CPU
GPU
Celeron E3500
Core i3-4012Y
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 E3500 is positioned at rank 778 and the Core i3-4012Y is on rank 526, so the Core i3-4012Y offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron E3500
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4012Y
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron E3500 | Core i3-4012Y |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron E3500 | Core i3-4012Y |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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.
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron E3500 and Core i3-4012Y
Celeron E3500
The Celeron E3500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,290 points. Launch price was $62.
Core i3-4012Y
The Core i3-4012Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,278 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Celeron E3500 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-4012Y's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Celeron E3500 versus 1.5 GHz on the Core i3-4012Y — a 57.1% clock advantage for the Celeron E3500 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron E3500 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4012Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron E3500 scores 1,290 against the Core i3-4012Y's 1,278 — a 0.9% lead for the Celeron E3500. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 347 vs 485, a 33.2% lead for the Core i3-4012Y that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 624 vs 988 (45.2% advantage for the Core i3-4012Y). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E3500 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4012Y.
| Feature | Celeron E3500 | Core i3-4012Y |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+80% | 1.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+80% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (total)+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,290 | 1,278 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 347 | 485+40% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 624 | 988+58% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron E3500 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i3-4012Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Core i3-4012Y 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: 0 (Celeron E3500) vs 12 (Core i3-4012Y) — the Core i3-4012Y offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: G31,G41,P45 (Celeron E3500) and HM86,HM87,QM87 (Core i3-4012Y).
| Feature | Celeron E3500 | Core i3-4012Y |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 3.0+173% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Celeron E3500) vs VT-x / EPT (Core i3-4012Y). The Core i3-4012Y includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4200), while the Celeron E3500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron E3500 targets Budget, Core i3-4012Y targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron E3500 rivals Pentium E5200.
| Feature | Celeron E3500 | Core i3-4012Y |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 4200 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | VT-x / EPT |
| Target Use | Budget | Low Power |
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