Intel Celeron 420 vs Intel Core i3-540

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Celeron 420 or Intel Celeron 420 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Celeron 420 features 1 processor cores and has the capability to manage 1 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2007 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Celeron series.
To use the Intel Celeron 420, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 775 socket.
The Intel Core i3-540 features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2010 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i3 series.
To use the Intel Core i3-540, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1156 socket.
Intel Celeron Family Intel Core i3
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Celeron 420 Name Intel Core i3-540
Intel Celeron 400 Group Intel Core i3 500
1 Generation 1
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Celeron 420 has 1 CPU cores and can calculate 1 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Celeron 420 is 1.6 GHz
The processor has one core only.
The Intel Core i3-540 has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i3-540 is 3.06 GHz
normal Core architecture normal
1x Core Cores 2x
No Hyperthreading Yes
1.6 GHz Frequency 3.06 GHz
No Overclocking No
1 Threads 4
1 CPU Cores 2
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Celeron 420 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i3-540 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i3-540 uses the Intel HD Graphics (Westmere), which has 24 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- GPU (Turbo) 0.73 GHz
-- Release date Q1/2010
-- Execution units 12
-- Direct X 10.1
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders 24
GPU name Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)
-- GPU frequency 0.5 GHz
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
-- Generation 5
-- Technology 32 nm
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 No
-- VP9 No
-- AVC Decode
-- h264 Decode
-- JPEG No
-- VC-1 No
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 16.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 21.0 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
No AES-NI No
16.0 GB Max. Memory 16.0 GB
-- Bandwidth 21.0 GB/s
DDR3-1066, DDR2-800 Memory type DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333
pci PCIe pci
2 Memory channels 2
No ECC Yes
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 35 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 73 W watts.
35 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 73 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Celeron 420 is manufactured using a 65 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i3-540 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
Q2/2007 Release date Q1/2010
LGA 775 Socket LGA 1156
512.0 KB L2-Cache 512.0 KB
0 bytes L3-Cache 4.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
Conroe (Core) Architecture Clarkdale
None Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
-- Release price 117 $
SSE3, MMX, SSE, SSE2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
65 nm Technology 32 nm