Celeron N2840 vs Pentium 3550M

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 N2840 vs Pentium 3550M 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 N2840 vs Pentium 3550M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N2840

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 512W, a 505W 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 3550M needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium 3550M

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,327 vs 1,331).
❌7214.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2840 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N2840 better than Pentium 3550M?

Yes. Celeron N2840 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Celeron N2840 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% 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 N2840 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?

Celeron N2840 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron N2840 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Celeron N2840 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) and 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 N2840 vs Pentium 3550M Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N2840

The Celeron N2840 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.58 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: 1,331 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium 3550M

The Pentium 3550M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,327 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron N2840 and Pentium 3550M share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.58 GHz on the Celeron N2840 versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium 3550M — a 11.5% clock advantage for the Celeron N2840 (base: 2.16 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Celeron N2840 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium 3550M uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2840 scores 1,331 against the Pentium 3550M's 1,327 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron N2840. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2840 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 3550M.

Feature	Celeron N2840	Pentium 3550M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.58 GHz+12%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.16 GHz	2.3 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,331	1,327
Geekbench 6 Single	230	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	430	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2840 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 3550M uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N2840	Pentium 3550M
Socket	FCBGA1170	PGA946
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron N2840) / not specified (Pentium 3550M). The Celeron N2840 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Pentium 3550M requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N2840 targets Netbook. Direct competitor: Celeron N2840 rivals AMD A6-6310.