Intel Celeron J4125 vs AMD Ryzen 5 3550H vs Intel Pentium Silver J5040

Intel Celeron J4125

The Intel Celeron J4125 is a quad-core SoC primarily for inexpensive mini PCs and was announced late 2019. It runs at 2-2.7 GHz (Single Core Burst) and is based on the Gemini Lake platform (2019 refresh). Compared to the predecessor, the refresh offers slightly higher clock speeds. Similar to the Apollo Lake predecessors, the chip is manufactured on a 14 nm process with FinFETs but offers slightly improved processor cores, double the amount of L2 cache, partial Wi-Fi 5 support, all in a smaller package. Besides four CPU cores, the chip also includes a DirectX 12 capable GPU as well as a DDR4/LPDDR4 memory controller (dual-channel, up to 2400 MHz). The processor is not replaceable as it is directly soldered to the mainboard.

Architecture

The processor architecture is still called Goldmont Plus. Compared to the older Goldmont cores in Apollo Lake, they feature an increased level 2 cache (to 4 MB). That means the per-clock-performance should be a bit better, but not near the Core CPUs like Kaby Lake Y.

Performance

The average J4125 in our database outguns the AMD 3050e just slightly, the latter being a dual-core, Zen-based, entry-level processor of nearly the same energy efficiency, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This means the Celeron is a very basic CPU that's good for basic day-to-day activities only.

The Beelink GK Mini is one of the fastest systems built around the J4125 that we know of. It can be roughly 70% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

GPU Performance

The UHD Graphics 600 (Gemini Lake) is based on Intel's Gen9 architecture, which supports DirectX 12 and is also used for the Kaby Lake / Skylake / Apollo Lake graphics adapters (like HD Graphics 520). Equipped with 12 EUs and a clock of up to 750 MHz, the performance should be roughly on par with the older HD Graphics 500 (Apollo Lake).

The chip also includes an advanced video engine with hardware support for the playback of VP9 and H.265 material (8-bit color-depth).

Power consumption

Like most J-class Intel processors, the Celeron has a default TDP, also known as the long-term power limit, of 10 W. This is low enough, allowing laptop makers to ditch fans while building a passively cooled laptop, tablet or mini-PC around the chip.

The Intel Celeron J4125 is built with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for poor, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.

AMD Ryzen 5 3550H

The AMD Ryzen 5 3550H is a mobile SoC that was announced in January 2019. It combines four Zen+ cores (8 threads) clocked at 2.1 GHz to 3.7 GHz with a Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics adapter with 8 CUs (512 Shaders) clocked at up to 1,200 MHz. Compared to the similar Ryzen 5 3500U, the 3550H offers a 20 Watt higher TDP and therefore a better performance under long periods of load. The integrated dual-channel memory controller supports up to DDR4-2400 memory. As the features of the Picasso APUs are the same compared to the Raven Ridge predecessors, we point to our Raven Ridge launch article.

The Picasso SoCs use the Zen+ microarchitecture with slight improvements that should lead to a 3% IPS (performance per clock) improvements. Furthermore, the 12 nm process allows higher clock rates at similar power consumptions.

Performance

The average 3550H in our database proves to be a solid mid-range CPU, its multi-thread benchmark scores hovering close to those of the Intel Core i7-10710U and the Core i5-8257U. Which is a little slow for an H-class processor, as of late 2021, but still more than enough for the vast majority of apps and games, provided one is fine with having to wait a little longer than usual for that 4K video encoding job to get completed.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and sufficiently high CPU power limits, the Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0002ng is among the fastest laptops powered by the 3550H that we know of. It can be more than 20% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Power consumption

This Ryzen 5 series chip has a default TDP (also known as the long-term power limit) of 35 W. Laptop makers are free to reduce that value significantly with 12 W being the minimum AMD-recommended value. Clock speeds and performance would take a hit as a result; either way, that's a little too high to allow for passively cooled designs.

Last but not the least, the AMD Ryzen 5 3550H is built with a 12 nm process for lower-than-average, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Pentium Silver J5040

The Intel Pentium Silver J5040 is a quad-core SoC primarily for inexpensive mini-PCs and was announced late 2019. It runs at 2 GHz (base) to 3.2 GHz (single core burst) and is based on the Gemini Lake platform (refresh). Similar to the Apollo Lake predecessor, the chip is manufactured in a 14 nm process with FinFETs but offers slightly improved processor cores, double the amount of L2 cache, a smaller package, a better GPU architecture and a partly integrated WiFi support. Besides four CPU cores, the chip also includes a DirectX 12 capable GPU as well as a DDR4/LPDDR4 memory controller (dual-channel, up to 2400 MHz). The SoC is not replaceable as it is directly soldered to the mainboard.

Architecture

The processor architecture is still called Goldmont Plus. Compared to the older Goldmont cores in Apollo Lake, they feature an increased level 2 cache (to 4 MB). That means the per-clock-performance should be a bit better, but not near the Core CPUs like Kaby Lake Y.

Performance

Thanks to the higher clock speed and TDP, the Pentium J5040 is slightly faster than the mobile counterpart, the Pentium Silver N5030. Compare to AMD, it ranks on average slightly higher compared to the Athlon Silver 3050e (Zen based Dual-Core) that wins in single-core tests but looses out in multi-threaded tests. Intel Core i3 from 2019 (like the i3-1005G1) are clearly faster and win even in multi-threaded tests easily although being only dual-core CPUs.

GPU Performance

The UHD Graphics 605 (Gemini Lake) is based on Intel's Gen9 architecture, which supports DirectX 12 and is also used for the Kaby Lake / Skylake / Apollo Lake graphics adapters (like HD Graphics 520). Equipped with 18 EUs and a clock of up to 800 MHz, the performance should be roughly on par with the older HD Graphics 5300 and HD Graphics 505 (Apollo Lake).

The chip also includes an advanced video engine with hardware support for the playback of VP9 and H.265 material (8-bit color-depth).

Power Consumption

The J-variant of the Gemini Lake SoCs are specified at 10W TDP and therefore higher than the mobile N variants (6 Watt).