E-350 vs Celeron 2981U

E-350

2 Cores2 Thrd18 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2011

Celeron 2981U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

E-350

2 / 2

1,049

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 2981U

2 / 2

1,036

0.0%

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 E-350 is positioned at rank 854 and the Celeron 2981U is on rank 426, so the Celeron 2981U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar E-350

#842

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1398%

#843

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1378%

#844

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1265%

#845

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1259%

#846

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1248%

#848

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1205%

#849

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1155%

#850

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1153%

#851

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1122%

#854

E-350

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

100%

#856

Ryzen Embedded R1305G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

100%

#863

Pentium Dual Core T2390

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

98%

#867

Core i7-1160G7

MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2981U

#414

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

566%

#415

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

558%

#416

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

512%

#417

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

510%

#418

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

505%

#420

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

488%

#421

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

468%

#422

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

467%

#423

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

455%

#426

Celeron 2981U

MSRP: $137|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Analysis: Based on specifications, the E-350 shows stronger theoretical performance metrics.

Insight	E-350	Celeron 2981U
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($137)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Zacate (2011−2013) / 40 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the E-350 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 89% cheaper ($15 vs $137) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	E-350	Celeron 2981U
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+825%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($137)

Performance Check

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.

E-350 Benchmark Check

Celeron 2981U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of E-350 and Celeron 2981U

E-350

The E-350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Zacate (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,049 points. Launch price was $69.

Celeron 2981U

The Celeron 2981U 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,036 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the E-350 and Celeron 2981U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the E-350 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2981U — identical boost frequencies. The E-350 uses the Zacate (2011−2013) architecture (40 nm), while the Celeron 2981U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the E-350 scores 1,049 against the Celeron 2981U's 1,036 — a 1.2% lead for the E-350. L3 cache: 0 kB on the E-350 vs 2 MB on the Celeron 2981U.

Feature	E-350	Celeron 2981U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB
Process	40 nm	22 nm-45%
Architecture	Zacate (2011−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,049+1%	1,036

🧠

Memory & Platform

The E-350 uses the FT1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 2981U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	E-350	Celeron 2981U
Socket	FT1	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (E-350) / VT-x (Celeron 2981U). The Celeron 2981U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the E-350 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2981U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 2981U rivals Pentium 2117U.