Celeron N2920 vs Pentium B950

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 N2920 vs Pentium B950 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 N2920 vs Pentium B950: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N2920

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 7W instead of 35W, a 28W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium B950

2011

Why buy it

✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,022 vs 1,030).
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Celeron N2920 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌400% higher power demand at 35W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N2920 better than Pentium B950?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium B950 is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2920 pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2920 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Celeron N2920 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron N2920 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. Pentium B950 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (7.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA988.

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

Celeron N2920 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron N2920 vs Pentium B950 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N2920

The Celeron N2920 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 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: 1,030 points. Launch price was $107.

Pentium B950

The Pentium B950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,022 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N2920 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B950 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N2920 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron N2920 versus 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Pentium B950 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Celeron N2920 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium B950 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2920 scores 1,030 against the Pentium B950's 1,022 — a 0.8% lead for the Celeron N2920. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2920 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B950.

Feature	Celeron N2920	Pentium B950
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.1 GHz+5%
Base Clock	1.86 GHz	2.1 GHz+13%
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	1,030	1,022
Geekbench 6 Single	—	379
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	671

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2920 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium B950 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Celeron N2920 versus DDR3-1333 on the Pentium B950 — the Pentium B950 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium B950 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 4 (Celeron N2920) vs 16 (Pentium B950) — the Pentium B950 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FCBGA1170 (Celeron N2920) and HM65,HM67 (Pentium B950).

Feature	Celeron N2920	Pentium B950
Socket	FCBGA1170	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1066	DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	16+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron N2920) vs VT-x (Pentium B950). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) (Celeron N2920) and Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Pentium B950) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B950 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron N2920 rivals AMD A4-6210.

Feature	Celeron N2920	Pentium B950
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)	Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x
Target Use	—	Budget