Intel Celeron 2981U vs Intel Core i7-8550U

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Celeron 2981U or Intel Celeron 2981U – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Celeron 2981U features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 2 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2013 and belongs to the 4 generation of the Intel Celeron series.
To use the Intel Celeron 2981U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1168 socket.
The Intel Core i7-8550U features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2017 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-8550U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1356 socket.
Mobile Segment Mobile
Intel Celeron 2981U Name Intel Core i7-8550U
Intel Celeron Family Intel Core i7
4 Generation 8
Intel Celeron 2000 Group Intel Core i 8000U
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Celeron 2981U has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 2 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Celeron 2981U is 1.4 GHz
The Intel Core i7-8550U has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-8550U is 1.8 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.0 GHz.
2 Threads 8
None None 2.4 GHz
No Hyperthreading Yes
2x Cores 4x
No Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
1.4 GHz Frequency 1.8 GHz
None None 4.0 GHz
2 CPU Cores 4
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Celeron 2981U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Celeron 2981U uses the Intel HD Graphics (Haswell GT1), which has 80 texture shaders
and 10 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-8550U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-8550U uses the Intel UHD Graphics 620, which has 192 texture shaders
and 24 execution units.
0.2 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
Q4/2012 Release date Q3/2016
11.1 Direct X 12
Intel HD Graphics (Haswell GT1) GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 620
22 nm Technology 14 nm
-- Max. displays --
80 Shaders 192
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 16.0 GB
10 Execution units 24
7.5 Generation 9.5
1.0 GHz GPU (Turbo) 1.15 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode / Encode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
No VP9 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
No VP8 Decode / Encode
No h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode JPEG Decode / Encode
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 2
16.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 38.4 GB/s
DDR3L-1600, LPDDR3-1600 Memory type DDR4-2400
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
100 °C Tjunction max --
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 15 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Celeron 2981U is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 2.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-8550U is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
Q3/2013 Release date Q3/2017
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Haswell U Architecture Kaby Lake U Refresh
22 nm Technology 14 nm
BGA 1168 Socket BGA 1356
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
-- Release price 385 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
2.0 MB L3-Cache 8.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-8550U
4C 8T @ 1.8 GHz
12116
12116
Intel Celeron 2981U
2C 2T @ 1.4 GHz
2611
2611

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-8550U
4C 8T @ 1.8 GHz
4162
4162
Intel Celeron 2981U
2C 2T @ 1.4 GHz
1542
1542

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-8550U
4C 8T @ 1.8 GHz
564
564
Intel Celeron 2981U
2C 2T @ 1.4 GHz
124
124