Atom x5-E3940 vs Celeron N4500

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.

Atom x5-E3940 vs Celeron N4500 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.

Atom x5-E3940 vs Celeron N4500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Atom x5-E3940

2014

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (6 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 500, while Celeron N4500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,816 vs 1,817).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 10W vs 6W.

Celeron N4500

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 10W, a 4W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Atom x5-E3940 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N4500 better than Atom x5-E3940?

Yes. Celeron N4500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Celeron N4500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.9% 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, Celeron N4500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron N4500 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron N4500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Celeron N4500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2014) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Atom x5-E3940 vs Celeron N4500 Technical Specifications

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

Atom x5-E3940

The Atom x5-E3940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,816 points. Launch price was $69.

Celeron N4500

The Celeron N4500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.5 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1338. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,817 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Atom x5-E3940 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron N4500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Atom x5-E3940 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Atom x5-E3940 versus 2.8 GHz on the Celeron N4500 — a 43.5% clock advantage for the Celeron N4500 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Atom x5-E3940 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Celeron N4500 uses Jasper Lake (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x5-E3940 scores 1,816 against the Celeron N4500's 1,817 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron N4500. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom x5-E3940 vs 4 MB (total) on the Celeron N4500.

Feature	Atom x5-E3940	Celeron N4500
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	2.8 GHz+56%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz+45%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (total)+33%	1.5 MB (total)
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Apollo Lake (2014−2016)	Jasper Lake (2021)
PassMark	1,816	1,817

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Memory & Platform

The Atom x5-E3940 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron N4500 uses BGA1338 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Atom x5-E3940	Celeron N4500
Socket	FCBGA1296	BGA1338
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	6	—