
Pentium D 940 vs Celeron E1600

Pentium D 940

Celeron E1600
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 D 940 is positioned at rank 1055 and the Celeron E1600 is on rank 896, so the Celeron E1600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium D 940
Performance Per Dollar Celeron E1600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Allendale (2006−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+40%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 D 940 and Celeron E1600

Pentium D 940
The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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: 875 points. Launch price was $423.

Celeron E1600
The Celeron E1600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 815 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium D 940 and Celeron E1600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 versus 2.4 GHz on the Celeron E1600 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Pentium D 940 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Celeron E1600 uses Allendale (2006−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 940 scores 875 against the Celeron E1600's 815 — a 7.1% lead for the Pentium D 940. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+33% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+33% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+300% | 512 kB (total) |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Allendale (2006−2009) |
| PassMark | 875+7% | 815 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 310 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 560 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA775 socket with PCIe 1.1.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium D 940) / No (Celeron E1600). Primary use case: Celeron E1600 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E1600 rivals Pentium E2220.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | No |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 940 launched at $132 MSRP, while the Celeron E1600 debuted at $53. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Celeron E1600 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 940 delivers 58.3 pts/$ vs 81.5 pts/$ for the Celeron E1600 — making the Celeron E1600 the 33.1% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Celeron E1600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $132 | $53-60% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 58.3 | 81.5+40% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2009 |
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