Intel Celeron N5105 Mini PCs

The Intel Celeron N5105 was, for a stretch of 2021 and 2022, the chip you found inside nearly every sub-$200 mini PC. Intel launched it in the first quarter of 2021 as part of the Jasper Lake family, built on a 10nm process with four cores, four threads, a 2.0 GHz base clock, and a 2.9 GHz single-core burst. It carries a 10-watt power rating and 4MB of cache, which is why it shows up in both quiet actively-cooled boxes and completely fanless designs. It is entry-level silicon that was a real step forward for the budget tier at launch.

Two things define where the N5105 sits today. First, it is nearly a twin of the Celeron N5095: in our processor reference data the N5105 scores 4,066 on PassMark’s multi-thread test and the N5095 scores 4,106, close enough to behave like the same chip. The N5105 is the mobile part of that pair, and it carries the stronger integrated graphics: 24 execution units against the N5095’s 16. Second, Intel’s own Processor N100 (Alder Lake-N, early 2023) has since leapfrogged it, posting roughly 5,643 in CPU Mark, close to 40 percent ahead. That makes the N5105 a value and availability play rather than a performance one: the chip you buy when a box is cheap, silent, or already on your shelf, not when you want the most speed per dollar.

On the graphics side the N5105 pairs Intel UHD Graphics (24 execution units, up to 800 MHz), enough for smooth 4K video at 60Hz over HDMI with hardware-accelerated decoding. The memory controller supports up to 16GB of DDR4 or LPDDR4x at 2933 MHz across two channels. That last detail matters more than any benchmark: many N5105 mini PCs wire the RAM as a single channel (often soldered), and single-channel memory throttles the integrated GPU to roughly half its potential. A dual-channel and a single-channel N5105 can feel like different machines in graphics-bound work.

Performance

The N5105 handles the everyday computing it was built for: web browsing across plenty of tabs, office documents, video calls, and 4K media playback all run smoothly. Its integrated graphics score around 700 on PassMark’s G3D mark, a clear step up from the N5095’s 550 and on par with the newer N95, so light and retro gaming is on the table. Boxes in this class can manage playable GameCube, PS2, and PSP emulation, plus older and indie titles at 720p.

Where it runs out of road is anything demanding: modern 3D games, video editing, heavy compilation, and large multitasking sessions expose the four-thread ceiling quickly. Even lightweight competitive titles struggle to reach playable frame rates at low resolution on this class of hardware, the tell that this is not a gaming chip. Its CPU Mark of 4,066 also sits behind current budget parts like the N100 (5,643) and N150 (5,478), so a newer Alder Lake-N chip is the better buy for raw throughput.

The upside of that modest performance is efficiency. The 10-watt rating lets manufacturers build genuinely fanless N5105 machines, and even actively-cooled models stay quiet and sip power, so these boxes are easy to leave running as an always-on appliance. Fanless designs trade that silence for heat: the chassis is the heatsink and can get warm under sustained load, though everyday office and media work rarely pushes it there.

Ideal Use Cases

The N5105 is at its best in low-stakes, always-on roles. It makes a tidy home-theater PC thanks to 4K60 output and hardware video decoding, and its low power draw suits a light home server for Plex, file sharing, or a few containers. Digital signage, kiosks, and a quiet second PC for a home office or a kid’s homework are all comfortable fits. The chip can address up to three displays, though most mini PCs built on it expose two HDMI ports.

Retro gaming and emulation are a real strength for a chip this cheap, as long as you keep expectations around the GameCube-and-earlier tier. The N5105 is not a machine for modern gaming, serious content creation, or keeping a dozen heavy applications open at once. For those, step up to an N100, an N150, or a Ryzen mobile box.

What to Look For

Memory configuration is the single most important thing to check. Dual-channel RAM meaningfully improves both graphics and general responsiveness, so a model with two SODIMM slots (or dual-channel soldered memory) beats a single-channel one. Watch for soldered RAM too: many boxes solder 8GB with no upgrade path, so buy the capacity you need up front. A 12GB or 16GB configuration gives useful headroom over the common 8GB.

Storage flexibility varies. Some models include an M.2 slot plus a 2.5-inch SATA bay for a large second drive, handy for a media library or a small server; others rely on onboard eMMC plus a single M.2 slot. Cooling is a real decision too: fanless models are silent but run warm, while actively-cooled ones stay cooler and are usually still quiet.

Finally, check the ports before you buy. Ethernet is typically gigabit rather than 2.5GbE, wireless ranges from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6, and USB-C is a trap on some designs: at least one popular fanless N5105 wires its USB-C port for power input only, with no data and no video. If a dock or a third display matters to you, confirm the port supports it; the connector shape does not guarantee the function.