Celeron N5105 vs Core i5-7260U

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 N5105 vs Core i5-7260U 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 N5105 vs Core i5-7260U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron N5105

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 10W instead of 15W, a 5W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7260U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-7260U

2017

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Plus Graphics 640, while Celeron N5105 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,953 vs 4,003).
❌50% higher power demand at 15W vs 10W.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N5105 better than Core i5-7260U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-7260U is ahead with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N5105 pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron N5105 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Celeron N5105 still makes the most sense overall. Celeron N5105 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.3% better PassMark.

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

Celeron N5105 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron N5105 vs Core i5-7260U Technical Specifications

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

Celeron N5105

The Celeron N5105 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.5 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1338. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,003 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-7260U

The Core i5-7260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,953 points. Launch price was $304.

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Processing Power

The Celeron N5105 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-7260U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N5105 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Celeron N5105 versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-7260U — a 15.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-7260U (base: 2 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Celeron N5105 uses the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-7260U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N5105 scores 4,003 against the Core i5-7260U's 3,953 — a 1.3% lead for the Celeron N5105. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Celeron N5105 vs 4 MB on the Core i5-7260U.

Feature	Celeron N5105	Core i5-7260U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz	3.4 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.2 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB
L2 Cache	1.5 MB (total)+200%	512 kB
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Jasper Lake (2021)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	4,003+1%	3,953
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,192

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron N5105 uses the BGA1338 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-7260U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron N5105	Core i5-7260U
Socket	BGA1338	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron N5105) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-7260U). The Core i5-7260U includes integrated graphics (Iris Plus Graphics 640), while the Celeron N5105 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7260U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-7260U rivals A12-9720P.