Celeron 3205U vs Atom C3338
Celeron 3205U
Atom C3338
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 3205U is positioned at rank 279 and the Atom C3338 is on rank 543, so the Celeron 3205U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3205U
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3338
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3205U | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3205U | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 3205U and Atom C3338
Celeron 3205U
The Celeron 3205U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,025 points. Launch price was $107.
Atom C3338
The Atom C3338 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 February 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,028 points. Launch price was $27.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 3205U and Atom C3338 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Celeron 3205U versus 2.2 GHz on the Atom C3338 — a 37.8% clock advantage for the Atom C3338 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron 3205U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Atom C3338 uses Goldmont (2016−2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3205U scores 1,025 against the Atom C3338's 1,028 — a 0.3% lead for the Atom C3338. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 3205U vs 4 MB on the Atom C3338.
| Feature | Celeron 3205U | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.2 GHz+47% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 4 MB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-U (2015) | Goldmont (2016−2017) |
| PassMark | 1,025 | 1,028 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 287 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 483 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3205U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Atom C3338 uses FCBGA1310 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 3205U versus DDR4-1866 on the Atom C3338 — the Atom C3338 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom C3338 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Celeron 3205U) vs 1 (Atom C3338). PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron 3205U) vs 10 (Atom C3338) — the Celeron 3205U offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 3205U) and Intel FCBGA1310 (Atom C3338).
| Feature | Celeron 3205U | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | FCBGA1310 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR4-1866+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 128 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+60% | 10 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 3205U) / not specified (Atom C3338). The Celeron 3205U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Broadwell)), while the Atom C3338 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3205U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 3205U rivals Pentium 2117U.
| Feature | Celeron 3205U | Atom C3338 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Broadwell) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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