Pentium Gold G5400 vs Pentium Gold G5420

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.

Pentium Gold G5400 vs Pentium Gold G5420 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.

Pentium Gold G5400 vs Pentium Gold G5420: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium Gold G5400

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Pentium Gold G5420.

Pentium Gold G5420

2019

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium Gold G5400.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium Gold G5400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,700 vs 3,735).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G5400 better than Pentium Gold G5420?

Yes. Pentium Gold G5400 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium Gold G5400 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.7% 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 Gold G5400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G5400 still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Gold G5400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium Gold G5420 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium Gold G5400 vs Pentium Gold G5420 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium Gold G5400

The Pentium Gold G5400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 58 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,735 points. Launch price was $64.

Pentium Gold G5420

The Pentium Gold G5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,700 points. Launch price was $64.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium Gold G5400 and Pentium Gold G5420 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5400 versus 3.8 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5420 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G5420 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). Both are built on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Pentium Gold G5400 scores 3,735 against the Pentium Gold G5420's 3,700 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium Gold G5400. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G5400 vs 4 MB on the Pentium Gold G5420.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5400	Pentium Gold G5420
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.7 GHz	3.8 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	3,735	3,700
Geekbench 6 Single	—	764
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,515

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1151 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5400	Pentium Gold G5420
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Pentium Gold G5400) vs VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Pentium Gold G5420). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 610 (Pentium Gold G5400) and Intel UHD Graphics 610 (Pentium Gold G5420) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Gold G5400 targets Budget, Pentium Gold G5420 targets Office.