CPU
GPU
Xeon L5420
Celeron G3900
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 Xeon L5420 is positioned at rank 847 and the Celeron G3900 is on rank 419, so the Celeron G3900 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5420
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G3900
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Celeron G3900 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon L5420 | Celeron G3900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
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 Xeon L5420 and Celeron G3900
Xeon L5420
The Xeon L5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 March 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 50 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,143 points. Launch price was $380.
Celeron G3900
The Celeron G3900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,155 points. Launch price was $42.
Processing Power
The Xeon L5420 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron G3900 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Xeon L5420 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Xeon L5420 versus 2.8 GHz on the Celeron G3900 — a 11.3% clock advantage for the Celeron G3900 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Xeon L5420 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron G3900 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon L5420 scores 2,143 against the Celeron G3900's 2,155 — a 0.6% lead for the Celeron G3900. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon L5420 vs 4 MB (total) on the Celeron G3900.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Celeron G3900 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.8 GHz+12% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.8 GHz+12% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+200% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+2300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 2,143 | 2,155 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 680 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,250 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon L5420 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron G3900 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Celeron G3900 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon L5420) / VT-x, VT-d (Celeron G3900). The Celeron G3900 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 510), while the Xeon L5420 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G3900 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron G3900 rivals Pentium G4400.
| Feature | Xeon L5420 | Celeron G3900 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 510 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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