Celeron J4105 vs Core i7-5500U

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 J4105 vs Core i7-5500U 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 J4105 vs Core i7-5500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron J4105

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 10W instead of 512W, a 502W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-5500U

2015

Why buy it

✅100% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 6) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,807 vs 2,820).
❌5020% higher power demand at 512W vs 10W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron J4105 better than Core i7-5500U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-5500U is ahead with a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron J4105 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron J4105 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Celeron J4105 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron J4105 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Celeron J4105 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron J4105 vs Core i7-5500U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron J4105

The Celeron J4105 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2017 (7 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,820 points. Launch price was $107.

Core i7-5500U

The Core i7-5500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,807 points. Launch price was $393.

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Processing Power

The Celeron J4105 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-5500U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron J4105 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Celeron J4105 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-5500U — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-5500U (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Celeron J4105 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-5500U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron J4105 scores 2,820 against the Core i7-5500U's 2,807 — a 0.5% lead for the Celeron J4105. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron J4105 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5500U.

Feature	Celeron J4105	Core i7-5500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.4 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)	256K (per core)+6300%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Goldmont Plus (2017)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,820	2,807
Geekbench 6 Single	—	956
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,933

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron J4105 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-5500U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2400 on the Celeron J4105 versus DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600 on the Core i7-5500U — the Celeron J4105 supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-5500U supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 6 (Celeron J4105) vs 12 (Core i7-5500U) — the Core i7-5500U offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: BGA1090 (Celeron J4105) and Broadwell-U SoC (Core i7-5500U).

Feature	Celeron J4105	Core i7-5500U
Socket	FCBGA1090	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	2400+50%	DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	6	12+100%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron J4105) vs VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-5500U). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 600 (Celeron J4105) and Intel HD Graphics 5500 (Core i7-5500U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-5500U targets Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Celeron J4105 rivals Ryzen Embedded R1305G.

Feature	Celeron J4105	Core i7-5500U
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 600	Intel HD Graphics 5500
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x / VT-d / EPT
Target Use	—	Ultrabook