Celeron N2940 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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Celeron N2940

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 3558U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium 3558U

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,041 vs 1,054).
❌7214.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2940 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron N2940

2014

Pentium 3558U

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 3558U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,041 vs 1,054).
❌7214.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 7W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron N2940 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N2940 better than Pentium 3558U?

Yes. Celeron N2940 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Celeron N2940 is the better fit because it leads the single-thread side of the matchup with 32.4% higher max boost clock.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N2940 is the better fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Celeron N2940 still looks like the safer overall buy. Celeron N2940 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 1.2% higher PassMark.

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

Celeron N2940 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Celeron N2940 Benchmark Check

Pentium 3558U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Celeron N2940	Pentium 3558U
1080p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
1440p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS

Open Celeron N2940 Open Pentium 3558U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Celeron N2940	Pentium 3558U
1080p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
1440p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	18 FPS

Open Celeron N2940 Open Pentium 3558U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Celeron N2940	Pentium 3558U
1080p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
1440p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS

Open Celeron N2940 Open Pentium 3558U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Celeron N2940	Pentium 3558U
1080p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
1440p
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	26 FPS	26 FPS
medium	26 FPS	26 FPS
high	26 FPS	26 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	26 FPS

Open Celeron N2940 Open Pentium 3558U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron N2940 and Pentium 3558U

Celeron N2940

The Celeron N2940 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 2.25 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: 1,054 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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N2940 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 3558U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N2940 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.25 GHz on the Celeron N2940 versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium 3558U — a 27.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N2940 (base: 1.83 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Celeron N2940 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium 3558U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N2940 scores 1,054 against the Pentium 3558U's 1,041 — a 1.2% lead for the Celeron N2940. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N2940 vs 2 MB on the Pentium 3558U.

Feature	Celeron N2940	Pentium 3558U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.25 GHz+32%	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	1,054+1%	1,041
Geekbench 6 Single	240	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	850	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N2940 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 N2940	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	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron N2940) / not specified (Pentium 3558U). The Celeron N2940 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Pentium 3558U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N2940 targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron N2940 rivals AMD A6-6310.