Celeron N3160 vs Pentium 3805U

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 N3160 vs Pentium 3805U 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 N3160 vs Pentium 3805U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N3160

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 4W instead of 512W, a 508W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,195 vs 1,196).

Pentium 3805U

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌12700% higher power demand at 512W vs 4W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N3160 better than Pentium 3805U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron N3160 is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3805U pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 3805U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron N3160 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron N3160 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 41 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Celeron N3160 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron N3160 vs Pentium 3805U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N3160

The Celeron N3160 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.24 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,195 points. Launch price was $107.

Pentium 3805U

The Pentium 3805U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,196 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Celeron N3160 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 3805U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron N3160 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.24 GHz on the Celeron N3160 versus 1.9 GHz on the Pentium 3805U — a 16.4% clock advantage for the Celeron N3160 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Celeron N3160 uses the Braswell (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium 3805U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N3160 scores 1,195 against the Pentium 3805U's 1,196 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium 3805U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N3160 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 3805U.

Feature	Celeron N3160	Pentium 3805U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.24 GHz+18%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.9 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB	256K (per core)+12700%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Braswell (2015−2016)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	1,195	1,196

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N3160 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 3805U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to 1600 memory speed. The Pentium 3805U 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 N3160) vs 12 (Pentium 3805U) — the Pentium 3805U offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Celeron N3160	Pentium 3805U
Socket	FCBGA1170	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	12+200%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron N3160) vs VT-x, VT-d (Pentium 3805U). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 400 (Celeron N3160) and HD Graphics (Broadwell) (Pentium 3805U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 3805U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Celeron N3160 rivals AMD E2-9010.