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Intel Celeron G440

Intel Celeron G440: Outdated, but Still Alive. A Comprehensive Review of the Processor for Enthusiasts and Minimalists

Relevant as of April 2025

1. Key Features: Sandy Bridge Architecture in the Era of Quantum Computing

The Intel Celeron G440, released in 2011, has become a relic of the Sandy Bridge era. Despite its age, it still appears in niche builds. Let's take a look at its key specifications:

- Architecture and Process: 32nm technology, single core (1 Core / 1 Thread), base frequency of 1.6 GHz.

- Performance: Geekbench 6 Single/Multi-Core — 287 points. For comparison, a modern budget Intel N100 (2023) scores around ~1800/3500.

- Features: Support for SSE4.2 instructions, Intel HD graphics (Sandy Bridge), VT-x virtualization.

Example from Practice: In 2024, an enthusiast built a PC based on the G440 to run Windows XP and retro games from the 2000s. The processor handled Quake III and the 2003 office suite well, but “froze” when attempting to open 10 tabs in modern Chrome.

2. Compatible Motherboards: Hunting for Relics

The Celeron G440 uses the LGA 1155 socket, which limits the selection of motherboards to vintage models:

- Chipsets: Intel H61, B65, H67, P67. No new boards have been released since 2013.

- Prices: The only new boards available are unpacked leftovers. For example, the ASUS P8H61-M LX3 PLUS (around $120 at rare stores).

- Tips: Look for boards with SATA III and USB 3.0 (for example, ASRock H61M/U3S3). Avoid models with swollen capacitors.

Important: The BIOS of many boards has not been updated since 2015. Support for modern SSDs is possible, but without TRIM optimization.

3. Memory: Only DDR3

The processor supports DDR3-1066/1333 MHz in dual-channel mode.

- Recommendations: 4-8 GB (2×4 GB). For instance, Kingston HyperX Blu (1333 MHz).

- Limitations: DDR4/DDR5 are physically incompatible. Attempting to install them may damage the slots.

Case: A user installed 8 GB of DDR3-1600, but the processor automatically downgraded the frequency to 1333 MHz.

4. Power Supply: Energy Efficiency as an Advantage

With a TDP of 35W, the processor does not require a powerful PSU:

- Minimum: 300W (e.g., FSP Hyper K 300W, ~$40).

- Recommendation: Choose a PSU with headroom for future upgrades. Be Quiet! System Power 10 450W ($55) would work well.

Tip: Even a cheap PSU will suffice, but to protect components, choose models certified with 80 Plus White/Bronze.

5. Pros and Cons: Why Is It Still Relevant in 2025?

Pros:

- Ultra-low price: New units (if found) — $15-25.

- Energy efficiency: Ideal for 24/7 operation (e.g., home server).

- Easy cooling: Even a passive heatsink is sufficient.

Cons:

- Single-core: Struggles with multitasking.

- Outdated standards: Lacks USB 3.1, NVMe, HDMI 2.0.

- Compatibility risk: New OS (Windows 11, Linux Kernel 6.x) may not be supported.

6. Use Cases: Where Is the G440 Still Useful?

- Retro Gaming: Running older games (Half-Life 2, GTA: San Andreas) without the bugs of modern hardware.

- Office Tasks: Working with text (LibreOffice), email, PDFs.

- Media Center: Playing 1080p content through Kodi (with hardware acceleration).

- Educational Projects: Teaching PC assembly, basic programming in Python.

Fail: Streaming on Twitch (insufficient power for encoding).

7. Competitors: Who Challenged the G440 in Its Era?

- AMD E2-1800 (2012): 2 cores, TDP 18W. Outperforms in multitasking but is weaker in single-core performance (Geekbench 6: 201/305).

- Raspberry Pi 5 (2023): ARM processor, 4 cores. Comparable performance but consumes 5W and costs $80 (with RAM and Wi-Fi).

- Intel Pentium G620 (2011): 2 cores. On the secondary market — $10-15, better for multithreading.

Conclusion: The G440 loses to even budget ARM devices, but wins on price.

8. Assembly Tips: How to Avoid Mistakes

- SSD is a must: Kingston A400 120 GB ($25) will speed up OS loading.

- Don’t skimp on RAM: 8 GB DDR3 is the minimum for Windows 10.

- Cooler: Arctic Alpine 11 GT ($12) is suitable.

- Case: Mini-ITX for a compact media center (Cooler Master Elite 110).

Hack: Install a lightweight OS — Linux Lite or Windows 7 Embedded.

9. Summary: Who Is the Celeron G440 Suitable For in 2025?

This processor is a choice for:

- Retro-tech enthusiasts: Building a PC for old games and OS.

- Minimalists: A budget system for text typing and browsing.

- Educators: Demonstrating PC architecture basics without risking expensive hardware.

Target Audience: Those who value a price of <$50 for a basic system over performance.

Conclusion

The Intel Celeron G440 in 2025 is an archaic yet intriguing artifact. It is not suitable for work or gaming but can serve as the heart of nostalgic projects. Buy it only if you are a collector or wish to build a PC "like the good old days." For everyday tasks, consider the Raspberry Pi 5 or a used Core i3 of the 8th generation.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

September 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.

G440

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

1.60 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

35 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.

650 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.

1.00 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.

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.

1 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

287

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

287

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

316

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

300

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

743

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

425

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon E5-4640

375 +30.7%

Celeron G1820T

339 +18.1%

Celeron G440

287

A4-3330MX

235 -18.1%

E2-1800

119 -58.5%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Celeron 3865U

693 +141.5%

Pentium B980

601 +109.4%

Core i3-2377M

500 +74.2%

A6-4455M

336 +17.1%

Celeron G440

287

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i3-390M

390 +23.4%

Pentium B960

355 +12.3%

Celeron G440

316

A6-5345M

277 -12.3%

Celeron N3060

211 -33.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

A6-5400B

688 +129.3%

A4-6320

588 +96%

Pentium U5600

471 +57%

Celeron G465

332 +10.7%

Celeron G440

300

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon E5606

942 +26.8%

Celeron G470

844 +13.6%

Celeron G440

743

Opteron 2222

618 -16.8%

E-450

497 -33.1%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Celeron G550T

1102 +159.3%

Celeron 1017U

888 +108.9%

A4-3320M

668 +57.2%

Atom E3827

463 +8.9%

Celeron G440

425