Celeron N2930 vs Pentium 3558U

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 N2930 vs Pentium 3558U 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 N2930 vs Pentium 3558U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N2930

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, while Pentium 3558U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,032 vs 1,041).

Pentium 3558U

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌7214.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2930 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N2930 better than Pentium 3558U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron N2930 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, Pentium 3558U 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 3558U 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?

Celeron N2930 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron N2930 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Pentium 3558U is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

Celeron N2930 vs Pentium 3558U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N2930

The Celeron N2930 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.16 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: 1,032 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium 3558U

The Pentium 3558U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,041 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Celeron N2930 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 3558U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N2930 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.16 GHz on the Celeron N2930 versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium 3558U — a 23.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N2930 (base: 1.83 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Celeron N2930 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium 3558U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2930 scores 1,032 against the Pentium 3558U's 1,041 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium 3558U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2930 vs 2 MB on the Pentium 3558U.

Feature	Celeron N2930	Pentium 3558U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.16 GHz+27%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	1.83 GHz+8%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,032	1,041
Geekbench 6 Single	170	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	502	—

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2930 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 3558U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N2930	Pentium 3558U
Socket	FCBGA1170	FCBGA1168
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: Yes (Celeron N2930) / not specified (Pentium 3558U). The Celeron N2930 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Pentium 3558U requires a dedicated GPU.