Celeron N4000 vs Phenom II X3 700e

Celeron N4000 vs Phenom II X3 700e Performance Spectrum

Celeron N4000

2 / 2

1,472

+1.4%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

1,451

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 N4000 vs Phenom II X3 700e 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 N4000 vs Phenom II X3 700e: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N4000

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $18 less on MSRP ($107 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.8 vs 11.6 PassMark/$ ($107 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Phenom II X3 700e

2009

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,451 vs 1,472).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.6 vs 13.8 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $107 MSRP).
❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N4000 better than Phenom II X3 700e?

Yes. Celeron N4000 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% 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 N4000 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.8% 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 N4000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron N4000 is the better buy right now. Celeron N4000 comes in $18 cheaper on MSRP at $107 MSRP versus $125 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 18.5% better value on MSRP (13.8 vs 11.6 PassMark/$), 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 N4000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 3/3. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron N4000 vs Phenom II X3 700e Technical Specifications

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

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.

Phenom II X3 700e

The Phenom II X3 700e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Heka (2009−2010) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,451 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N4000 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 700e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 700e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4000 versus 2.4 GHz on the Phenom II X3 700e — a 8% clock advantage for the Celeron N4000 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Celeron N4000 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 700e uses Heka (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4000 scores 1,472 against the Phenom II X3 700e's 1,451 — a 1.4% lead for the Celeron N4000. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4000 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X3 700e.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Phenom II X3 700e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+8%	2.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	2.4 GHz+118%
L3 Cache	4 MB	6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Goldmont Plus (2017)	Heka (2009−2010)
PassMark	1,472+1%	1,451
Geekbench 6 Single	—	250
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	650

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4000 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 700e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Phenom II X3 700e
Socket	FCBGA1090	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron N4000) / AMD-V (Phenom II X3 700e). Primary use case: Phenom II X3 700e targets Legacy Desktop.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Phenom II X3 700e
Integrated GPU	—	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron N4000 was priced at $107, while the Phenom II X3 700e came in at $125. On launch pricing ($107 vs $125), Celeron N4000 was $18 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron N4000 delivers 13.8 pts/$ vs 11.6 pts/$ for the Phenom II X3 700e — making the Celeron N4000 the 16.9% better value option.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Phenom II X3 700e
MSRP	$107-14%	$125
Performance per Dollar	13.8+19%	11.6
Release Date	2017	2009

Search Celeron N4000 on Amazon

Search Phenom II X3 700e on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.