Celeron M P4600 vs Pentium G2120

Intel

Celeron M P4600

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 2 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G2120

2 Cores2 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012
Similar parts
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Celeron M P4600 vs Pentium G2120 Performance Spectrum

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.

Celeron M P4600 vs Pentium G2120 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 M P4600 vs Pentium G2120: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Celeron M P4600

2010

Why buy it

  • +0.5% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 3 MB).
  • 830.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 55W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Pentium G2120 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium G2120

2012

Why buy it

  • +50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).
  • Draws 55W instead of 512W, a 457W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), while Celeron M P4600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,876 vs 1,886).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G2120 better than Celeron M P4600?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G2120 is ahead with a 1.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron M P4600 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Pentium G2120 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron M P4600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Pentium G2120 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium G2120 comes in in basically the same MSRP band at $86 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron M P4600 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 0.5% better value on paper (21.9 vs 21.8 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA988.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Pentium G2120 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010) and 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Celeron M P4600 vs Pentium G2120 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Celeron M P4600

The Celeron M P4600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,886 points. Launch price was $86.

Intel

Pentium G2120

The Pentium G2120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $88.

Processing Power

Both the Celeron M P4600 and Pentium G2120 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Celeron M P4600 versus 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 — a 43.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G2120. The Celeron M P4600 uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium G2120 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron M P4600 scores 1,886 against the Pentium G2120's 1,876 — a 0.5% lead for the Celeron M P4600. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron M P4600 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G2120.

FeatureCeleron M P4600Pentium G2120
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2 GHz
3.1 GHz+55%
Base Clock
3.1 GHz
L3 Cache
2 MB
3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
512 kB+100%
256 kB (per core)
Process
32 nm
22 nm-31%
Architecture
Arrandale (2010−2011)
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark
1,886
1,876
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Memory & Platform

The Celeron M P4600 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G2120 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCeleron M P4600Pentium G2120
Socket
PGA988
LGA1155
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Celeron M P4600) / VT-x (Pentium G2120). The Pentium G2120 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Celeron M P4600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.

FeatureCeleron M P4600Pentium G2120
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Desktop
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Value Analysis

At launch, the Celeron M P4600 was priced at $86, while the Pentium G2120 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($86 vs $86), Pentium G2120 was $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron M P4600 delivers 21.9 pts/$ vs 21.8 pts/$ for the Pentium G2120 — making the Celeron M P4600 the 0.5% better value option.

FeatureCeleron M P4600Pentium G2120
MSRP
$86
$86
Performance per Dollar
21.9
21.8
Release Date
2010
2012

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