Celeron 3855U vs Core i5-430M
Celeron 3855U
Core i5-430M
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 3855U is positioned at rank 193 and the Core i5-430M is on rank 12, so the Core i5-430M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3855U
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-430M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3855U | Core i5-430M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($33) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3855U | Core i5-430M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($33) |
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 3855U and Core i5-430M
Celeron 3855U
The Celeron 3855U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-1866/2133, LPDDR3-1600/1866, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $107.
Core i5-430M
The Core i5-430M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $79.
Processing Power
The Celeron 3855U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-430M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 3855U versus 2.53 GHz on the Core i5-430M — a 45% clock advantage for the Core i5-430M (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Celeron 3855U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-430M uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3855U scores 1,215 against the Core i5-430M's 1,210 — a 0.4% lead for the Celeron 3855U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 361 vs 350, a 3.1% lead for the Celeron 3855U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 632 vs 750 (17.1% advantage for the Core i5-430M). L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron 3855U vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-430M.
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Core i5-430M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.53 GHz+58% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.26 GHz+41% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 3 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Arrandale (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,215 | 1,210 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 361+3% | 350 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 632 | 750+19% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3855U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-430M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4 2133 MHz on the Celeron 3855U versus DDR3-1066 on the Core i5-430M — the Celeron 3855U supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3855U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 10 (Celeron 3855U) vs 16 (Core i5-430M) — the Core i5-430M offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FCBGA1356 (Celeron 3855U) and HM55 (Core i5-430M).
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Core i5-430M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4 2133 MHz+33% | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 10 | 16+60% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron 3855U) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-430M). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 510 (Celeron 3855U) and Intel HD Graphics (Core i5-430M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3855U targets Budget, Core i5-430M targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Celeron 3855U rivals Pentium 3825U; Core i5-430M rivals AMD Turion II M620.
| Feature | Celeron 3855U | Core i5-430M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 510 | Intel HD Graphics |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | Budget | Performance Laptop |
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