Celeron N2930 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 N2930 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 N2930 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 N2930

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 35W, a 28W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (170 vs 379).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (502 vs 671).

Pentium B950

2011

Why buy it

✅+122.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Celeron N2930 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌400% higher power demand at 35W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B950 better than Celeron N2930?

Yes. Pentium B950 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 33.7% better Geekbench multi-core, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium B950 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% 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 B950 is the stronger fit. You are getting 33.7% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium B950 is the better buy right now. Pentium B950 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $134 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (7.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 N2930 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2011). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron N2930 vs Pentium B950 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 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.

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Processing Power

The Celeron N2930 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B950 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N2930 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.16 GHz on the Celeron N2930 versus 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 — a 2.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N2930 (base: 1.83 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Celeron N2930 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 N2930 scores 1,032 against the Pentium B950's 1,022 — a 1% lead for the Celeron N2930. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 170 vs 379, a 76.1% lead for the Pentium B950 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 502 vs 671 (28.8% advantage for the Pentium B950). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2930 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B950.

Feature	Celeron N2930	Pentium B950
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.16 GHz+3%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.83 GHz	2.1 GHz+15%
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	1,032	1,022
Geekbench 6 Single	170	379+123%
Geekbench 6 Multi	502	671+34%

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2930 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium B950 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1333 memory speed. 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 N2930) vs 16 (Pentium B950) — the Pentium B950 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Celeron N2930) and HM65,HM67 (Pentium B950).

Feature	Celeron N2930	Pentium B950
Socket	FCBGA1170	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1333	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	16+300%

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Advanced Features

Virtualization support: Yes (Celeron N2930) vs VT-x (Pentium B950). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Celeron N2930) 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.