Phenom II X4 P960 vs Celeron N4020

CPU

GPU

Phenom II X4 P960

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2010

Celeron N4020

2 Cores2 Thrd4 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Phenom II X4 P960

4 / 4

1,542

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron N4020

2 / 2

1,535

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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Phenom II X4 P960 is positioned at rank 431 and the Celeron N4020 is on rank 993, so the Phenom II X4 P960 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 P960

#419

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

571%

#420

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

562%

#421

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

516%

#422

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

514%

#423

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

509%

#425

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

492%

#426

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

472%

#427

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

471%

#428

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

458%

#431

Phenom II X4 P960

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron N4020

#981

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2045%

#982

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2015%

#983

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1849%

#984

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1841%

#985

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1824%

#987

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1762%

#988

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1689%

#989

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1686%

#990

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1641%

#993

Celeron N4020

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#994

Core i7-4700EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $180

100%

#995

Core i3-8145UE

MSRP: $281|Avg: $50

100%

#996

Core i7-4712MQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $60

98%

#997

Core i7-3615QE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $100

98%

#998

Celeron M U3400

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

98%

#999

3015Ce

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

97%

#1000

Core i7-4700MQ

MSRP: $383|Avg: $50

97%

#1001

Athlon II M340

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

97%

#1005

Pentium P6000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

95%

#1007

Core i7-3630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

95%

#1008

Core i7-3610QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Celeron N4020 (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Phenom II X4 P960	Celeron N4020
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)	✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Phenom II X4 P960 (2010) relies on 45 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Phenom II X4 P960	Celeron N4020
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Phenom II X4 P960 Benchmark Check

Celeron N4020 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X4 P960 and Celeron N4020

Phenom II X4 P960

The Phenom II X4 P960 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: 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,542 points. Launch price was $149.

Celeron N4020

The Celeron N4020 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 1,535 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Phenom II X4 P960 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron N4020 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Phenom II X4 P960 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 P960 versus 2.8 GHz on the Celeron N4020 — a 43.5% clock advantage for the Celeron N4020. The Phenom II X4 P960 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N4020 uses Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 P960 scores 1,542 against the Celeron N4020's 1,535 — a 0.5% lead for the Phenom II X4 P960.

Feature	Phenom II X4 P960	Celeron N4020
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	2.8 GHz+56%
Base Clock	—	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Gemini Lake Refresh (2019)
PassMark	1,542	1,535

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X4 P960 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N4020 uses FCBGA1090 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.