Xeon 5120 vs Celeron N3350
Xeon 5120
Celeron N3350
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 Xeon 5120 is positioned at rank 857 and the Celeron N3350 is on rank 1068, so the Xeon 5120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon 5120
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N3350
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Woodcrest (2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+615%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) |
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 Xeon 5120 and Celeron N3350
Xeon 5120
The Xeon 5120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Woodcrest (2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $45.
Celeron N3350
The Celeron N3350 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,112 points. Launch price was $24.
Processing Power
Both the Xeon 5120 and Celeron N3350 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Xeon 5120 versus 2.4 GHz on the Celeron N3350 — a 24.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N3350 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Xeon 5120 uses the Woodcrest (2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Celeron N3350 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon 5120 scores 1,115 against the Celeron N3350's 1,112 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon 5120. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.87 GHz | 2.4 GHz+28% |
| Base Clock | 1.86 GHz+69% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+300% | 1 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 14 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Woodcrest (2006) | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,115 | 1,112 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 450 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon 5120 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N3350 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | FCBGA1296 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | LPDDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 6 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon 5120) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Celeron N3350). The Celeron N3350 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500), while the Xeon 5120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron N3350 targets Entry Level Laptop/NUC. Direct competitor: Celeron N3350 rivals AMD A4-9120.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 500 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Entry Level Laptop/NUC |
Value Analysis
The Xeon 5120 launched at $107 MSRP, while the Celeron N3350 debuted at $107.
| Feature | Xeon 5120 | Celeron N3350 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107 | $107 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | — |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2016 |
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