Celeron E3300 vs Pentium A1020

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 E3300 vs Pentium A1020 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 E3300 vs Pentium A1020: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron E3300

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $36 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
✅Delivers 70.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 23.1 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,155 vs 1,167).
❌550% higher power demand at 65W vs 10W.

Pentium A1020

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 23.1 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium A1020 better than Celeron E3300?

Yes. Pentium A1020 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium A1020 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium A1020 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium A1020 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium A1020 comes in 72.0% more expensive on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $50 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron E3300 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 70.2% better value on paper (23.1 vs 13.6 PassMark/$), 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?

Pentium A1020 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron E3300 vs Pentium A1020 Technical Specifications

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

Celeron E3300

The Celeron E3300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,155 points. Launch price was $70.

Pentium A1020

The Pentium A1020 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.41 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,167 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Celeron E3300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium A1020 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium A1020 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Celeron E3300 versus 2.7 GHz on the Pentium A1020 — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Pentium A1020 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.41 GHz). The Celeron E3300 is built on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. In PassMark, the Celeron E3300 scores 1,155 against the Pentium A1020's 1,167 — a 1% lead for the Pentium A1020. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Celeron E3300 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium A1020.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium A1020
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	2.7 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.41 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB (total)	—
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Wolfdale (2008−2010)	—
PassMark	1,155	1,167+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	347	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	624	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Celeron E3300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium A1020 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium A1020
Socket	LGA775	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron E3300) / not specified (Pentium A1020). Primary use case: Celeron E3300 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E3300 rivals Pentium E5200.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium A1020
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x	—
Target Use	Budget	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron E3300 was priced at $50, while the Pentium A1020 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($50 vs $86), Celeron E3300 was $36 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron E3300 delivers 23.1 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the Pentium A1020 — making the Celeron E3300 the 52% better value option.

Feature	Celeron E3300	Pentium A1020
MSRP	$50-42%	$86
Performance per Dollar	23.1+70%	13.6
Release Date	2009	2016

Search Celeron E3300 on Amazon

Search Pentium A1020 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.