Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887
Athlon II X3 450
Celeron 887
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 Athlon II X3 450 is positioned at rank 761 and the Celeron 887 is on rank 837, so the Athlon II X3 450 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 450
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 887
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Athlon II X3 450 and Celeron 887
Athlon II X3 450
The Athlon II X3 450 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $45.
Celeron 887
The Celeron 887 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,877 points. Launch price was $86.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 450 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Celeron 887 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 450 versus 1.5 GHz on the Celeron 887 — a 72.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 450 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Athlon II X3 450 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 887 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 450 scores 1,865 against the Celeron 887's 1,877 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron 887. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 380 vs 233, a 48% lead for the Athlon II X3 450 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 980 vs 415 (81% advantage for the Athlon II X3 450). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 450 vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 887.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+113% | 1.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+113% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,865 | 1,877 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 380+63% | 233 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 980+136% | 415 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 450 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 887 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 450 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: 760G,780G,790GX,880G,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 450) and HM65,HM67,QM67,HM70,HM76 (Celeron 887).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 450) vs VT-x (Celeron 887). The Celeron 887 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Athlon II X3 450 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 450 targets Desktop, Celeron 887 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron 887 rivals Pentium 967.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x |
| Target Use | Desktop | Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 450 launched at $87 MSRP, while the Celeron 887 debuted at $86. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Celeron 887 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 450 delivers 124.3 pts/$ vs 125.1 pts/$ for the Celeron 887 — making the Celeron 887 the 0.6% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Celeron 887 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $87 | $86-1% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 124.3 | 125.1 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2012 |
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