Pentium 4 2.80 vs Celeron 420
Pentium 4 2.80
Celeron 420
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 Pentium 4 2.80 is positioned at rank 1114 and the Celeron 420 is on rank 982, so the Celeron 420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 4 2.80
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Conroe-L (2007−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+74%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ 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 Pentium 4 2.80 and Celeron 420
Pentium 4 2.80
The Pentium 4 2.80 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.79 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 110 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 408 points. Launch price was $69.
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.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium 4 2.80 and Celeron 420 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.79 GHz on the Pentium 4 2.80 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 420 — a 54.2% clock advantage for the Pentium 4 2.80. The Pentium 4 2.80 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (130 nm), while the Celeron 420 uses Conroe-L (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 4 2.80 scores 408 against the Celeron 420's 425 — a 4.1% lead for the Celeron 420. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.79 GHz+74% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (total) |
| Process | 130 nm | 65 nm-50% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Conroe-L (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 408 | 425+4% |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 4 2.80 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron 420 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA775 |
| 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: not specified (Pentium 4 2.80) / No (Celeron 420). Primary use case: Celeron 420 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 420 rivals Pentium 4 2.80.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | No |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 4 2.80 launched at $327 MSRP, while the Celeron 420 debuted at $39. At current prices ($25 vs $15), the Celeron 420 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 4 2.80 delivers 16.3 pts/$ vs 28.3 pts/$ for the Celeron 420 — making the Celeron 420 the 53.8% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 4 2.80 | Celeron 420 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $327 | $39-88% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25 | $15-40% |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.3 | 28.3+74% |
| Release Date | 2002 | 2007 |
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