Celeron 2.60
CPU·Budget

Celeron 2.60

Intel

PassMark

385

MSRP

$53

AVG Price

$10

2007-01-01
73 Watt
Northwood (2002−2004)

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.

Overview

The Celeron 2.60 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Northwood (2002−2004) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 128 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 385 points. Launch price was $69.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2.60

#801
Pentium G860
MSRP: $86|Avg: $36
107%
#802
Celeron G3900TE
MSRP: $42|Avg: $45
107%
#803
FX-8140
MSRP: $225|Avg: $120
105%
#804
Core i5-7500T
MSRP: $202|Avg: $130
104%
#805
Athlon 64 3600+
MSRP: $149|Avg: $15
103%
#806
Celeron G1620
MSRP: $52|Avg: $40
103%
#807
Core i7-870
MSRP: $300|Avg: $80
103%
#808
Pentium Dual-Core E2200
MSRP: $100|Avg: $25
102%
#809
Core 5 120UL
MSRP: $277|Avg: $270
102%
#810
A6-7400K
MSRP: $101|Avg: $43
101%
#811
Ryzen Embedded V3C14
MSRP: $305|Avg: $305
101%
#812
Athlon II X4 651
MSRP: $92|Avg: $92
101%
#813
Athlon II X2 210e
MSRP: $60|Avg: $28
101%
#814
Phenom X4 9100e
MSRP: $200|Avg: $35
100%
#815
Athlon II X3 425e
MSRP: $79|Avg: $58
100%
#816
Celeron 2.60
MSRP: $53|Avg: $10
100%
#817
Core i7-9700T
MSRP: $323|Avg: $276
100%
#818
Athlon X4 740
MSRP: $71|Avg: $71
97%
#819
Core i9-13900TE
MSRP: $554|Avg: $554
97%
#820
Core i5-655K
MSRP: $216|Avg: $55
95%
#821
Ryzen Embedded V2546
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
94%
#822
Core i7-920
MSRP: $284|Avg: $79
94%
#823
Phenom II X3 700e
MSRP: $125|Avg: $40
94%
#824
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $1399
92%
#825
A4-3420
MSRP: $65|Avg: $30
92%
#826
Core i5-6440EQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: $150
92%
#827
Core i7-6700TE
MSRP: $303|Avg: $175
92%
#828
Core i3-6100TE
MSRP: $250|Avg: $90
91%
#829
Core i7-870S
MSRP: $300|Avg: $80
90%
#830
Core i3-9100HL
MSRP: $225|Avg: $100
90%
#831
Core i9-12900TE
MSRP: $494|Avg: $664
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

FPS Benchmarks

Predicted performance for Celeron 2.60 across popular games. Tested paired with RTX 4090 to isolate CPU performance.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Deadlock

Deadlock

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Destiny 2

Destiny 2

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Garry's Mod

Garry's Mod

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Project Zomboid

Project Zomboid

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Rust

Rust

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
1440p
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS
4k
low10 FPS
medium10 FPS
high10 FPS
ultra10 FPS

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Celeron 2.60 specifications and capabilities.

Processing Power

The Celeron 2.60 is a 1-core / 1-thread processor based on the Northwood (2002−2004) architecture, manufactured on a 130 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 2.6 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 0 kB of L3 cache, plus 128 kB of L2 cache and 8 kB of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 385, placing it in the Entry Level performance tier as a Legacy generation product.

SpecificationCeleron 2.60
Cores / ThreadsPhysical/logical processing units1C / 1T
Max Boost ClockPeak single-core speed under boost2.6 GHz
ArchitectureCPU microarchitecture designNorthwood (2002−2004)
Process NodeFabrication technology — smaller = more efficient130 nm
L3 CacheShared cache — reduces memory latency for all cores0 kB
L2 CachePer-core fast cache for frequently accessed data128 kB
L1 CacheUltra-fast per-core cache8 kB
Die SizePhysical silicon area of the processor146 mm2
Transistor CountMore transistors = more capabilities55 million
64-bit SupportNo
Windows 11 CompatibleNo
PassMark ScoreOverall multi-threaded benchmark score385
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron 2.60 fits into the PGA478 socket and supports PCIe 1.1 with 0 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR1, DDR2 memory at speeds up to DDR2-400 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 4 GB across 1 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth).

SpecificationCeleron 2.60
TypeDesktop or Laptop processordesktop
SocketMotherboard socket requiredPGA478
PCIe GenerationPeripheral interconnect speed — affects GPU and SSD bandwidthPCIe 1.1
PCIe LanesTotal available lanes for GPUs, NVMe drives, and expansion0
RAM TypeSupported memory standardDDR1, DDR2
Max RAM SpeedMaximum officially supported memory frequencyDDR2-400
Max RAM CapacityMaximum installable memory4 GB
RAM ChannelsDual-channel doubles bandwidth vs single-channel1
ECC SupportError-Correcting Code memory — prevents data corruptionNo
Integrated GPUBuilt-in graphics processorNo
Compatible ChipsetsMotherboard chipsets that support this CPU845,865,915
Max CPUs in ConfigMulti-socket support for servers1
🔧

Advanced Features

The Celeron 2.60 is primarily designed for Budget. Virtualization: No — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads). Its primary market competitor is the Pentium 4 2.40.

SpecificationCeleron 2.60
Primary Use CaseIntended workload categoryBudget
OverclockingWhether CPU clock can be manually increased🔒 Locked
AVX-512Advanced vector instructions for AI/ML workloads❌ Not Supported
VirtualizationHardware-assisted virtualization technologyNo
Direct CompetitorMarket equivalent from rival manufacturerPentium 4 2.40
🌡️

Power & Cooling

The Celeron 2.60 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 73 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed. No stock cooler is included — you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler separately. Recommended cooling: Stock.

SpecificationCeleron 2.60
TDPThermal Design Power — heat output under sustained workload73 Watt
Included CoolerStock cooler bundled in the boxNo
Recommended CoolerSuggested aftermarket cooling solutionStock
💰

Value Analysis

At an average price of $10 (MSRP: $53), the Celeron 2.60 delivers 39 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #3672 out of all indexed processors.

SpecificationCeleron 2.60
MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price$53
Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days$10
Launch PriceOriginal retail price at launch$69
Performance RankPosition in overall performance ranking#3672
Release DateLaunch date2007-01-01
Release Year2003
DesignerArchitecture designer (e.g. Intel, AMD)Intel

Specifications Reference

Raw spec sheet for quick lookup. The analysis cards above explain what these fields mean in practice.

4 categories

General Information

6 specs

Typedesktop
DesignerIntel
Launch Price$69
Release Date2007-01-01
Architecture CodenameNorthwood (2002−2004)
Performance Ranking Position3672

Technical Specifications

11 specs

Cores1
Threads1
Die Size146 mm2
L1 Cache8 kB
L2 Cache128 kB
L3 Cache0 kB
Max Frequency2.6 GHz
64-Bit Support-
Transistor Count55 million
Process Technology130 nm
Windows 11 Compatible-

Compatibility

4 specs

SocketPGA478
PCIe GenerationPCIe 1.1
Power Consumption (TDP)73 Watt
Max Processors In Config1

Memory

1 spec

RAM TypesDDR1, DDR2

Our Recommendation for Celeron 2.60

Suggested pairings based on performance balance

Compare Celeron 2.60

See how this CPU stacks up against similar alternatives

Compare with other CPUs