CPU
GPU
Celeron E3400
Pentium 997
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 E3400 is positioned at rank 727 and the Pentium 997 is on rank 1104, so the Celeron E3400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron E3400
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+49%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 E3400 and Pentium 997
Celeron E3400
The Celeron E3400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 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: 1,220 points. Launch price was $76.
Pentium 997
The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 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: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron E3400 and Pentium 997 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron E3400 versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 — a 47.6% clock advantage for the Celeron E3400 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron E3400 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 997 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E3400 scores 1,220 against the Pentium 997's 1,215 — a 0.4% lead for the Celeron E3400. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E3400 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997.
| Feature | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+63% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+63% | 1.6 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 | 1,220 | 1,215 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 347 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 624 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron E3400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 997 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Celeron E3400) / not specified (Pentium 997). Primary use case: Celeron E3400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E3400 rivals Pentium E5200.
| Feature | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Value Analysis
The Celeron E3400 launched at $53 MSRP, while the Pentium 997 debuted at $134. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Pentium 997 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E3400 delivers 81.3 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 997 — making the Pentium 997 the 39.6% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron E3400 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $53-60% | $134 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 81.3 | 121.5+49% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2012 |
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