Celeron B820 vs Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
Celeron B820
Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
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 B820 is positioned at rank 1109 and the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 is on rank 1019, so the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron B820
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Tyler (2007−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+52%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 B820 and Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
Celeron B820
The Celeron B820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 July 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 765 points. Launch price was $86.
Athlon 64 X2 TK-42
The Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Tyler (2007−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 775 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron B820 and Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Celeron B820 versus 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Celeron B820. The Celeron B820 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 uses Tyler (2007−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron B820 scores 765 against the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42's 775 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42.
| Feature | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.7 GHz+6% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.7 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-51% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Tyler (2007−2009) |
| PassMark | 765 | 775+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron B820 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Celeron B820 versus DDR2-667 on the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 — the Celeron B820 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron B820 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron B820) vs 0 (Athlon 64 X2 TK-42) — the Celeron B820 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM65,HM67,QM67,QM77 (Celeron B820) and AMD S1 (Athlon 64 X2 TK-42).
| Feature | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333+50% | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+100% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron B820) / not specified (Athlon 64 X2 TK-42). The Celeron B820 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron B820 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron B820 rivals Pentium 967.
| Feature | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Value Analysis
The Celeron B820 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 debuted at $60. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron B820 delivers 51.0 pts/$ vs 77.5 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 — making the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 the 41.2% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron B820 | Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86 | $60-30% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 51.0 | 77.5+52% |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2009 |
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