Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887

CPU

GPU

Athlon II X3 450

3 Cores3 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2010

Similar parts

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Celeron 887

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2012

Similar parts

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Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 450

3 / 3

1,865

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 887

2 / 2

1,877

+0.6%

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.

Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon II X3 450

2010

Why buy it

✅+63.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Celeron 887.

Trade-offs

❌
1.2% HIGHER MSRP
$87 MSRPvs$86 MSRP
❌458.8% higher power demand at 95W vs 17W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 887 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron 887

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
✅Draws 17W instead of 95W, a 78W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), while Athlon II X3 450 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (233 vs 380).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (415 vs 980).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 450.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 450 better than Celeron 887?

Yes. Athlon II X3 450 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 136.1% better Geekbench multi-core, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X3 450 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 450 is the stronger fit. You are getting 136.1% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon II X3 450 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Athlon II X3 450 comes in 1.2% more expensive on MSRP at $87 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron 887 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 2.2% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Celeron 887 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X3 450 vs Celeron 887 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

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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

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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 — 100% 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	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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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

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X3 450 was priced at $87, while the Celeron 887 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($87 vs $86), Celeron 887 was $1 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 450 delivers 21.4 pts/$ vs 21.8 pts/$ for the Celeron 887 — making the Celeron 887 the 1.8% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	Celeron 887
MSRP	$87	$86-1%
Performance per Dollar	21.4	21.8+2%
Release Date	2010	2012

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