Celeron P4600 vs Pentium D 950

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 P4600 vs Pentium D 950 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 P4600 vs Pentium D 950: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron P4600

2010

Why buy it

✅+3.2% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $551 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $637 MSRP).
✅Delivers 664.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 11.2 vs 1.5 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $637 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 130W, a 95W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium D 950

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (935 vs 965).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.5 vs 11.2 PassMark/$ ($637 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
❌271.4% higher power demand at 130W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron P4600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron P4600 better than Pentium D 950?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium D 950 is ahead with a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron P4600 pulls ahead with 3.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron P4600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron P4600 is the better buy right now. Celeron P4600 comes in $551 cheaper on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $637 MSRP, and it still gives you 3.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Pentium D 950 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 664.5% better value on MSRP (11.2 vs 1.5 PassMark/$), 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 P4600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron P4600 vs Pentium D 950 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron P4600

The Celeron P4600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 0.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 965 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium D 950

The Pentium D 950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 935 points. Launch price was $637.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron P4600 and Pentium D 950 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.1 GHz on the Celeron P4600 versus 3.4 GHz on the Pentium D 950 — a 188.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 950 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Celeron P4600 uses the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium D 950 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron P4600 scores 965 against the Pentium D 950's 935 — a 3.2% lead for the Celeron P4600. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron P4600 vs 0 kB on the Pentium D 950.

Feature	Celeron P4600	Pentium D 950
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+3300%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.4 GHz+70%
L3 Cache	2 MB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	32 nm-51%	65 nm
Architecture	Westmere (2010−2011)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	965+3%	935

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron P4600 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium D 950 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron P4600	Pentium D 950
Socket	PGA988	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Celeron P4600) / not specified (Pentium D 950). The Celeron P4600 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)), while the Pentium D 950 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Celeron P4600 rivals Pentium P6000.

Feature	Celeron P4600	Pentium D 950
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron P4600 was priced at $86, while the Pentium D 950 came in at $637. On launch pricing ($86 vs $637), Celeron P4600 was $551 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron P4600 delivers 11.2 pts/$ vs 1.5 pts/$ for the Pentium D 950 — making the Celeron P4600 the 153.7% better value option.

Feature	Celeron P4600	Pentium D 950
MSRP	$86-86%	$637
Performance per Dollar	11.2+647%	1.5
Release Date	2010	2006

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