Celeron 3205U vs Pentium B960

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 3205U vs Pentium B960 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 3205U vs Pentium B960: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron 3205U

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (483 vs 679).
❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.

Pentium B960

2011

Why buy it

✅+40.6% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 35W instead of 512W, a 477W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Celeron 3205U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Celeron 3205U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B960 better than Celeron 3205U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron 3205U is ahead with a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium B960 pulls ahead with 40.6% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium B960 is the stronger fit. You are getting 40.6% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium B960 is the better buy right now. Pentium B960 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $134 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 40.6% better Geekbench multi-core. The compromise is that Celeron 3205U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 3205U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2011). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron 3205U vs Pentium B960 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium B960

The Pentium B960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,019 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron 3205U and Pentium B960 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Celeron 3205U versus 2.2 GHz on the Pentium B960 — a 37.8% clock advantage for the Pentium B960 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Celeron 3205U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium B960 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3205U scores 1,025 against the Pentium B960's 1,019 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 3205U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 287 vs 383, a 28.7% lead for the Pentium B960 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 483 vs 679 (33.7% advantage for the Pentium B960). Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron 3205U	Pentium B960
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.5 GHz	2.2 GHz+47%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.2 GHz+47%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Broadwell-U (2015)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,025	1,019
Geekbench 6 Single	287	383+33%
Geekbench 6 Multi	483	679+41%

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 3205U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B960 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 3205U versus DDR3-1333 on the Pentium B960 — the Celeron 3205U supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Wildcat Point-LP (Celeron 3205U) and HM76 (Pentium B960).

Feature	Celeron 3205U	Pentium B960
Socket	FCBGA1168	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600+20%	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron 3205U) / not specified (Pentium B960). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Broadwell) (Celeron 3205U) and HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Pentium B960) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3205U targets Budget, Pentium B960 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 3205U rivals Pentium 2117U; Pentium B960 rivals AMD A8-3500M.