Celeron B840 vs Pentium 3556U

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 B840 vs Pentium 3556U 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 B840 vs Pentium 3556U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron B840

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), while Pentium 3556U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,065 vs 1,072).
❌Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while Pentium 3556U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium 3556U

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron B840 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 3556U better than Celeron B840?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron B840 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3556U pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3556U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium 3556U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium 3556U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Celeron B840 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (12.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA988.

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

Pentium 3556U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2011) 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 B840 vs Pentium 3556U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron B840

The Celeron B840 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 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: 1,065 points. Launch price was $86.

Pentium 3556U

The Pentium 3556U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) 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 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,072 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron B840 and Pentium 3556U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Celeron B840 versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium 3556U — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Celeron B840 (base: 1.9 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Celeron B840 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium 3556U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron B840 scores 1,065 against the Pentium 3556U's 1,072 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium 3556U. Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron B840	Pentium 3556U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.9 GHz+12%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz+12%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,065	1,072
Geekbench 6 Single	450	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	790	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron B840 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 3556U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron B840	Pentium 3556U
Socket	PGA988	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Celeron B840) / not specified (Pentium 3556U). The Celeron B840 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Pentium 3556U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron B840 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron B840 rivals Pentium B940.