Celeron B820 vs Pentium D 915

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 B820 vs Pentium D 915 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 B820 vs Pentium D 915: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron B820

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), while Pentium D 915 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
16.2% HIGHER MSRP
$86 MSRPvs$74 MSRP

Pentium D 915

2006

Why buy it

✅Costs $12 less on MSRP ($74 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Celeron B820 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (705 vs 765).
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron B820 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron B820 better than Pentium D 915?

Yes. Celeron B820 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Celeron B820 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron B820 is the stronger fit. You are getting 8.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron B820 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron B820 comes in 16.2% more expensive on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $74 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium D 915 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2006 platform. Even with 7.1% better value on paper (9.5 vs 8.9 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Celeron B820 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron B820 vs Pentium D 915 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron B820

The Celeron B820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 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: 765 points. Launch price was $86.

Pentium D 915

The Pentium D 915 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 July 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 705 points. Launch price was $74.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Celeron B820 and Pentium D 915 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Celeron B820 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium D 915 — a 48.9% clock advantage for the Pentium D 915 (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Celeron B820 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium D 915 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron B820 scores 765 against the Pentium D 915's 705 — a 8.2% lead for the Celeron B820. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron B820 vs 0 kB on the Pentium D 915.

Feature	Celeron B820	Pentium D 915
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+65%
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+65%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB (total)
Process	32 nm-51%	65 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	765+9%	705

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron B820 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium D 915 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron B820	Pentium D 915
Socket	PGA988	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron B820) / not specified (Pentium D 915). The Celeron B820 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Pentium D 915 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron B820 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron B820 rivals Pentium 967.

Feature	Celeron B820	Pentium D 915
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x	—
Target Use	Budget	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron B820 was priced at $86, while the Pentium D 915 came in at $74. On launch pricing ($86 vs $74), Pentium D 915 was $12 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron B820 delivers 8.9 pts/$ vs 9.5 pts/$ for the Pentium D 915 — making the Pentium D 915 the 6.9% better value option.

Feature	Celeron B820	Pentium D 915
MSRP	$86	$74-14%
Performance per Dollar	8.9	9.5+7%
Release Date	2012	2006

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