Celeron 3955U vs Atom N550
Celeron 3955U
Atom N550
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 Atom N550 is on rank 618, 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 Atom N550
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3955U | Atom N550 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Pineview (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3955U | Atom N550 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Atom N550
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.
Atom N550
The Atom N550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pineview (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,435 points. Launch price was $86.
Processing Power
The Celeron 3955U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Atom N550's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron 3955U versus 1.5 GHz on the Atom N550 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Celeron 3955U (base: 2 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron 3955U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Atom N550 uses Pineview (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3955U scores 1,443 against the Atom N550's 1,435 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 3955U. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 3955U vs 0 kB on the Atom N550.
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | Atom N550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz+33% | 1.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz+33% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Pineview (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,443 | 1,435 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 431 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 741 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3955U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Atom N550 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Celeron 3955U versus DDR3-667 on the Atom N550 — 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 2 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Celeron 3955U) vs 1 (Atom N550). PCIe lanes: 12 (Celeron 3955U) vs 0 (Atom N550) — the Celeron 3955U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Sunrise Point-LP (Celeron 3955U) and Intel NM10 (Atom N550).
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | Atom N550 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | FCBGA559 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133+33% | DDR3-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+1500% | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 3955U) / not specified (Atom N550). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 510 (Celeron 3955U) and Intel GMA 3150 (Atom N550) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3955U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 3955U rivals Pentium 3825U.
| Feature | Celeron 3955U | Atom N550 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 510 | Intel GMA 3150 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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