Celeron N4120 vs Phenom II X4 840
Celeron N4120
Phenom II X4 840
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 N4120 is positioned at rank 1239 and the Phenom II X4 840 is on rank 250, so the Phenom II X4 840 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4120
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 840
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N4120 | Phenom II X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N4120 | Phenom II X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 N4120 and Phenom II X4 840
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.
Phenom II X4 840
The Phenom II X4 840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,449 points. Launch price was $90.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron N4120 and Phenom II X4 840 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4120 versus 3.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 840 — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 840 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Celeron N4120 uses the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 840 uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4120 scores 2,463 against the Phenom II X4 840's 2,449 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron N4120. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Celeron N4120 vs 0 kB on the Phenom II X4 840.
| Feature | Celeron N4120 | Phenom II X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 3.2 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz+191% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+700% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) | Propus (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,463 | 2,449 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N4120 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 840 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron N4120 | Phenom II X4 840 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1090 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
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