AMD Athlon X4 870K vs Intel Celeron N5100 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a consistent picture across all five recorded Cinebench comparisons: the AMD Athlon X4 870K wins every single head-to-head matchup, though by remarkably narrow margins. The Intel Celeron N5100 does not record a single victory in any of the shared tests, with the AMD part taking all five wins.

The closest contest comes in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the Athlon X4 870K scores 294 against the Celeron N5100's 282. That represents a 4.1% advantage for the AMD chip. The gap narrows slightly in Cinebench R20 multicore, with AMD leading 1225 to 1179, a 3.8% margin. The single-core results follow the same pattern. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Athlon posts 172 versus the Celeron's 166, a 3.5% difference. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 411 against 396, a 3.6% gap, and the R23 multicore test lands at 2917 versus 2809, a 3.7% margin.

These are not the kind of decisive victories that usually define a generational clash. The Athlon X4 870K is faster in every recorded benchmark, but the largest advantage anywhere is just 4.1%. In practical terms, the data suggests these two processors occupy nearly the same performance tier despite their radically different designs. The average benchmark scores reinforce this: the Celeron N5100 averages 966 across its recorded tests, while the Athlon X4 870K averages 956. Both processors sit at the 26th percentile of all CPUs in the database, placing them in identical standing relative to the broader market.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database provides additional context. The Celeron N5100's average score of 966 places it within 0.3% of the Pentium Gold G5500T, which scores 963, and within 0.2% of both the Ryzen 7 3700U and Core i5-2400S, each at 968. The Athlon X4 870K's average of 956 puts it dead even with the Xeon W3550 at 956, just 0.1% behind the Core i7-950 at 957, and 0.1% ahead of both the Celeron N5105 and Xeon W3570 at 955. The comparable positioning of these two chips against their nearest rivals confirms that the head-to-head deltas, small as they are, reflect genuine parity rather than a lopsided matchup.

The only benchmark where the Athlon has additional data beyond the shared tests is Geekbench, where it scores 1205 in multicore and 468 in single-core. The Celeron N5100 has no recorded Geekbench results in the database, so no direct comparison is possible for that suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different eras and design philosophies. The Intel Celeron N5100 uses the Tremont architecture, part of the Jasper Lake family, built on a 10 nm process by Intel. The AMD Athlon X4 870K uses the Steamroller architecture, part of the Godaveri family, built on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The die size difference is stark: the Celeron measures 63.8 mm², while the Athlon spans 245 mm². The Athlon also carries 2,411 million transistors, a figure the database records for the AMD part but not for the Intel chip.

Clock speeds tell an inverted story. The Athlon X4 870K runs at a 3.90 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.10 GHz, while the Celeron N5100 starts at just 1.10 GHz and boosts to 2.80 GHz. Despite the massive clock disadvantage, the Celeron nearly matches the Athlon in every benchmark, proof of the efficiency of the newer Tremont architecture and the 10 nm process. The power envelope reflects this: the Celeron carries a TDP of 6 watts, while the Athlon draws 95 watts, a difference of 89 watts. The Athlon consumes roughly 15 times the power of the Celeron while delivering only a few percentage points more performance.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The Celeron N5100 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Athlon X4 870K has 256 KB of L1 cache total, 4 MB of L2 cache, and no L3 cache at all. The Celeron's L3 cache is a meaningful architectural advantage for workloads that benefit from shared, low-latency data access, though the benchmark results suggest it is not enough to overcome the Athlon's raw clock speed.

Memory support also diverges. The Celeron N5100 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The Athlon X4 870K supports DDR3 over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Celeron's memory bandwidth advantage of 12.8 GB/s is notable, but the benchmark data shows it does not translate into a performance lead. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The Celeron N5100 provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Athlon X4 870K provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Athlon's doubled lane count gives it more headroom for expansion cards and high-bandwidth peripherals. The Celeron includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 24EU, while the Athlon has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output. The Celeron targets the mobile segment and uses the Intel BGA 1338 socket, while the Athlon targets the desktop segment and uses the AMD Socket FM2+.

The Athlon X4 870K has an unlocked multiplier, making it suitable for overclocking, while the Celeron N5100 does not. Both processors are marked as end-of-life in the database, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP. The part numbers differ as expected: the Celeron is listed as SRKGZ, while the Athlon carries the designation AD870KXBJCSBXAD870KXBI44JC.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion for anyone choosing between these two processors. The AMD Athlon X4 870K wins every benchmark recorded in the database, but the margins are so slim, between 3.5% and 4.1%, that the performance difference is unlikely to be perceptible in real-world use. The Celeron N5100 counters with a dramatically lower TDP of 6 watts versus 95 watts, a smaller die, a more advanced 10 nm process, and integrated graphics. For a system where power efficiency and minimal heat output matter, the Celeron is the clear choice, especially in compact or passively cooled mobile designs.

For raw performance, however minimal the edge, the Athlon X4 870K is the pick. Its higher base and boost clocks, larger cache pool, and unlocked multiplier give it a slight but consistent advantage across all five shared Cinebench tests. The Geekbench results, available only for the Athlon, show scores of 1205 multicore and 468 single-core, though no Celeron comparison exists in the database. The Athlon also offers twice the PCIe lanes, which matters for users planning to install multiple expansion cards.

The Celeron's integrated graphics are a decisive factor for systems without a discrete GPU. The Athlon has no integrated graphics, so it demands a separate graphics card just to produce a display. The Celeron also supports newer memory types, DDR4 and LPDDR4, with higher bandwidth, and includes L3 cache, which the Athlon lacks entirely.

Neither processor offers ECC memory support. Both are end-of-life products, so longevity and future platform support are not differentiators. The choice ultimately hinges on use case: the Celeron N5100 suits low-power, always-on, or mobile systems where efficiency and integrated graphics are priorities, while the Athlon X4 870K suits desktop builds where every bit of performance matters and a discrete GPU is already planned. The benchmark data shows both chips land at the 26th percentile of all CPUs, so neither offers a meaningful standing advantage in the broader market.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show differences across nearly every category. The Celeron N5100 has a base clock of 1.10 GHz and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz, while the Athlon X4 870K runs at 3.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost. TDP differs by 89 watts: 6 watts for the Celeron, 95 watts for the Athlon. The Celeron uses the Intel BGA 1338 socket, the Athlon uses AMD Socket FM2+. Architecture differs as Tremont versus Steamroller, with codenames Jasper Lake and Godaveri respectively. The process node is 10 nm for Intel and 28 nm for GlobalFoundries. Die size is 63.8 mm² for the Celeron and 245 mm² for the Athlon, with transistor count recorded only for the Athlon at 2,411 million.

Cache layouts differ completely. The Celeron has 64 KB L1 per core, 1.5 MB shared L2, and 4 MB shared L3. The Athlon has 256 KB L1 total, 4 MB L2, and no L3. Memory support is DDR4 and LPDDR4 for the Celeron versus DDR3 for the Athlon, with bandwidth at 46.9 GB/s and 34.1 GB/s respectively. PCIe lanes are 8 for the Celeron and 16 for the Athlon, both Gen 3. The Celeron includes UHD Graphics 24EU integrated graphics; the Athlon has none. Market segments are Mobile for the Celeron and Desktop for the Athlon. The multiplier is locked on the Celeron, unlocked on the Athlon. Part numbers are SRKGZ and AD870KXBJCSBXAD870KXBI44JC. Both processors are end-of-life, neither supports ECC, and neither has a recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 870K wins with a score of 2917, compared to the Intel Celeron N5100's 2809, a 3.7% difference.

Q: How much power does each processor consume?

A: The Intel Celeron N5100 has a TDP of 6 watts, while the AMD Athlon X4 870K has a TDP of 95 watts.

Q: Does either processor include integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Celeron N5100 includes integrated graphics, specifically UHD Graphics 24EU. The AMD Athlon X4 870K has no integrated graphics.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The Intel Celeron N5100 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory. The AMD Athlon X4 870K supports DDR3 memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher clock speed?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 870K has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The Intel Celeron N5100 has a base clock of 1.10 GHz and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz.

Q: Is the AMD Athlon X4 870K overclockable?

A: Yes, the AMD Athlon X4 870K has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Celeron N5100 does not have an unlocked multiplier.