Celeron E3300 vs Pentium 977

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 E3300 vs Pentium 977 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 E3300 vs Pentium 977: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron E3300

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $84 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅Delivers 169.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 23.1 vs 8.6 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌282.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 17W.

Pentium 977

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 65W, a 48W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,148 vs 1,155).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.6 vs 23.1 PassMark/$ ($134 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron E3300 better than Pentium 977?

Yes. Celeron E3300 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Celeron E3300 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.1% 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 E3300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron E3300 is the better buy right now. Celeron E3300 comes in $84 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 169.6% better value on MSRP (23.1 vs 8.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium 977 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron E3300 vs Pentium 977 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron E3300

The Celeron E3300 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 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: 1,155 points. Launch price was $70.

Pentium 977

The Pentium 977 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 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,148 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron E3300 and Pentium 977 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Celeron E3300 versus 1.4 GHz on the Pentium 977 — a 56.4% clock advantage for the Celeron E3300 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Celeron E3300 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 977 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E3300 scores 1,155 against the Pentium 977's 1,148 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron E3300. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E3300 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 977.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium 977
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+79%	1.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+79%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (total)	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Wolfdale (2008−2010)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,155	1,148
Geekbench 6 Single	347	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	624	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron E3300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 977 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium 977
Socket	LGA775	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron E3300) / not specified (Pentium 977). Primary use case: Celeron E3300 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E3300 rivals Pentium E5200.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium 977
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x	—
Target Use	Budget	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron E3300 was priced at $50, while the Pentium 977 came in at $134. On launch pricing ($50 vs $134), Celeron E3300 was $84 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E3300 delivers 23.1 pts/$ vs 8.6 pts/$ for the Pentium 977 — making the Celeron E3300 the 91.8% better value option.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium 977
MSRP	$50-63%	$134
Performance per Dollar	23.1+169%	8.6
Release Date	2009	2012

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