Celeron 2981U vs E2-3200
Celeron 2981U
E2-3200
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 E2-3200 is on rank 855, so the Celeron 2981U 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 E2-3200
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 2981U | E2-3200 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($137) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 2981U | E2-3200 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 E2-3200
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.
E2-3200
The E2-3200 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,050 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 2981U and E2-3200 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2981U versus 2.4 GHz on the E2-3200 — a 40% clock advantage for the E2-3200 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Celeron 2981U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the E2-3200 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 2981U scores 1,036 against the E2-3200's 1,050 — a 1.3% lead for the E2-3200. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 2981U vs 0 kB on the E2-3200.
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | E2-3200 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.4 GHz+50% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.4 GHz+50% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 1,036 | 1,050+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 2981U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the E2-3200 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | E2-3200 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | FM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 2981U) / not specified (E2-3200). The Celeron 2981U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the E2-3200 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2981U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2981U rivals Pentium 2117U.
| Feature | Celeron 2981U | E2-3200 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Haswell) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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