Celeron E1600 vs Pentium U5600

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 U5600 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 U5600: 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 $47 less on MSRP ($53 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 84.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.4 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($53 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium U5600 across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (815 vs 835).
❌261.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 18W.

Pentium U5600

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 18W instead of 65W, a 47W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.3 vs 15.4 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $53 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium U5600 better than Celeron E1600?

Yes. Pentium U5600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 39 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.5% 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, Pentium U5600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.1% more average FPS across 39 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium U5600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium U5600 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium U5600 comes in 88.7% more expensive on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $53 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 39 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron E1600 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 84.2% better value on paper (15.4 vs 8.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Pentium U5600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2009) 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 E1600 vs Pentium U5600 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 U5600

The Pentium U5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 835 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron E1600 and Pentium U5600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Celeron E1600 versus 1.33 GHz on the Pentium U5600 — a 57.4% clock advantage for the Celeron E1600 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). The Celeron E1600 uses the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium U5600 uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E1600 scores 815 against the Pentium U5600's 835 — a 2.4% lead for the Pentium U5600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E1600 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium U5600.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium U5600
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+80%	1.33 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+80%	1.33 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (total)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Allendale (2006−2009)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	815	835+2%
Geekbench 6 Single	310	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	560	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron E1600 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium U5600 uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium U5600
Socket	LGA775	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: No (Celeron E1600) / not specified (Pentium U5600). Primary use case: Celeron E1600 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E1600 rivals Pentium E2220.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium U5600
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	No	—
Target Use	Budget	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron E1600 was priced at $53, while the Pentium U5600 came in at $100. On launch pricing ($53 vs $100), Celeron E1600 was $47 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E1600 delivers 15.4 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the Pentium U5600 — making the Celeron E1600 the 59.2% better value option.

Feature	Celeron E1600	Pentium U5600
MSRP	$53-47%	$100
Performance per Dollar	15.4+86%	8.3
Release Date	2009	2011

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