Pentium D 950 vs Celeron P4600
Pentium D 950
Celeron P4600
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 950 is positioned at rank 1110 and the Celeron P4600 is on rank 1050, so the Celeron P4600 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 950
Performance Per Dollar Celeron P4600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Westmere (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+45%) | ❌ 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 D 950 and Celeron P4600
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.
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.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium D 950 and Celeron P4600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Pentium D 950 versus 0.1 GHz on the Celeron P4600 — a 188.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 950 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Pentium D 950 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Celeron P4600 uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 950 scores 935 against the Celeron P4600's 965 — a 3.2% lead for the Celeron P4600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium D 950 vs 2 MB on the Celeron P4600.
| Feature | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+3300% | 0.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+70% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 65 nm | 32 nm-51% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Westmere (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 935 | 965+3% |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium D 950 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron P4600 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium D 950) / true (Celeron P4600). 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 | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Westmere) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 950 launched at $637 MSRP, while the Celeron P4600 debuted at $86. At current prices ($10 vs $15), the Pentium D 950 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 950 delivers 93.5 pts/$ vs 64.3 pts/$ for the Celeron P4600 — making the Pentium D 950 the 37% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 950 | Celeron P4600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $637 | $86-86% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-33% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 93.5+45% | 64.3 |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2010 |
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