Celeron 3855U vs Athlon II X2 255
Celeron 3855U
Athlon II X2 255
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 3855U is positioned at rank 193 and the Athlon II X2 255 is on rank 793, so the Celeron 3855U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3855U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 255
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3855U | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3855U | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
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 3855U and Athlon II X2 255
Celeron 3855U
The Celeron 3855U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) 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 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, LPDDR3-1600/1866, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $107.
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 3855U and Athlon II X2 255 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 3855U versus 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 — a 63.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Celeron 3855U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3855U scores 1,215 against the Athlon II X2 255's 1,210 — a 0.4% lead for the Celeron 3855U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 361 vs 265, a 30.7% lead for the Celeron 3855U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 632 vs 500 (23.3% advantage for the Celeron 3855U). L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 3855U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255.
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 3.1 GHz+94% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 3.1 GHz+94% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,215 | 1,210 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 361+36% | 265 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 632+26% | 500 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3855U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4 2133 MHz on the Celeron 3855U versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 255 — the Celeron 3855U supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3855U 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: 10 (Celeron 3855U) vs 0 (Athlon II X2 255) — the Celeron 3855U offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FCBGA1356 (Celeron 3855U) and 760G,780G,785G,790GX,870,880G,890GX,890FX (Athlon II X2 255).
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4 2133 MHz+33% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 10 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron 3855U) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255). The Celeron 3855U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 510), while the Athlon II X2 255 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3855U targets Budget, Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron 3855U rivals Pentium 3825U; Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 510 | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Legacy Desktop |
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