CPU
GPU
Pentium G6960
Celeron 3955U
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 G6960 is positioned at rank 881 and the Celeron 3955U is on rank 616, so the Celeron 3955U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G6960
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3955U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G6960 | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G6960 | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 G6960 and Celeron 3955U
Pentium G6960
The Pentium G6960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,433 points. Launch price was $69.
Celeron 3955U
The Celeron 3955U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, LPDDR3-1600/1866, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,443 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium G6960 and Celeron 3955U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.93 GHz on the Pentium G6960 versus 2 GHz on the Celeron 3955U — a 73% clock advantage for the Celeron 3955U (base: 2.93 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Pentium G6960 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron 3955U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G6960 scores 1,433 against the Celeron 3955U's 1,443 — a 0.7% lead for the Celeron 3955U. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total) on the Pentium G6960 vs 2 MB on the Celeron 3955U.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.93 GHz | 2 GHz+115% |
| Base Clock | 2.93 GHz+47% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3072 kB (total)+50% | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,433 | 1,443 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 431 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 741 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G6960 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 3955U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G6960) / VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 3955U). The Celeron 3955U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 510), while the Pentium G6960 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3955U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 3955U rivals Pentium 3825U.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | Celeron 3955U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 510 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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