Celeron N4120 vs Phenom II X4 N950

Celeron N4120 vs Phenom II X4 N950 Performance Spectrum

Celeron N4120

4 / 4

2,463

0.0%

2,485

+0.9%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 N4120 vs Phenom II X4 N950 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 N4120 vs Phenom II X4 N950: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Celeron N4120

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,463 vs 2,485).
❌100% higher power demand at 4W vs 2W.

Phenom II X4 N950

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 4W, a 2W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X4 N950 better than Celeron N4120?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron N4120 is ahead with a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 N950 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 N950 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Phenom II X4 N950 still makes the most sense overall. Phenom II X4 N950 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark.

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

Celeron N4120 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron N4120 vs Phenom II X4 N950 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 N950

The Phenom II X4 N950 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: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,485 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron N4120 and Phenom II X4 N950 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4120 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N950 — a 21.3% clock advantage for the Celeron N4120. The Celeron N4120 uses the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N4120 scores 2,463 against the Phenom II X4 N950's 2,485 — a 0.9% lead for the Phenom II X4 N950.

Feature	Celeron N4120	Phenom II X4 N950
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+24%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	—
L3 Cache	4 MB	—
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Gemini Lake Refresh (2019)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,463	2,485

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N4120 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.