Celeron G6900 vs Phenom II X3 P840

Intel

Celeron G6900

2 Cores2 Thrd46 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2022
VS
AMD

Phenom II X3 P840

3 Cores3 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2010

Celeron G6900 vs Phenom II X3 P840 Performance Spectrum

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.

Celeron G6900 vs Phenom II X3 P840 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.

Celeron G6900 vs Phenom II X3 P840: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron G6900

2022

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of S1 and older memory support.
  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 710, while Phenom II X3 P840 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $52 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 P840 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • ❌2966.7% higher power demand at 46W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 P840

2010

Why buy it

  • βœ…Draws 2W instead of 46W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Celeron G6900 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower PassMark (4,425 vs 4,458).
  • ❌Older platform position on S1, while Celeron G6900 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron G6900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron G6900 better than Phenom II X3 P840?
Yes. Celeron G6900 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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 G6900 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.4% 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 G6900 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Celeron G6900 is the better buy right now. Celeron G6900 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $52 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (85.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron G6900 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2010), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of S1, and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 3/3. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Celeron G6900 vs Phenom II X3 P840 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Celeron G6900

The Celeron G6900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 46 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 4,458 points. Launch price was $69.

AMD

Phenom II X3 P840

The Phenom II X3 P840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010βˆ’2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,425 points. Launch price was $149.

⚑

Processing Power

The Celeron G6900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 P840 offers 3 cores / 3 threads β€” the Phenom II X3 P840 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Celeron G6900 versus 1.9 GHz on the Phenom II X3 P840 β€” a 56.6% clock advantage for the Celeron G6900. The Celeron G6900 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses Champlain (2010βˆ’2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G6900 scores 4,458 against the Phenom II X3 P840's 4,425 β€” a 0.7% lead for the Celeron G6900.

FeatureCeleron G6900Phenom II X3 P840
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz+79%
1.9 GHz
Base Clock
3.4 GHz
β€”
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
β€”
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)
1.5 MB+20%
Process
Intel 7 nm-84%
45 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-S (2022)
Champlain (2010βˆ’2011)
PassMark
4,458
4,425
Geekbench 6 Single
1,563
β€”
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,631
β€”
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron G6900 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCeleron G6900Phenom II X3 P840
Socket
LGA1700
S1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+150%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800
β€”
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
β€”
RAM Channels
2
β€”
ECC Support
No
β€”
PCIe Lanes
20
β€”
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron G6900) / not specified (Phenom II X3 P840). The Celeron G6900 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 710), while the Phenom II X3 P840 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G6900 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron G6900 rivals Pentium Gold G7400.

FeatureCeleron G6900Phenom II X3 P840
Integrated GPU
Yes
β€”
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 710
β€”
Unlocked
No
β€”
AVX-512
No
β€”
Virtualization
VT-x
β€”
Target Use
Budget
β€”