Celeron G3900 vs Phenom II X3 N870
Celeron G3900
Phenom II X3 N870
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 G3900 is positioned at rank 419 and the Phenom II X3 N870 is on rank 250, so the Phenom II X3 N870 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G3900
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 N870
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron G3900 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron G3900 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) | ✅ 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron G3900 and Phenom II X3 N870
Celeron G3900
The Celeron G3900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,155 points. Launch price was $42.
Phenom II X3 N870
The Phenom II X3 N870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron G3900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N870 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N870 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Celeron G3900 versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 — a 19.6% clock advantage for the Celeron G3900. The Celeron G3900 uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G3900 scores 2,155 against the Phenom II X3 N870's 2,145 — a 0.5% lead for the Celeron G3900.
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+22% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1.5 MB+500% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,155 | 2,145 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 680 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,250 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron G3900 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Celeron G3900) / not specified (Phenom II X3 N870). The Celeron G3900 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 510), while the Phenom II X3 N870 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G3900 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron G3900 rivals Pentium G4400.
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Phenom II X3 N870 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 510 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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