Celeron G3930T vs Core i5-655K

The Celeron G3930T packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-655K's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Celeron G3930T versus 3.46 GHz on the Core i5-655K — a 24.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-655K (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Celeron G3930T uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-655K uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G3930T scores 2,023 against the Core i5-655K's 2,017 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron G3930T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 704 vs 560, a 22.8% lead for the Celeron G3930T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,350 vs 1,250 (7.7% advantage for the Celeron G3930T). L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron G3930T vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-655K.

The Celeron G3930T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-655K uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Celeron G3930T versus DDR3-1333 on the Core i5-655K — the Celeron G3930T supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron G3930T 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. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H110,B250,H270,Z270 (Celeron G3930T) and H55,H57,P55 (Core i5-655K).

Only the Core i5-655K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Celeron G3930T) vs VT-x (Core i5-655K). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 610 (Celeron G3930T) and Intel HD Graphics (Westmere) (Core i5-655K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G3930T targets Desktop, Core i5-655K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron G3930T rivals Pentium G4560T.

The Celeron G3930T launched at $42 MSRP, while the Core i5-655K debuted at $216. At current prices ($39 vs $55), the Celeron G3930T is $16 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron G3930T delivers 51.9 pts/$ vs 36.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-655K — making the Celeron G3930T the 34.3% better value option.