Celeron N4000 vs Ryzen 5 3600

CPU

GPU

Celeron N4000

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2017

Similar parts

·······

Buy on Amazon

Ryzen 5 3600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2019

Ryzen family

·······

Buy on Amazon

Celeron N4000 vs Ryzen 5 3600 Performance Spectrum

Celeron N4000

2 / 2

1,472

0.0%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

17,685

+1101.4%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 Ryzen 5 3600 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 Ryzen 5 3600: 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 $92 less on MSRP ($107 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,472 vs 17,685).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.8 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($107 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +473.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Delivers 546.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 88.9 vs 13.8 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $107 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Celeron N4000.

Trade-offs

❌
86% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$107 MSRP
❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than Celeron N4000?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 473.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1101.4% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 473.5% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1101.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 3600 comes in 86.0% more expensive on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $107 MSRP, and it still gives you a 473.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 546.0% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 13.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017), 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron N4000 vs Ryzen 5 3600 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.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N4000 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4000 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 47.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Celeron N4000 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4000 scores 1,472 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 169.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4000 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	6 / 12+200%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	4.2 GHz+62%
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	3.6 GHz+227%
L3 Cache	4 MB	32 MB (total)+700%
L2 Cache	4 MB	512K (per core)+12700%
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Goldmont Plus (2017)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	1,472	17,685+1101%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4000 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	FCBGA1090	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron N4000) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	Yes
Target Use	—	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron N4000 was priced at $107, while the Ryzen 5 3600 came in at $199. On launch pricing ($107 vs $199), Celeron N4000 was $92 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron N4000 delivers 13.8 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Ryzen 5 3600 the 146.4% better value option.

Feature	Celeron N4000	Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP	$107-46%	$199
Performance per Dollar	13.8	88.9+544%
Release Date	2017	2019

Search Celeron N4000 on Amazon

Search Ryzen 5 3600 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.