Celeron N4020C vs Phenom II X4 P960
Celeron N4020C
Phenom II X4 P960
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 N4020C is positioned at rank 575 and the Phenom II X4 P960 is on rank 431, so the Phenom II X4 P960 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4020C
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 P960
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N4020C | Phenom II X4 P960 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Legacy / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N4020C | Phenom II X4 P960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 N4020C and Phenom II X4 P960
Celeron N4020C
The Celeron N4020C is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4/LPDDR4 up to 2400 MT/s. Passmark benchmark score: 1,537 points. Launch price was $69.
Phenom II X4 P960
The Phenom II X4 P960 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,542 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Celeron N4020C packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 P960 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 P960 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Celeron N4020C versus 1.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 P960 — a 43.5% clock advantage for the Celeron N4020C. The Phenom II X4 P960 is built on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Celeron N4020C scores 1,537 against the Phenom II X4 P960's 1,542 — a 0.3% lead for the Phenom II X4 P960.
| Feature | Celeron N4020C | Phenom II X4 P960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+56% | 1.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | — | 2 MB |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | — | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,537 | 1,542 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N4020C uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Phenom II X4 P960 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron N4020C | Phenom II X4 P960 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1090 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+100% | PCIe 2.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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