
Celeron J3160 vs Pentium J2900

Celeron J3160

Pentium J2900
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 J3160 is positioned at rank 485 and the Pentium J2900 is on rank 1013, so the Celeron J3160 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron J3160
Performance Per Dollar Pentium J2900
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron J3160 | Pentium J2900 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Airmont (2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-D (2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron J3160 | Pentium J2900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 J3160 and Pentium J2900

Celeron J3160
The Celeron J3160 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Airmont (2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.24 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,250 points. Launch price was $107.

Pentium J2900
The Pentium J2900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 November 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.41 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,254 points. Launch price was $94.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron J3160 and Pentium J2900 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.24 GHz on the Celeron J3160 versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium J2900 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Pentium J2900 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.41 GHz). The Celeron J3160 uses the Airmont (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium J2900 uses Bay Trail-D (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron J3160 scores 1,250 against the Pentium J2900's 1,254 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium J2900. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron J3160 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium J2900.
| Feature | Celeron J3160 | Pentium J2900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.24 GHz | 2.66 GHz+19% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.41 GHz+51% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Airmont (2016) | Bay Trail-D (2013) |
| PassMark | 1,250 | 1,254 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 350 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 650 | — |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the FCBGA1170 socket with PCIe 3.0.
| Feature | Celeron J3160 | Pentium J2900 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | FCBGA1170 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron J3160) / not specified (Pentium J2900). The Celeron J3160 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 400), while the Pentium J2900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron J3160 targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron J3160 rivals Pentium J3710.
| Feature | Celeron J3160 | Pentium J2900 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 400 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Low Power | — |
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