Celeron 420 vs Celeron 540

Celeron 420

1 Cores1 Thrd35 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2007

Celeron 540

30 WW2007

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Celeron 420

1 / 1

425

+4.2%

408

0.0%

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 420 is positioned at rank 982 and the Celeron 540 is on rank 1212, so the Celeron 420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 420

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

28598%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

27022%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

19620%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5911%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4682%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

4096%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2346%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2315%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2108%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2108%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2084%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2028%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2000%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1992%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1974%

#304

Core i7-6950X

MSRP: $1723|Avg: $180

94%

#982

Celeron 420

MSRP: $39|Avg: $15

100%

#983

Athlon II X4 615e

MSRP: $186|Avg: $30

100%

#984

Athlon X2 BE-2350

MSRP: $90|Avg: $10

99%

#985

Core 2 Quad Q8300

MSRP: $179|Avg: $10

98%

#986

Core i7-860

MSRP: $284|Avg: $30

97%

#987

Core i7-870

MSRP: $300|Avg: $80

97%

#988

Athlon 64 X2 5000+

MSRP: $136|Avg: $42

96%

#989

Core i3-6102E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

96%

#990

Pentium Dual-Core E2160

MSRP: $84|Avg: $5

96%

#991

Pentium Dual-Core E2210

MSRP: $98|Avg: $15

94%

#992

Core 2 Duo E7500

MSRP: $113|Avg: $10

94%

#993

Core 2 Quad Q9505

MSRP: $213|Avg: $150

94%

#996

Core i7-930

MSRP: $294|Avg: $20

93%

#997

Core i7-920

MSRP: $284|Avg: $79

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 540

#1200

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6190%

#1201

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6099%

#1202

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5599%

#1203

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5574%

#1204

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5523%

#1206

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5333%

#1207

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5114%

#1208

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5105%

#1209

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4968%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

100%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

98%

#1216

Core 2 Quad Q9000

MSRP: $348|Avg: $15

97%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

97%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

96%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

94%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

93%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

91%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

88%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

86%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

86%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

85%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

85%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Celeron 420 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Celeron 540 in both compute-intensive tasks (4.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Celeron 420	Celeron 540
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($15)	✅ More affordable ($5)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Conroe-L (2007−2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Celeron 540 holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $5 (vs $15), it costs 67% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 188% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Celeron 420.

Insight	Celeron 420	Celeron 540
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+188%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($15)	✅ More affordable ($5)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Celeron 420 Benchmark Check

Celeron 540 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Celeron 420 and Celeron 540

Celeron 420

The Celeron 420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Conroe-L (2007−2008) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 425 points. Launch price was $23.

Celeron 540

The Celeron 540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Base frequency: 1.86 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 408 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron 420 is built on the Conroe-L (2007−2008) architecture. In PassMark, the Celeron 420 scores 425 against the Celeron 540's 408 — a 4.1% lead for the Celeron 420. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron 420 vs 1 MB L2 Cache on the Celeron 540.

Feature	Celeron 420	Celeron 540
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	—
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	—
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.86 GHz+16%
L3 Cache	0 kB	1 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	512 kB (total)	—
Process	65 nm	65 nm
Architecture	Conroe-L (2007−2008)	—
PassMark	425+4%	408

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron 420 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron 540 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-800 memory speed. The Celeron 420 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: 945,G31,G41 (Celeron 420) and Santa Rosa (Celeron 540).

Feature	Celeron 420	Celeron 540
Socket	LGA775	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+300%	4 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support No virtualization. Primary use case: Celeron 420 targets Budget, Celeron 540 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 420 rivals Pentium 4 2.80; Celeron 540 rivals Pentium T2310.

Feature	Celeron 420	Celeron 540
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	No	No
Target Use	Budget	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Celeron 420 launched at $39 MSRP, while the Celeron 540 debuted at $86. At current prices ($15 vs $5), the Celeron 540 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron 420 delivers 28.3 pts/$ vs 81.6 pts/$ for the Celeron 540 — making the Celeron 540 the 96.9% better value option.