Xeon E3120 vs Celeron 1020E
Xeon E3120
Celeron 1020E
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 E3120 is positioned at rank 948 and the Celeron 1020E is on rank 951, so the Xeon E3120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3120
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 1020E
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Celeron 1020E |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E3120 | Celeron 1020E |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 E3120 and Celeron 1020E
Xeon E3120
The Xeon E3120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. Base frequency: 3.16 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,408 points. Launch price was $800.
Celeron 1020E
The Celeron 1020E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: G2. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,406 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Celeron 1020E is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Xeon E3120 scores 1,408 against the Celeron 1020E's 1,406 — a 0.1% lead for the Xeon E3120. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E3120 vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 1020E.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Celeron 1020E |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | — | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.16 GHz+44% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | — | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,408 | 1,406 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E3120 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 1020E uses G2 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Celeron 1020E |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | G2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E3120) / VT-x (Celeron 1020E). The Celeron 1020E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Xeon E3120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 1020E targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 1020E rivals Pentium 2020M.
| Feature | Xeon E3120 | Celeron 1020E |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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