Pentium 997 vs Celeron E3400
Pentium 997
Celeron E3400
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 Pentium 997 is positioned at rank 1104 and the Celeron E3400 is on rank 727, so the Celeron E3400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997
Performance Per Dollar Celeron E3400
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+49%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 Pentium 997 and Celeron E3400
Pentium 997
The Pentium 997 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 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.
Celeron E3400
The Celeron E3400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,220 points. Launch price was $76.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium 997 and Celeron E3400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 versus 2.6 GHz on the Celeron E3400 — a 47.6% clock advantage for the Celeron E3400 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Pentium 997 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron E3400 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 997 scores 1,215 against the Celeron E3400's 1,220 — a 0.4% lead for the Celeron E3400. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997 vs 0 kB on the Celeron E3400.
| Feature | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.6 GHz+63% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.6 GHz+63% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB (total)+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Wolfdale (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,215 | 1,220 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 347 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 624 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 997 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron E3400 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 997) / true (Celeron E3400). Primary use case: Celeron E3400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E3400 rivals Pentium E5200.
| Feature | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 997 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Celeron E3400 debuted at $53. At current prices ($10 vs $15), the Pentium 997 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 997 delivers 121.5 pts/$ vs 81.3 pts/$ for the Celeron E3400 — making the Pentium 997 the 39.6% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 997 | Celeron E3400 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $134 | $53-60% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-33% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 121.5+49% | 81.3 |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2010 |
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