CPU
GPU
Pentium N3540
Celeron J3355
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 N3540 is positioned at rank 1149 and the Celeron J3355 is on rank 425, so the Celeron J3355 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3540
Performance Per Dollar Celeron J3355
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Celeron J3355 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N3540 | Celeron J3355 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ 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 N3540 and Celeron J3355
Pentium N3540
The Pentium N3540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,207 points. Launch price was $251.
Celeron J3355
The Celeron J3355 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,203 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
The Pentium N3540 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron J3355 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 versus 2.5 GHz on the Celeron J3355 — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Pentium N3540 (base: 2.16 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Pentium N3540 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Celeron J3355 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3540 scores 1,207 against the Celeron J3355's 1,203 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium N3540. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540 vs 0 kB on the Celeron J3355.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Celeron J3355 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.66 GHz+6% | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.16 GHz+8% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB L2 Cache | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,207 | 1,203 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 450 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 850 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N3540 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron J3355 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Celeron J3355 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | FCBGA1296 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 6 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium N3540) / VT-x (Celeron J3355). The Celeron J3355 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 500), while the Pentium N3540 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron J3355 targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron J3355 rivals Pentium J4205.
| Feature | Pentium N3540 | Celeron J3355 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 500 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Low Power |
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