
Celeron N4000 vs Athlon II Neo K125

Celeron N4000

Athlon II Neo K125
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 N4000 is positioned at rank 126 and the Athlon II Neo K125 is on rank 982, so the Celeron N4000 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4000
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II Neo K125
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N4000 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont Plus (2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Geneva (2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N4000 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+229%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
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 N4000 and Athlon II Neo K125

Celeron N4000
The Celeron N4000 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 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,472 points. Launch price was $107.

Athlon II Neo K125
The Athlon II Neo K125 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Geneva (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,491 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron N4000 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II Neo K125 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Celeron N4000 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4000 versus 1.7 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K125 — a 41.9% clock advantage for the Celeron N4000. The Celeron N4000 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses Geneva (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4000 scores 1,472 against the Athlon II Neo K125's 1,491 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon II Neo K125.
| Feature | Celeron N4000 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2+100% | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+53% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+300% | 1 MB |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont Plus (2017) | Geneva (2010) |
| PassMark | 1,472 | 1,491+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N4000 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron N4000 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1090 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Value Analysis
The Celeron N4000 launched at $107 MSRP, while the Athlon II Neo K125 debuted at $100. At current prices ($30 vs $100), the Celeron N4000 is $70 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron N4000 delivers 49.1 pts/$ vs 14.9 pts/$ for the Athlon II Neo K125 — making the Celeron N4000 the 106.8% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron N4000 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107 | $100-7% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-70% | $100 |
| Performance per Dollar | 49.1+230% | 14.9 |
| Release Date | 2017 | 2010 |
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