Phenom II X4 840 vs Celeron N4120
Phenom II X4 840
Celeron N4120
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 Phenom II X4 840 is positioned at rank 250 and the Celeron N4120 is on rank 1239, 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 Phenom II X4 840
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4120
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II X4 840 | Celeron N4120 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II X4 840 | Celeron N4120 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X4 840 and Celeron N4120
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.
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.
Processing Power
Both the Phenom II X4 840 and Celeron N4120 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 840 versus 2.6 GHz on the Celeron N4120 — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 840 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Phenom II X4 840 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N4120 uses Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 840 scores 2,449 against the Celeron N4120's 2,463 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron N4120. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Phenom II X4 840 vs 4 MB on the Celeron N4120.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 840 | Celeron N4120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+23% | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+191% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 4 MB+700% |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) |
| PassMark | 2,449 | 2,463 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II X4 840 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N4120 uses FCBGA1090 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 840 | Celeron N4120 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1090 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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