Celeron N4000 vs Pentium 987

Celeron N4000

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2017

Pentium 987

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Celeron N4000

2 / 2

1,472

0.0%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

1,487

+1.0%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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 Pentium 987 is on rank 1052, so the Celeron N4000 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4000

#114

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

299%

#115

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

295%

#116

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

270%

#117

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

269%

#118

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

267%

#120

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

258%

#121

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

247%

#122

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

247%

#123

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

240%

#126

Celeron N4000

MSRP: $107|Avg: $30

100%

#137

N200

MSRP: $193|Avg: N/A

96%

#138

Core 2 Duo SP9600

MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A

96%

#140

Core 2 Duo P8700

MSRP: $241|Avg: $85

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 987

#1040

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2643%

#1041

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2605%

#1042

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2391%

#1043

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2380%

#1044

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2358%

#1046

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2277%

#1047

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2184%

#1048

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2180%

#1049

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2122%

#1052

Pentium 987

MSRP: $134|Avg: $20

100%

#1053

Core i7-4910MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $570

100%

#1054

Pentium T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

99%

#1056

Athlon X2 QL-65

MSRP: $150|Avg: $22

98%

#1057

Pentium J2850

MSRP: $94|Avg: $94

97%

#1058

Core i7-4900MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $40

97%

#1059

Pentium Dual Core T2370

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

96%

#1060

Celeron P4505

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

96%

#1061

Pentium T4200

MSRP: $99|Avg: $10

96%

#1062

Core i7-2720QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

96%

#1063

Pentium 2020M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

95%

#1064

Celeron P4500

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

95%

#1065

Pentium Dual Core SU4100

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

95%

#1066

Processor N50

MSRP: $128|Avg: $120

94%

#1067

Athlon II N350

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Celeron N4000 (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Celeron N4000	Pentium 987
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)	✅ More affordable ($20)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Goldmont Plus (2017) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium 987 (2013) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Celeron N4000	Pentium 987
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+52%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)	✅ More affordable ($20)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Celeron N4000 Benchmark Check

Pentium 987 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron N4000 and Pentium 987

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.

Pentium 987

The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Celeron N4000 and Pentium 987 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4000 versus 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 — a 53.7% clock advantage for the Celeron N4000 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Celeron N4000 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium 987 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4000 scores 1,472 against the Pentium 987's 1,487 — a 1% lead for the Pentium 987. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4000 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Pentium 987
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+73%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	1.5 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Goldmont Plus (2017)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,472	1,487+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4000 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 987 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Pentium 987
Socket	FCBGA1090	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Celeron N4000 launched at $107 MSRP, while the Pentium 987 debuted at $134. At current prices ($30 vs $20), the Pentium 987 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron N4000 delivers 49.1 pts/$ vs 74.3 pts/$ for the Pentium 987 — making the Pentium 987 the 41% better value option.