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Intel Pentium G620

Intel Pentium G620: A Comprehensive Review of the 2011 Processor in 2025

Introduction

The Intel Pentium G620 is a budget segment representative of the Sandy Bridge line, released in 2011. Despite its age, it may still be relevant for certain use cases. In this article, we will analyze its specifications, compatibility, strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide recommendations for building a PC based on it in 2025.

1. Key Specifications

Architecture and Technology Process

The processor is built on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture (2011) with a 32 nm technology process. This was Intel’s first generation to introduce integrated graphics (in models with "T" or "S" suffixes), but the G620 lacks a graphics module.

Performance

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 2 threads (no Hyper-Threading).

- Clock Speed: 2.6 GHz (non-overclockable).

- Cache: 3 MB L3.

- Graphics: Discrete graphics card required.

- Geekbench 6: 415 (Single-Core), 675 (Multi-Core). For comparison, the modern Celeron G6900 (2023) scores around 1800/3500.

Key Features

- Supports SSE4.1/4.2 and AVX instruction sets.

- Energy efficiency: TDP of 65W.

- Intel 64 technology (supports 64-bit operating systems).

2. Compatible Motherboards

Socket and Chipsets

- Socket: LGA 1155.

- Chipsets: H61, B65, H67, Q67, Z68.

- H61: Budget option (no overclocking, 2 RAM slots, SATA II).

- Z68: Overclocking support (though G620 is locked), SATA III, USB 3.0 (via third-party controllers).

Selection Considerations

- As of 2025, new motherboards for LGA 1155 are no longer produced. Prices for used models start from $20 (H61) to $50 (Z68).

- It's recommended to check the condition of capacitors and ensure the latest BIOS updates (support for Windows 10/11 is limited).

3. Supported Memory Types

- Type: DDR3-1066/1333 MHz.

- Maximum Capacity: 32 GB (depends on the motherboard).

- Dual-Channel Mode: It’s recommended to use 2 identical modules (e.g., 2x4 GB).

Important: Modern DDR4 and DDR5 standards are not supported.

4. Power Supply Recommendations

- Minimum Wattage: 300W (considering a discrete graphics card like NVIDIA GT 1030).

- Tips:

- For a system with a Pentium G620 and a graphics card without additional power (e.g., GTX 1650), a 400W PSU will suffice.

- Models with an 80+ Bronze certification are recommended (e.g., EVGA 400 BR, $45).

5. Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Low Cost: New processors (if you find them) cost $30-40.

- Energy Efficiency: Suitable for passive cooling systems.

- Sufficient for Basic Tasks: Web browsing, office applications, HD video playback.

Cons:

- Outdated Architecture: No support for AVX2, NVMe, USB 3.1.

- Limited Multitasking: 2 threads are a weak point for modern operating systems and applications.

- No Integrated Graphics: A discrete graphics card is mandatory.

6. Use Cases

1. Office Tasks

- Example: Document work, web browser (up to 10 tabs), Zoom.

- OS: Windows 10 LTSC or Linux (Lubuntu).

2. Multimedia

- Example: Media center based on Kodi (1080p).

- Recommendation: Add an SSD for fast booting.

3. Gaming

- Older Titles: Half-Life 2, CS:GO (on low settings, ~40 FPS).

- Emulators: PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64.

4. Servers

- Example: NAS or home server based on TrueNAS.

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Athlon II X2 270 (2011):

- Pros: Cheaper ($15-20), higher clock speed (3.4 GHz).

- Cons: No AVX support, higher TDP (65W).

Intel Celeron G5905 (2020):

- Pros: Supports DDR4, UHD 610, 2 cores at 3.5 GHz.

- Cons: New price — $60, requires LGA 1200 platform.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

1. Choosing an SSD: Kingston A400 240GB ($30) will speed up system boot.

2. Graphics Card: NVIDIA GT 710 ($50) for display output.

3. Cooling: The stock cooler is sufficient, but for quieter operation, the Arctic Alpine 11 ($15) will work well.

4. RAM: 8 GB DDR3 (2x4 GB, $25) is the optimal amount.

5. Case: MicroATX (e.g., Thermaltake Versa H15, $40).

9. Conclusion: Who Is the Pentium G620 Suitable For?

- Budget Users: Building a PC for study or text work for $150-200.

- Retro PC Enthusiasts: Creating systems on old platforms.

- Owners of Specific Tasks: Low-profile servers or media centers.

Why in 2025?

Despite its age, the Pentium G620 remains one of the most affordable processors for entering the PC world. It’s sufficient for basic tasks, and compatibility with cheap components makes building economical. However, it is unsuitable for modern gaming, video editing, or working with AI.

Price: As of April 2025, a new processor (if available) costs $30-40. Motherboards and memory are only available used.

Alternative: If the budget allows, choosing the Intel Celeron G6900 ($60) or AMD Athlon 3000G ($70) for support of DDR4 and modern interfaces is a better option.

This article is relevant as of April 2025. All prices are for new components, if they are available on the market.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

May 2011

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.

G620

Code Name

Sandy Bridge

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).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.60 GHz

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.

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.

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1155

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.

32 nm

TDP

65 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.

2.0

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

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.

DDR3 1066

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

32 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

5 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).

17 GB/s

GPU Specifications

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics for 2nd Generation Intel® Processors

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

850 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.

1.10 GHz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

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.

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

Instruction Set Extensions

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2

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

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

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.

3 MB Intel® Smart Cache

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.

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.

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

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

415

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

675

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

457

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

787

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1194

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

1223

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i7-3612QM

486 +17.1%

Athlon X4 750K

449 +8.2%

Pentium G620

415

Xeon L5638

385 -7.2%

Opteron 6380

348 -16.1%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Phenom II X4 850

934 +38.4%

Pentium G645

814 +20.6%

Pentium G620

675

Celeron 1037U

584 -13.5%

E-240

479 -29%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

PRO A12-8870

493 +7.9%

Celeron G1620

476 +4.2%

Pentium G620

457

A6 PRO-7400B

441 -3.5%

Core i7-2630QM

416 -9%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-3517UE

931 +18.3%

A8-4500M

853 +8.4%

Pentium G620

787

Celeron G540

687 -12.7%

Core i3-2312M

587 -25.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Athlon II X4 651

1295 +8.5%

Pentium G630

1246 +4.4%

Pentium G620

1194

A10-5750M

1138 -4.7%

Xeon D-1557

1090 -8.7%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Celeron 5205U

1459 +19.3%

A4-5050

1328 +8.6%

Pentium G620

1223

Pentium 2127U

1068 -12.7%

Core i3-2367M

833 -31.9%