Celeron 420 vs Pentium M 1.70

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.

Celeron 420 vs Pentium M 1.70 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Celeron 420 vs Pentium M 1.70: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Celeron 420

2007

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (425 vs 435).
❌Launch MSRP is still $39 MSRP, while Pentium M 1.70 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌45.8% higher power demand at 35W vs 24W.

Pentium M 1.70

2003

Why buy it

✅Draws 24W instead of 35W, a 11W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium M 1.70 better than Celeron 420?

Yes. Pentium M 1.70 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 2.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium M 1.70 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 6.2% higher max boost clock.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium M 1.70 is the stronger fit. You are getting 2.4% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium M 1.70 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium M 1.70 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $39 MSRP, and it still gives you 2.4% higher PassMark. Celeron 420 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2007 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (10.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Celeron 420 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2007 vs 2003). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron 420 vs Pentium M 1.70 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Pentium M 1.70

The Pentium M 1.70 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Banias (2003) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 24 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 435 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Celeron 420 and Pentium M 1.70 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 420 versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium M 1.70 — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Pentium M 1.70. The Celeron 420 uses the Conroe-L (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium M 1.70 uses Banias (2003) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 420 scores 425 against the Pentium M 1.70's 435 — a 2.3% lead for the Pentium M 1.70. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Celeron 420	Pentium M 1.70
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	1 / 1
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	1.7 GHz+6%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (total)	1 MB+100%
Process	65 nm-50%	130 nm
Architecture	Conroe-L (2007−2008)	Banias (2003)
PassMark	425	435+2%

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Memory & Platform

The Celeron 420 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium M 1.70 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron 420	Pentium M 1.70
Socket	LGA775	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: No (Celeron 420) / not specified (Pentium M 1.70). Primary use case: Celeron 420 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 420 rivals Pentium 4 2.80.