Celeron E1600 vs Pentium D 940

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 E1600 vs Pentium D 940 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 E1600 vs Pentium D 940: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron E1600

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $79 less on MSRP ($53 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Delivers 132.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.4 vs 6.6 PassMark/$ ($53 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium D 940 across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (815 vs 875).

Pentium D 940

2006

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.6 vs 15.4 PassMark/$ ($132 MSRP vs $53 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium D 940 better than Celeron E1600?

Yes. Pentium D 940 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 10.0% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data and 7.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium D 940 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 10.0% more average FPS across 38 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium D 940 is the stronger fit. You are getting 7.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium D 940 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium D 940 comes in 149.1% more expensive on MSRP at $132 MSRP versus $53 MSRP, and it still gives you a 10.0% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron E1600 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 132.0% better value on paper (15.4 vs 6.6 PassMark/$), 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 E1600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron E1600 vs Pentium D 940 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron E1600

The Celeron E1600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 815 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium D 940

The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $423.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Celeron E1600 and Pentium D 940 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Celeron E1600 versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Celeron E1600 uses the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium D 940 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E1600 scores 815 against the Pentium D 940's 875 — a 7.1% lead for the Pentium D 940. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium D 940
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	3.2 GHz+33%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.2 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (total)	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	65 nm	65 nm
Architecture	Allendale (2006−2009)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	815	875+7%
Geekbench 6 Single	310	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	560	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA775 socket with PCIe 1.1.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium D 940
Socket	LGA775	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: No (Celeron E1600) / not specified (Pentium D 940). Primary use case: Celeron E1600 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E1600 rivals Pentium E2220.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium D 940
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	No	—
Target Use	Budget	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron E1600 was priced at $53, while the Pentium D 940 came in at $132. On launch pricing ($53 vs $132), Celeron E1600 was $79 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E1600 delivers 15.4 pts/$ vs 6.6 pts/$ for the Pentium D 940 — making the Celeron E1600 the 79.5% better value option.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium D 940
MSRP	$53-60%	$132
Performance per Dollar	15.4+133%	6.6
Release Date	2009	2006

Search Celeron E1600 on Amazon

Search Pentium D 940 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.