CPU
GPU
Celeron N3050
Celeron 2980U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Celeron N3050 is positioned at rank 744 and the Celeron 2980U is on rank 392, so the Celeron 2980U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N3050
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2980U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N3050 | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Braswell (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N3050 | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron N3050 and Celeron 2980U
Celeron N3050
The Celeron N3050 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.16 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,099 points. Launch price was $107.
Celeron 2980U
The Celeron 2980U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,092 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron N3050 and Celeron 2980U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.16 GHz on the Celeron N3050 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U — a 29.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N3050 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron N3050 uses the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Celeron 2980U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N3050 scores 1,099 against the Celeron 2980U's 1,092 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron N3050. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 221 vs 354, a 46.3% lead for the Celeron 2980U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 440 vs 694 (44.8% advantage for the Celeron 2980U). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N3050 vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 2980U.
| Feature | Celeron N3050 | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.16 GHz+35% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Braswell (2015−2016) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,099 | 1,092 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 221 | 354+60% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 440 | 694+58% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N3050 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 2980U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Celeron 2980U supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 4 (Celeron N3050) vs 12 (Celeron 2980U) — the Celeron 2980U offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Braswell SoC (Celeron N3050) and Haswell-ULT (Celeron 2980U).
| Feature | Celeron N3050 | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | 12+200% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x / EPT (Celeron N3050) vs VT-x (Celeron 2980U). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Braswell) (Celeron N3050) and Intel HD Graphics (Haswell) (Celeron 2980U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N3050 targets Netbook, Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron N3050 rivals AMD E2-7110; Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.
| Feature | Celeron N3050 | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Braswell) | Intel HD Graphics (Haswell) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x / EPT | VT-x |
| Target Use | Netbook | Low Power |
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