Celeron N4120 vs Core i5-4300U

Celeron N4120

4 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2019

Core i5-4300U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Celeron N4120

4 / 4

2,463

0.0%

2,482

+0.8%

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 N4120 is positioned at rank 1239 and the Core i5-4300U is on rank 542, so the Core i5-4300U 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 N4120

#1227

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

15524%

#1228

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

15296%

#1229

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

14042%

#1230

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

13979%

#1231

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

13851%

#1233

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

13376%

#1234

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

12825%

#1235

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

12804%

#1236

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

12460%

#1239

Celeron N4120

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1240

Core Solo T1300

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

97%

#1241

Core Solo T1200

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4300U

#173

Core Ultra 5 238V

MSRP: $454|Avg: $454

97%

#530

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

709%

#531

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

699%

#532

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

642%

#533

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

639%

#534

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

633%

#536

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

611%

#537

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

586%

#538

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

585%

#539

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

569%

#542

Core i5-4300U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#549

Celeron Dual-Core T1500

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $49

98%

#557

Pentium P6200

MSRP: $60|Avg: $25

96%

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 N4120 (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Celeron N4120	Core i5-4300U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-4300U (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Celeron N4120	Core i5-4300U
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 N4120 Benchmark Check

Core i5-4300U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron N4120 and Core i5-4300U

Celeron N4120

The Celeron N4120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 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: 2,463 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-4300U

The Core i5-4300U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,482 points. Launch price was $281.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron N4120 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4300U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N4120 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4120 versus 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-4300U — a 10.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-4300U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Celeron N4120 uses the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-4300U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4120 scores 2,463 against the Core i5-4300U's 2,482 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-4300U. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4120 vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4300U.

Feature	Celeron N4120	Core i5-4300U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	2.9 GHz+12%
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	1.9 GHz+73%
L3 Cache	4 MB+33%	3 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512 kB
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Gemini Lake Refresh (2019)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,463	2,482
Geekbench 6 Single	—	607
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,722

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4120 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-4300U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N4120	Core i5-4300U
Socket	FCBGA1090	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron N4120) / Yes (Core i5-4300U). The Core i5-4300U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Celeron N4120 requires a dedicated GPU.