Celeron N4100 vs Core i5-5250U

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 N4100 is positioned at rank 330 and the Core i5-5250U is on rank 685, so the Celeron N4100 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 N4100

#97

Core Ultra 5 226V

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

100%

#316

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

478%

#317

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

471%

#318

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

433%

#319

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

431%

#320

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

427%

#322

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

412%

#323

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

395%

#324

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

395%

#325

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

384%

#330

Celeron N4100

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#334

Xeon E3-1505M v5

MSRP: $115|Avg: $115

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-5250U

#673

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

958%

#674

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

944%

#675

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

866%

#676

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

863%

#677

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

855%

#679

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

825%

#680

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

791%

#681

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

790%

#682

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

769%

#685

Core i5-5250U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#695

Processor N95

MSRP: $160|Avg: $80

98%

#699

Athlon Silver 3050e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $60

97%

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 N4100 (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Celeron N4100	Core i5-5250U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Goldmont Plus (2017) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-5250U (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Celeron N4100	Core i5-5250U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 N4100 Benchmark Check

Core i5-5250U Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron N4100 and Core i5-5250U

Celeron N4100

The Celeron N4100 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 2,453 points. Launch price was $107.

Core i5-5250U

The Core i5-5250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,450 points. Launch price was $315.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N4100 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-5250U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N4100 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Celeron N4100 versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-5250U — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-5250U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron N4100 uses the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-5250U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4100 scores 2,453 against the Core i5-5250U's 2,450 — a 0.1% lead for the Celeron N4100. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4100 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5250U.

Feature	Celeron N4100	Core i5-5250U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	2.7 GHz+13%
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	1.6 GHz+45%
L3 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Goldmont Plus (2017)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,453	2,450

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4100 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-5250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N4100	Core i5-5250U
Socket	FCBGA1090	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1866
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron N4100) / true (Core i5-5250U). The Core i5-5250U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 6000), while the Celeron N4100 requires a dedicated GPU.