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Intel Celeron G3900

Intel Celeron G3900

Intel Celeron G3900: Budget Processor for Basic Tasks in 2025

Updated: April 2025

1. Key Characteristics: Simplicity and Affordability

Architecture and Process Technology

The Intel Celeron G3900 processor, released in 2016, is based on the Skylake microarchitecture and manufactured using a 14nm process technology. Despite its age, it remains relevant for budget systems due to its low cost and minimal power consumption.

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 2 threads (without Hyper-Threading).

- Frequency: 2.8 GHz (no turbo mode).

- Cache: 2 MB L2 and 2 MB L3 (4 MB total).

- TDP: 51 W.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 510 (base frequency 350 MHz, maximum - 950 MHz).

Performance:

- Geekbench 6: 587 (single-core), 980 (multi-core).

- Real-world Tasks: Easily handles office applications, web surfing, and HD video.

Key Features:

- DDR4 support.

- Integrated graphics chip for 4K displays via HDMI 1.4.

- Low price - around $45 for a new processor in 2025.

2. Compatible Motherboards: LGA 1151 Socket

Chipsets and Selection Features

The Celeron G3900 uses the LGA 1151 (v1) socket. Suitable chipsets include:

- H110, B150, H170, Z170 (for Skylake).

- H310, B365 (require BIOS update for compatibility).

Recommendations:

- Budget Option: ASRock H110M-DVS (around $60).

- Future-proof Option: MSI B150M Mortar (supports M.2 NVMe, $80-$100).

Important:

- Motherboards with 200-series chipsets (e.g., B250) may require BIOS updates.

- The Z170/Z270 chipset’s overclocking capabilities are pointless since Celeron does not support it.

3. Supported Memory: DDR4-2133

The Celeron G3900 operates with DDR4-2133 MHz in dual-channel mode.

- Maximum Capacity: 64 GB (depends on the motherboard).

- Recommendations:

- 8 GB (2×4 GB) - for Windows 10/11 and basic tasks.

- 16 GB - if planning to work with multiple browser tabs and lightweight editors.

Limitations:

- No support for DDR5 or XMP profiles.

- Frequencies above 2133 MHz are not utilized.

4. Power Supply: Minimum 300 W

With a TDP of 51 W and integrated graphics, a system with the Celeron G3900 consumes no more than 100-120 W under load.

Tips:

- Power Supply: 300-400 W (e.g., EVGA 400 W1, $35).

- For a discrete graphics card: 450-500 W (if adding a GPU like the GTX 1650).

Details:

- Integrated graphics do not require extra power.

- Modular power supplies (Corsair CX450M, $55) will simplify the build in compact cases.

5. Pros and Cons of Celeron G3900

Pros:

- Price: One of the cheapest processors on the market ($45).

- Energy Efficiency: Ideal for PCs running 24/7 (e.g., media center).

- Graphics: Supports 4K via HDMI.

Cons:

- Weak Multi-threading: 2 cores won’t handle rendering or streaming.

- Outdated Architecture: Lags behind modern Pentium and Athlon in IPC.

- Limited Upgrade Path: The maximum on the LGA 1151 socket is the Core i7-7700K.

6. Use Cases

Office and Multimedia

- Documents, Excel, Zoom: The processor does not lag even with 10+ Chrome tabs.

- 4K Video: Smooth playback through VLC or Kodi.

Light Gaming

- Minecraft, Dota 2, CS:GO: 30-40 FPS at low settings (720p).

- Emulators: PlayStation 1/PSP - no problems; Nintendo Switch - won’t handle it.

What to Avoid:

- Video editing (even at 1080p).

- Running modern games (Cyberpunk 2077, Starfield).

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Athlon 3000G ($65):

- Pros: Vega 3 graphics (twice as powerful), unlocked multiplier.

- Cons: Higher price, no AVX instruction support.

Intel Pentium Gold G6400 ($75):

- Pros: 4 threads, 4.0 GHz frequency, supports DDR4-2666.

- Cons: 50% more expensive.

Conclusion: The Celeron G3900 only wins on price. For gaming, the Athlon 3000G is better; for multitasking, the Pentium is superior.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

- SSD is Essential: Kingston A400 240 GB ($25) will eliminate system “lag”.

- Cooler: The standard Intel cooler is sufficient, but for quiet operation, consider the Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 ($20).

- Case: Micro-ATX (Fractal Design Core 1100, $45).

- Network Adapter: If the motherboard lacks Wi-Fi, add a TP-Link Archer T4E ($25).

Example Build for $250:

- Processor: $45.

- Motherboard: $60.

- RAM: 8 GB DDR4 - $25.

- SSD: 240 GB - $25.

- Power Supply: $35.

- Case: $45.

9. Final Verdict: Who Should Choose Celeron G3900?

This processor is worth considering if:

- Budget is strictly limited ($200-300 for the entire PC).

- You need a computer for office work, studying, or a home theater.

- You plan to use Linux distributions (Lubuntu, Xubuntu).

Do not buy the Celeron G3900 if:

- You want to play modern games.

- You work with graphics or video editing.

- You plan to upgrade to Core i5/i7 (better to go with Pentium straight away).

In 2025, the G3900 is a “workhorse” for the simplest tasks where saving every penny matters.

CPU Comparison

Compare Celeron G3900 with other CPUs

Please select CPU from the dropdown list.

Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Desktop
Launch Date
September 2015
Model Name
?
The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.
G3900
Code Name
SkyLake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores
?
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
2
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
2
Basic Frequency
2.80 GHz
Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.
Yes
Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.
Yes
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
?
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.
Yes
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
?
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.
No
Intel Turbo Boost Technology
?
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.
No
L3 Cache
4 MB
Cache
?
CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.
2 MB Intel® Smart Cache
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCLGA1151
Intel AES New Instructions
?
Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.
Yes
Technology
?
Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.
14 nm
TDP
51 W
PCI Express Version
?
PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.
3.0
Max Number of PCI Express Lanes
?
A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.
16
Instruction Set
?
The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.
64-bit
Intel 64
?
Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.
Yes
Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
?
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.
Yes
PCI Express Configurations
?
PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.
Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type
?
Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.
DDR4-1866/2133 | DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max Memory Size
?
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
64 GB
Memory Channels
?
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
2
Bus Speed
8 GT/s
Max Memory Bandwidth
?
Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).
34.1 GB/s
ECC Memory Support
?
ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.
Yes

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model
?
An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.
Intel® HD Graphics 510
Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
350 MHz
Graphics Frequency
?
Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.
950 MHz
4K Support
Yes | at 60Hz
Graphics Video Max Memory
64 GB
DirectX Support
?
DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.
12
Max Resolution (DP)
?
Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
4096x2304@60Hz
Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)
?
Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.
4096x2304@60Hz
Max Resolution (HDMI)
?
Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.
4096x2304@24Hz
Number of Displays Supported
3
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI
Intel Clear Video HD Technology
?
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.
Yes
Intel Clear Video Technology
Yes
Intel InTru 3D Technology
Yes
OpenGL Support
?
OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.
4.4
Intel Quick Sync Video
?
Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.
Yes

Miscellaneous

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)
?
Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.
Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2
Execute Disable Bit
?
Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.
Yes
Intel Boot Guard
?
Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.
Yes
Intel OS Guard
No

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6
Single Core Score
587
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
980
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
670
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
1220
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
1712
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
2172

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
Core i7-2600S
659 +12.3%
Xeon E3-1235
626 +6.6%
Celeron G3900
587
Core i7-2960XM
551 -6.1%
Core i3-2120
512 -12.8%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
Xeon E5-2609 v2
1230 +25.5%
Core i5-2390T
1108 +13.1%
Celeron G3900
980
Pentium G3250T
909 -7.2%
Xeon E5-1410
761 -22.3%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Xeon E5-2699 v4
711 +6.1%
Xeon Platinum 8153
688 +2.7%
Celeron G3900
670
Xeon E5-1410
648 -3.3%
Xeon D-1567
622 -7.2%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Pentium Gold G5500T
1383 +13.4%
Athlon X4 740
1310 +7.4%
Celeron G3900
1220
Core i3-6102E
1142 -6.4%
Celeron G1820
1064 -12.8%
Passmark CPU Single Core
Core i7-5600U
1767 +3.2%
Core i5-5257U
1746 +2%
Celeron G3900
1712
Core i7-6560U
1691 -1.2%
Xeon E3-1268L v5
1654 -3.4%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
Core i5-5250U
2465 +13.5%
A10-6700T
2299 +5.8%
Celeron G3900
2172
Pentium G3450T
2016 -7.2%
PRO A6-8570
1906 -12.2%