Celeron G3900 vs Core i5-4250U
Celeron G3900
Core i5-4250U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Celeron G3900 is positioned at rank 419 and the Core i5-4250U is on rank 100, so the Core i5-4250U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G3900
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4250U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron G3900 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron G3900 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Celeron G3900 and Core i5-4250U
Celeron G3900
The Celeron G3900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,155 points. Launch price was $42.
Core i5-4250U
The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.
Processing Power
The Celeron G3900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-4250U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Celeron G3900 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U — a 7.4% clock advantage for the Celeron G3900 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Celeron G3900 uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-4250U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G3900 scores 2,155 against the Core i5-4250U's 2,144 — a 0.5% lead for the Celeron G3900. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 680 vs 770, a 12.4% lead for the Core i5-4250U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,250 vs 1,450 (14.8% advantage for the Core i5-4250U). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Celeron G3900 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4250U.
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+8% | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+115% | 1.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total)+33% | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,155 | 2,144 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 680 | 770+13% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,250 | 1,450+16% |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron G3900 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-4250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Celeron G3900 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i5-4250U — the Celeron G3900 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G3900 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Celeron G3900) vs 12 (Core i5-4250U) — the Celeron G3900 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H110,B150,H170,Z170 (Celeron G3900) and Haswell-ULT (Core i5-4250U).
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133+33% | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+300% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 510 (Celeron G3900) and HD Graphics 5000 (Core i5-4250U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G3900 targets Desktop, Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron G3900 rivals Pentium G4400; Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Celeron G3900 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 510 | HD Graphics 5000 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Desktop | Budget |
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