Pentium G3420 vs Core i5-2430M

Pentium G3420

2 Cores2 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2013

Core i5-2430M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium G3420

2 / 2

2,022

+0.3%

2,015

0.0%

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 G3420 is positioned at rank 714 and the Core i5-2430M is on rank 1106, so the Pentium G3420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3420

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

13259%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

12528%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

9097%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

2740%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2171%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1899%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1088%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1073%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

977%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

977%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

966%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

940%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

927%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

923%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

915%

#714

Pentium G3420

MSRP: $86|Avg: $40

100%

#715

Core i5-6500

MSRP: $239|Avg: $123

100%

#716

Core i3-4340

MSRP: $149|Avg: $50

100%

#717

Core i7-4770T

MSRP: $250|Avg: $39

100%

#718

Core i5-4690K

MSRP: $243|Avg: $101

100%

#719

Core i5-4670R

MSRP: $224|Avg: $29

99%

#720

Core i5-3340

MSRP: $182|Avg: $15

99%

#721

Core i7-4770

MSRP: $303|Avg: $50

99%

#722

Athlon II X3 440

MSRP: $75|Avg: $10

99%

#723

Core i3-4130T

MSRP: $124|Avg: $10

99%

#724

Celeron E3300

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

#725

Core i7-6700T

MSRP: $303|Avg: $60

98%

#726

Core i7-4790K

MSRP: $350|Avg: $93

98%

#727

Celeron E3400

MSRP: $53|Avg: $15

98%

#728

FX-4100

MSRP: $115|Avg: $20

97%

#729

Core i5-7440EQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: $30

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2430M

#1094

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3275%

#1095

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3227%

#1096

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2962%

#1097

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2949%

#1098

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2922%

#1100

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2821%

#1101

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2705%

#1102

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2701%

#1103

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2628%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

99%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

98%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

98%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

97%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

96%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

96%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

95%

#1120

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

95%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium G3420 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-2430M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Pentium G3420	Core i5-2430M
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($40)	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium G3420 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 82% cheaper ($40 vs $225) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Pentium G3420	Core i5-2430M
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+464%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($40)	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Pentium G3420 Benchmark Check

Core i5-2430M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium G3420 and Core i5-2430M

Pentium G3420

The Pentium G3420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,022 points. Launch price was $252.

Core i5-2430M

The Core i5-2430M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,015 points. Launch price was $225.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium G3420 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-2430M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3420 versus 3 GHz on the Core i5-2430M — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Pentium G3420 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Pentium G3420 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-2430M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G3420 scores 2,022 against the Core i5-2430M's 2,015 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium G3420. Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium G3420	Core i5-2430M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+7%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+33%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,022	2,015

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium G3420 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2430M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium G3420	Core i5-2430M
Socket	LGA1150	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G3420) / true (Core i5-2430M). The Core i5-2430M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium G3420 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2430M rivals AMD A8-3500M.