Celeron N2820 vs Pentium E5500

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 N2820 vs Pentium E5500 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 N2820 vs Pentium E5500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N2820

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 65W, a 58W 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 E5500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,061 vs 1,064).

Pentium E5500

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Celeron N2820 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌828.6% higher power demand at 65W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2820 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium E5500 better than Celeron N2820?

Yes. Pentium E5500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium E5500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% 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, Pentium E5500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium E5500 is the better buy right now. Pentium E5500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (14.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Celeron N2820 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron N2820 vs Pentium E5500 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N2820

The Celeron N2820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 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 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 2.39 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: 1,061 points. Launch price was $107.

Pentium E5500

The Pentium E5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,064 points. Launch price was $109.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron N2820 and Pentium E5500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.39 GHz on the Celeron N2820 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium E5500 — a 15.8% clock advantage for the Pentium E5500 (base: 2.13 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Celeron N2820 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium E5500 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2820 scores 1,061 against the Pentium E5500's 1,064 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium E5500. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron N2820	Pentium E5500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.39 GHz	2.8 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.13 GHz	2.8 GHz+31%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+25500%	2 MB (total)
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,061	1,064
Geekbench 6 Single	220	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	400	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2820 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium E5500 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N2820	Pentium E5500
Socket	FCBGA1170	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron N2820) / not specified (Pentium E5500). The Celeron N2820 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Pentium E5500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N2820 targets Netbook. Direct competitor: Celeron N2820 rivals AMD A6-6310.