Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Celeron 2980U

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 Extreme Edition 955 is positioned at rank 1123 and the Celeron 2980U is on rank 392, so the Celeron 2980U 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 Pentium Extreme Edition 955

#1

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

283377%

#2

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

267764%

#3

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

194418%

#4

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

58570%

#5

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

46394%

#6

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

40585%

#7

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

23245%

#8

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

22942%

#9

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

20889%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

20887%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

20654%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

20096%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

19815%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

19735%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

19556%

#1123

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

MSRP: $999|Avg: $50

100%

#1124

Athlon XP 2700+

MSRP: $349|Avg: $20

94%

#1125

Athlon XP 2800+

MSRP: $375|Avg: $35

92%

#1126

Pentium III 1200

MSRP: $200|Avg: $10

89%

#1127

Athlon XP 3200+

MSRP: $464|Avg: $40

87%

#1128

Pentium III 1400

MSRP: $250|Avg: $20

83%

#1129

Pentium 4 2.60

MSRP: $401|Avg: $25

83%

#1130

Pentium III 1400S

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

83%

#1131

Athlon XP 1800+

MSRP: $252|Avg: $30

81%

#1132

Athlon XP 1900+

MSRP: $269|Avg: $20

80%

#1133

Athlon 64 FX-51

MSRP: $733|Avg: $733

76%

#1134

Athlon 64 FX-55

MSRP: $827|Avg: $50

75%

#1135

Athlon 64 FX-53

MSRP: $799|Avg: $15

74%

#1136

Athlon XP 2000+

MSRP: $339|Avg: $40

67%

#1137

Athlon 64 FX-57

MSRP: $1031|Avg: $200

64%

#1138

Athlon XP 3000+

MSRP: $588|Avg: $20

63%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2980U

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

100%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

98%

#380

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

537%

#381

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

529%

#382

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

486%

#383

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

484%

#384

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

479%

#386

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

463%

#387

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

444%

#388

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

443%

#389

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

431%

#392

Celeron 2980U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Celeron 2980U (2013) utilizes 22 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium Extreme Edition 955	Celeron 2980U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 (2005) relies on 65 nm technology and **DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard**, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium Extreme Edition 955	Celeron 2980U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($50)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Benchmark Check

Celeron 2980U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

No prediction data available

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Extreme Edition 955 and Celeron 2980U

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 December 2005 (19 years ago). It is based on the Presler (2005−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.466 GHz, with boost up to 0.47 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $999.

Celeron 2980U

The Celeron 2980U 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 (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,092 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Celeron 2980U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U — a 109.2% clock advantage for the Celeron 2980U (base: 3.466 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Celeron 2980U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 scores 1,095 against the Celeron 2980U's 1,092 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.

Feature	Pentium Extreme Edition 955	Celeron 2980U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.47 GHz	1.6 GHz+240%
Base Clock	3.466 GHz+117%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+700%	256K (per core)
Process	65 nm	22 nm-66%
Architecture	Presler (2005−2007)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,095	1,092
Geekbench 6 Single	—	354
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	694

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron 2980U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Extreme Edition 955	Celeron 2980U
Socket	LGA775	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Extreme Edition 955) / VT-x (Celeron 2980U). The Celeron 2980U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.