Celeron G4930 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

Intel

Celeron G4930

2 Cores2 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

4 Cores4 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2009

Celeron G4930 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Performance Spectrum

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.

Celeron G4930 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Celeron G4930 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Celeron G4930

2019

Why buy it

  • +0.3% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 54W instead of 125W, a 71W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 610, while Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 6 MB).
  • Launch MSRP is still $42 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

2009

Why buy it

  • +200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,544 vs 2,551).
  • 131.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 54W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Celeron G4930 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron G4930 better than Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron G4930 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron G4930 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Celeron G4930 is the better buy right now. Celeron G4930 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $42 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (60.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron G4930 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Celeron G4930 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Celeron G4930

The Celeron G4930 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 2,551 points. Launch price was $42.

AMD

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

The Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,544 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Celeron G4930 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Celeron G4930 versus 3.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Celeron G4930 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron G4930 scores 2,551 against the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)'s 2,544 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron G4930. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Celeron G4930 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W).

FeatureCeleron G4930Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
3.4 GHz+6%
Base Clock
3.2 GHz
3.4 GHz+6%
L3 Cache
2 MB
6 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache
512 kB
512 kB (per core)
Process
14 nm-69%
45 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark
2,551
2,544
Geekbench 6 Single
672
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,229
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Memory & Platform

The Celeron G4930 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCeleron G4930Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Socket
LGA1151
AM3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Celeron G4930) / not specified (Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)). The Celeron G4930 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 610), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G4930 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron G4930 rivals Pentium G5420.

FeatureCeleron G4930Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 610
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Budget