CPU
GPU
Celeron E3200
Pentium B970
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 E3200 is positioned at rank 683 and the Pentium B970 is on rank 1112, so the Celeron E3200 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron E3200
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B970
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+678%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
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 E3200 and Pentium B970
Celeron E3200
The Celeron E3200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) 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: 1 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,090 points. Launch price was $52.
Pentium B970
The Pentium B970 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,093 points. Launch price was $125.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron E3200 and Pentium B970 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Celeron E3200 versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium B970 — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Celeron E3200 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Celeron E3200 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium B970 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E3200 scores 1,090 against the Pentium B970's 1,093 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium B970. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E3200 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B970.
| Feature | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+4% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz+4% | 2.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (total)+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,090 | 1,093 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 340 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 610 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron E3200 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B970 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron E3200) / not specified (Pentium B970). Primary use case: Celeron E3200 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E3200 rivals Pentium E5200.
| Feature | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Value Analysis
The Celeron E3200 launched at $43 MSRP, while the Pentium B970 debuted at $125. At current prices ($5 vs $39), the Celeron E3200 is $34 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E3200 delivers 218.0 pts/$ vs 28.0 pts/$ for the Pentium B970 — making the Celeron E3200 the 154.4% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron E3200 | Pentium B970 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $43-66% | $125 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-87% | $39 |
| Performance per Dollar | 218.0+679% | 28.0 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2012 |
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