Celeron 4305U vs Athlon II X3 420e
Celeron 4305U
Athlon II X3 420e
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 4305U is positioned at rank 109 and the Athlon II X3 420e is on rank 906, so the Celeron 4305U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 4305U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 420e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+611%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($107) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 4305U and Athlon II X3 420e
Celeron 4305U
The Celeron 4305U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,562 points. Launch price was $107.
Athlon II X3 420e
The Athlon II X3 420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,557 points. Launch price was $116.
Processing Power
The Celeron 4305U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X3 420e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 420e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron 4305U versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Celeron 4305U uses the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II X3 420e uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 4305U scores 1,562 against the Athlon II X3 420e's 1,557 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron 4305U. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 4305U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 420e.
| Feature | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.6 GHz+18% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.6 GHz+18% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,562 | 1,557 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 314 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 880 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 4305U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X3 420e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2133 on the Celeron 4305U versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 420e — the Celeron 4305U supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 4305U supports up to 64 of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Whiskey Lake-U (Celeron 4305U) and 760G,785G,880G (Athlon II X3 420e).
| Feature | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 2133+71000% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 | 16 GB+26214300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron 4305U) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X3 420e). The Celeron 4305U includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 610), while the Athlon II X3 420e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 4305U targets Budget, Athlon II X3 420e targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron 4305U rivals Pentium Gold 5405U; Athlon II X3 420e rivals Athlon II X3 415e.
| Feature | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics 610 | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Legacy Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Celeron 4305U launched at $107 MSRP, while the Athlon II X3 420e debuted at $107.
| Feature | Celeron 4305U | Athlon II X3 420e |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107 | $107 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $15 |
| Release Date | 2019 | 2010 |
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