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