Celeron N2810 vs Pentium 987

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 N2810 vs Pentium 987 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 N2810 vs Pentium 987: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N2810

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 17W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), while Pentium 987 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,474 vs 1,487).

Pentium 987

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Celeron N2810 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌142.9% higher power demand at 17W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2810 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 987 better than Celeron N2810?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron N2810 is ahead with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 987 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 987 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium 987 is the better buy right now. Pentium 987 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $134 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Celeron N2810 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 987 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 N2810 vs Pentium 987 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N2810

The Celeron N2810 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,474 points. Launch price was $260.

Pentium 987

The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 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: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron N2810 and Pentium 987 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron N2810 versus 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Celeron N2810 (base: 2 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron N2810 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium 987 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2810 scores 1,474 against the Pentium 987's 1,487 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium 987. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2810 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987.

Feature	Celeron N2810	Pentium 987
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz+33%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz+33%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,474	1,487

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2810 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 987 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N2810	Pentium 987
Socket	FCBGA1170	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Celeron N2810) / not specified (Pentium 987). The Celeron N2810 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Pentium 987 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Celeron N2810 rivals AMD A4-1250.