Celeron 3955U vs A8-3520M
Celeron 3955U
A8-3520M
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 3955U is positioned at rank 616 and the A8-3520M is on rank 806, so the Celeron 3955U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3955U
Performance Per Dollar A8-3520M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3955U | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3955U | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| 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 3955U and A8-3520M
Celeron 3955U
The Celeron 3955U 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 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 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: 1,443 points. Launch price was $107.
A8-3520M
The A8-3520M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,441 points. Launch price was $90.
Processing Power
The Celeron 3955U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the A8-3520M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A8-3520M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron 3955U versus 2.5 GHz on the A8-3520M — a 22.2% clock advantage for the A8-3520M (base: 2 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron 3955U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the A8-3520M uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3955U scores 1,443 against the A8-3520M's 1,441 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron 3955U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 431 vs 255, a 51.3% lead for the Celeron 3955U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 3955U vs 0 kB on the A8-3520M.
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.5 GHz+25% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz+25% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1 MB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 1,443 | 1,441 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 431+69% | 255 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 741 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3955U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A8-3520M uses FS1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Celeron 3955U versus DDR3-1333 on the A8-3520M — the Celeron 3955U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3955U 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 3955U) vs 20 (A8-3520M) — the A8-3520M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | FS1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133+33% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 20+67% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 3955U) vs AMD-V (A8-3520M). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 510 (Celeron 3955U) and Radeon HD 6620G (A8-3520M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3955U targets Budget, A8-3520M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron 3955U rivals Pentium 3825U; A8-3520M rivals Core i3-2330M.
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 510 | Radeon HD 6620G |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Budget Laptop |
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