
Celeron N3350 vs Pentium B980

Celeron N3350

Pentium B980
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 N3350 is positioned at rank 1068 and the Pentium B980 is on rank 1110, so the Celeron N3350 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N3350
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B980
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) | ✅ More affordable ($35) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+203%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) | ✅ More affordable ($35) |
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 N3350 and Pentium B980

Celeron N3350
The Celeron N3350 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,112 points. Launch price was $24.

Pentium B980
The Pentium B980 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 1,101 points. Launch price was $125.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron N3350 and Pentium B980 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Celeron N3350 versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.1 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Celeron N3350 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium B980 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N3350 scores 1,112 against the Pentium B980's 1,101 — a 1% lead for the Celeron N3350. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron N3350 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980.
| Feature | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 2.4 GHz+118% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,112 | 1,101 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 250 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 450 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N3350 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B980 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1296 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 6 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Celeron N3350) / not specified (Pentium B980). The Celeron N3350 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500), while the Pentium B980 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N3350 targets Entry Level Laptop/NUC. Direct competitor: Celeron N3350 rivals AMD A4-9120.
| Feature | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 500 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Entry Level Laptop/NUC | — |
Value Analysis
The Celeron N3350 launched at $107 MSRP, while the Pentium B980 debuted at $125.
| Feature | Celeron N3350 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107-14% | $125 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $35 |
| Release Date | 2016 | 2012 |
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