the Celeron 1037U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 2981U) and HM70,NM70,HM76 (Celeron 1037U).
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | Celeron 1037U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 16+33% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Celeron 2981U) vs VT-x, EPT (Celeron 1037U). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2981U) and HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) (Celeron 1037U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2981U targets Budget, Celeron 1037U targets Budget Mobile. Direct competitor: Celeron 2981U rivals Pentium 2117U; Celeron 1037U rivals AMD E1-2500.
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | Celeron 1037U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | VT-x, EPT |
| Target Use | Budget | Budget Mobile |
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