
Celeron 420 vs Pentium M 730

Celeron 420

Pentium M 730
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 420 is positioned at rank 982 and the Pentium M 730 is on rank 161, so the Pentium M 730 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 420
Performance Per Dollar Pentium M 730
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 420 | Pentium M 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Conroe-L (2007−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Dothan (2004−2005) / 90 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 420 | Pentium M 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 420 and Pentium M 730

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 730
The Pentium M 730 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Dothan (2004−2005) 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: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 27 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 435 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 420 and Pentium M 730 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 420 versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium M 730 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Celeron 420 uses the Conroe-L (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium M 730 uses Dothan (2004−2005) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 420 scores 425 against the Pentium M 730's 435 — a 2.3% lead for the Pentium M 730. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Celeron 420 | Pentium M 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (total) | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 65 nm-28% | 90 nm |
| Architecture | Conroe-L (2007−2008) | Dothan (2004−2005) |
| PassMark | 425 | 435+2% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 420 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium M 730 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron 420 | Pentium M 730 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: No (Celeron 420) / not specified (Pentium M 730). Primary use case: Celeron 420 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 420 rivals Pentium 4 2.80.
| Feature | Celeron 420 | Pentium M 730 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | No | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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