Core i3-8121U vs Celeron G6900E

Core i3-8121U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2018

Celeron G6900E

2 Cores2 Thrd46 WWMax: 3 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-8121U

2 / 4

4,271

0.0%

4,272

0.0%

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. The Core i3-8121U is positioned at rank #166 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-8121U

#154

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

343%

#155

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

338%

#156

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

311%

#157

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

309%

#158

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

306%

#160

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

296%

#161

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

284%

#162

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

283%

#163

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

276%

#166

Core i3-8121U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

99%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron G6900E

#227

Core i5-12600

MSRP: $233|Avg: $250

106%

#228

Core i7-11700T

MSRP: $323|Avg: $180

106%

#229

Core i5-10600

MSRP: $244|Avg: $159

106%

#230

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G

MSRP: $193|Avg: $100

106%

#231

Core i7-8700B

MSRP: $303|Avg: $139

105%

#232

Ryzen 3 2200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $80

104%

#233

Core i3-9100F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $80

104%

#234

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

MSRP: $479|Avg: $479

104%

#235

Ryzen 9 3900XT

MSRP: $499|Avg: $390

103%

#236

Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G

MSRP: $176|Avg: $176

102%

#237

Core i7-14700T

MSRP: $384|Avg: $384

102%

#238

Core i3-13100TE

MSRP: $137|Avg: $137

102%

#239

Core i5-9600T

MSRP: $213|Avg: $118

101%

#240

Core i5-12400T

MSRP: $192|Avg: $192

100%

#241

Core i9-14900F

MSRP: $524|Avg: $579

100%

#242

Celeron G6900E

MSRP: $53|Avg: $53

100%

#243

Core i3-12300T

MSRP: $209|Avg: $164

100%

#244

Core i9-12900

MSRP: $519|Avg: $420

100%

#245

Ryzen 3 8300G

MSRP: $176|Avg: $176

99%

#246

Core i7-11700KF

MSRP: $374|Avg: $299

99%

#247

Core i5-10600K

MSRP: $262|Avg: $179

99%

#248

Core i3-10325

MSRP: $154|Avg: $130

98%

#249

Ryzen Embedded V2718

MSRP: $250|Avg: $200

98%

#250

Core i7-8086K

MSRP: $425|Avg: $178

98%

#251

Core i3-10300T

MSRP: $157|Avg: $100

98%

#252

Core i9-10900TE

MSRP: $309|Avg: $180

98%

#253

Core i9-12900T

MSRP: $489|Avg: $378

97%

#254

Core i5-12600T

MSRP: $223|Avg: $223

97%

#255

Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $180

97%

#256

Ryzen 7 1700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $60

49%

#256

Ryzen 5 3500X

MSRP: $155|Avg: $171

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Celeron G6900E delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-8121U in both compute-intensive tasks (0% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-8121U	Celeron G6900E
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($53)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-8121U	Celeron G6900E
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($53)

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.

Core i3-8121U Benchmark Check

Celeron G6900E Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-8121U and Celeron G6900E

Core i3-8121U

The Core i3-8121U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 May 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,271 points. Launch price was $69.

Celeron G6900E

The Celeron G6900E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 46 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,272 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-8121U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Celeron G6900E's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-8121U versus 3 GHz on the Celeron G6900E — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Core i3-8121U (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i3-8121U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (10 nm), while the Celeron G6900E uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8121U scores 4,271 against the Celeron G6900E's 4,272 — a 0% lead for the Celeron G6900E. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,178 vs 1,563, a 28.1% lead for the Celeron G6900E that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 2,250 vs 2,631 (15.6% advantage for the Celeron G6900E). Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-8121U	Celeron G6900E
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+7%	3 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	4,271	4,272
Geekbench 6 Single	1,178	1,563+33%
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,250	2,631+17%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8121U uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron G6900E uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-8121U versus DDR5-4800 on the Celeron G6900E — the Celeron G6900E supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G6900E supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-8121U) vs 20 (Celeron G6900E) — the Celeron G6900E offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Core i3-8121U) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Celeron G6900E).

Feature	Core i3-8121U	Celeron G6900E
Socket	BGA1440	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i3-8121U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8121U) vs VT-x (Celeron G6900E). The Celeron G6900E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 710), while the Core i3-8121U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8121U targets Productivity, Celeron G6900E targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i3-8121U rivals Core i3-8130U; Celeron G6900E rivals Pentium Gold G7400.