The G3420 is a 2013 Haswell based CPU and is part of Intel's value range of Pentium processors which were first released in 2011. The Pentium-G range have very strong single and dual core performance but lag far behind the group leaders in terms of multi-core processing (MCP). MCP is important for tasks such as audio/video encoding, or software development. For regular PC use such as surfing the web, listening to music, watching movies and playing the vast majority of games, MCP is not required. The G3420 currently retails for less than one fifth of the price of a top of the range 4770K but has an effective speed of 81.2 which is just 4% lower than the average of the current group leaders. The vast majority of users will notice no difference even by paying five times more for a top end multi-core processor. The G3420 is my top value CPU pick for 2014.
[Mar '14CPUPro]
We calculate effective speed which measures real world performance for typical users. Effective speed is adjusted by current prices to yield a value for money rating. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top CPUs. [CPUPro]
Welcome to our PC speed test tool. UserBenchmark will test your PC and compare the results to other users with the same components. You can quickly size up your PC, identify hardware problems and explore the best value for money upgrades.