[SOLVED] Is the Intel Celeron N4020 comparable to an i5?

[alaber]

Hello, I have a question about comparing processors.

For the holidays I got a gift of a brand new laptop, which is very exciting. I don't know anything about processors, and I'm not familiar with the Celeron line in general. But after searching a bit online I started to have a few concerns.

The computer has an Intel Celeron N4020. Specifically what I need to use it for needs an i5 minimum or comparable.

From what I found online it looks like the Celeron line in general is a budget line aimed at the most typical tasks, and the N4020 is a bit below an i3. Is that right? Like I said, I don't know much about processors and I might be misunderstanding something. I can return and exchange the laptop, but I don't want to do that unless I'm absolutely sure.

Thanks!

 

[rgd1101]

Yes that one weak cpu

 

[Lafong]

It's not close to an i5.

It's a quite weak dual core CPU.

Passmark CPU benchmark score is 1597.

My 5 year old i5-6600K has a score of over 6000.

An i5 from the last couple of generations can have a score over 15000.

The i5-12600K scores over 24000.

 

[kanewolf]

Hello, I have a question about comparing processors.

For the holidays I got a gift of a brand new laptop, which is very exciting. I don't know anything about processors, and I'm not familiar with the Celeron line in general. But after searching a bit online I started to have a few concerns.

The computer has an Intel Celeron N4020. Specifically what I need to use it for needs an i5 minimum or comparable.

From what I found online it looks like the Celeron line in general is a budget line aimed at the most typical tasks, and the N4020 is a bit below an i3. Is that right? Like I said, I don't know much about processors and I might be misunderstanding something. I can return and exchange the laptop, but I don't want to do that unless I'm absolutely sure.

Thanks!

Here is the Intel spec page for that CPU -- https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-processor-n4020-4m-cache-up-to-2-80-ghz.html
It is a dual core CPU but you see that it has a maximum power usage of 6W and it is a two year old product.
A typical laptop i5 CPU (even from 2019) would be an i5-8257U -- https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...58257u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html You see that is a 28W CPU
Here is a comparison of the two -- https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i5-8257U-vs-Intel-Celeron-N4020/3605vs3683
The performance numbers that @Lafong listed are for desktop CPUs. Those shouldn't be compared to laptop CPUs.
With all that said, will your 4020 do what you want ? Unknown.
What can you do to improve it? Add as much RAM as the laptop will accept (probably 8GB). Swap the hard drive for an SSD if it has a spinning disk. That is all you can do to a laptop generally.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

CPU is literal ewaste. I've used laptops with similar CPUs and they are miserable to deal with.

Even the oldest worst mobile i5 from 11 nearly 12 years ago is better.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-540M+@+2.53GHz&id=779
Average CPU mark 1778

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+N4020+@+1.10GHz&id=3683
Average CPU mark 1597

These systems also tend to have soldered ram, slow and unreliable emmc storage, and poor build quality.

Below a certain price point a new laptop is not a good idea and it's best to go used.

 

[alaber]

CPU is literal ewaste. I've used laptops with similar CPUs and they are miserable to deal with.

Even the oldest worst mobile i5 from 11 nearly 12 years ago is better.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i5-540M+@+2.53GHz&id=779
Average CPU mark 1778

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+N4020+@+1.10GHz&id=3683
Average CPU mark 1597

These systems also tend to have soldered ram, slow and unreliable emmc storage, and poor build quality.

Below a certain price point a new laptop is not a good idea and it's best to go used.

Thanks for additional info, that helps me understand.

Could you tell me around the price point where it makes sense to go used? I think this computer was between $550 and $600.

 

[alaber]

Here is the Intel spec page for that CPU -- https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...-processor-n4020-4m-cache-up-to-2-80-ghz.html
It is a dual core CPU but you see that it has a maximum power usage of 6W and it is a two year old product.
A typical laptop i5 CPU (even from 2019) would be an i5-8257U -- https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...58257u-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html You see that is a 28W CPU
Here is a comparison of the two -- https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i5-8257U-vs-Intel-Celeron-N4020/3605vs3683
The performance numbers that @Lafong listed are for desktop CPUs. Those shouldn't be compared to laptop CPUs.
With all that said, will your 4020 do what you want ? Unknown.
What can you do to improve it? Add as much RAM as the laptop will accept (probably 8GB). Swap the hard drive for an SSD if it has a spinning disk. That is all you can do to a laptop generally.

Thanks for the links and the comparison, that's very helpful.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Although I do see several machines with N4020 CPUs for nearly that price point, it seems far too much money for something of that performance. You can get a MUCH better i5 or Ryzen 5 laptop for $550-600. A

Below are examples, not reccomendations persay.

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Portable-Micro-Edge-Anti-Glare-14-fq1025nr/dp/B09G8SK2KK/

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Quad-Core-i5-1135G7-Fingerprint-Accessory/dp/B09KKTW8XG/ref=mp_s_a_1_35

What is the software you are trying to use?

 

[alaber]

Although I do see several machines with N4020 CPUs for nearly that price point, it seems far too much money for something of that performance. You can get a MUCH better i5 or Ryzen 5 laptop for $550-600. A

Below are examples, not reccomendations persay.

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Portable-Micro-Edge-Anti-Glare-14-fq1025nr/dp/B09G8SK2KK/

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Quad-Core-i5-1135G7-Fingerprint-Accessory/dp/B09KKTW8XG/ref=mp_s_a_1_35

What is the software you are trying to use?

Thanks for the examples!

I think what happened was they added on some RAM and storage so that probably boosted the price some.

As far as software goes, I need to be able to to use visual studio code with the liveserver extension and see the updated web page while I'm working on it. What I'm making is, for now, simple, but that will get more complicated.

I might be interested in learning android development, so that would mean Android Studio.

The main demand, basically, is general purpose programming. Not at a working professional level but with some room to grow. I'm very much still learning, so it's difficult to predict what I'll specifically be doing with it a year from now.

I think the requirements are probably the i5 or equivalent, 8GB RAM, and 256 SSD.

The price range can go a bit higher if needed, up to $700 is okay. Possibly $800, but would prefer less.

 

[Amddefector]

You can buy a used thinkpad for a few hundred dollars, that'll blow the socks off that celeron. I didn't know Intel still made them! I thought the celeron died along with Windows xp.

 

[LeviTech]

My 6 years old boy have one with that CPU and it's usable to him to see youtube, netflix and play uno. More than that...