
Celeron 1020M vs A6-5400K

Celeron 1020M

A6-5400K
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 Celeron 1020M is positioned at rank 170 and the A6-5400K is on rank 765, so the Celeron 1020M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 1020M
Performance Per Dollar A6-5400K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 1020M | A6-5400K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 1020M | A6-5400K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Celeron 1020M and A6-5400K

Celeron 1020M
The Celeron 1020M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,275 points. Launch price was $86.

A6-5400K
The A6-5400K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,279 points. Launch price was $70.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 1020M and A6-5400K share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Celeron 1020M versus 3.8 GHz on the A6-5400K — a 57.6% clock advantage for the A6-5400K (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Celeron 1020M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the A6-5400K uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 1020M scores 1,275 against the A6-5400K's 1,279 — a 0.3% lead for the A6-5400K. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 1020M vs 0 kB on the A6-5400K.
| Feature | Celeron 1020M | A6-5400K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.8 GHz+81% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.6 GHz+71% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+300% |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,275 | 1,279 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 390 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 1020M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A6-5400K uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM77,HM76,HM75 (Celeron 1020M) and A55,A75,A85X,A88X (A6-5400K).
| Feature | Celeron 1020M | A6-5400K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Only the A6-5400K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x (Celeron 1020M) vs AMD-V (A6-5400K). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) (Celeron 1020M) and Radeon HD 7540D (A6-5400K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 1020M targets Budget, A6-5400K targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron 1020M rivals Pentium 2020M; A6-5400K rivals Pentium G2120.
| Feature | Celeron 1020M | A6-5400K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) | Radeon HD 7540D |
| Unlocked | No | Yes |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Budget Desktop |
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