Intel Celeron G1630 2-core LGA1155
Its dual-core 2.8GHz clock speed and 65W TDP on the LGA1155 socket provide basic, reliable operation for legacy systems. This processor’s primary differentiator is its role as a drop-in replacement for aging desktops, maintaining compatibility with DDR3 memory. It is best for users needing a minimal-cost chip to restore an old office PC for simple tasks like web browsing and document editing.
No current retailer price
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
The Celeron G1630 scores 25.4 out of 100 in our database, with multi-thread performance in the bottom quarter of all CPUs. It's a 2-core, 2-thread relic that burns 65W for very little return. Only worth considering if you need a cheap drop-in for an old LGA1155 board and literally nothing else.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Dirt cheap on the used market if you can find one
- Runs cool enough for passive or basic cooling setups
- Works with tons of old LGA1155 motherboards
- Fine for basic office tasks and light web browsing
Cons
- Multi-thread performance is in the bottom quarter of all CPUs
- 65W TDP is wasteful for this little compute power
- DDR3 and LGA1155 mean zero upgrade path
- AI and modern workloads are basically off the table
The proof
Performance
The G1630's PassMark numbers tell the story: 1553 single-thread and 1707 multi-thread. That multi-thread score is barely above the single-thread result, which makes sense when you only have 2 cores and no hyper-threading. The 2.8GHz clock speed is fine for its era, but modern software expects more. The 2MB of L3 cache is tiny by today's standards, and DDR3 memory support caps your upgrade path hard. Efficiency is another sore spot at 27.3 out of 100, and the 65W TDP is laughable for a chip this slow. You're burning desktop-level power for tablet-level performance.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| Brand | Intel |
| Series | Celeron |
| Model | G1630 |
| Class | desktop |
Cores & Clocks
| Cores | 2 |
| P-cores | 2 |
| Threads | 2 |
| Base Clock | 2800 |
Cache
| L2 Cache | 1 |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB |
Performance
| PassMark Multi | 1707 |
| PassMark Single | 1553 |
Memory
| Memory Type | DDR3 |
| Max Speed | 800 |
Platform & Power
| Socket | LGA1155 |
| TDP | 65 |
| Unlocked | No |
vs Competition
Stacked against the competition in our database, the G1630 is fighting a losing battle. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is in a completely different universe, with multi-thread scores that make this Celeron look like a calculator. Even the Dell Xeon E5-2637 V2, itself an old server chip, runs circles around it in multi-threaded workloads. The PC Server and Parts E5-2697 v2-cr is another Xeon that offers way more cores for not much more money on the used market. The only reason to pick the G1630 over any of these is if you're locked into an LGA1155 board and need the cheapest possible drop-in replacement.
| Spec | Intel Celeron G1630 | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | SMC EPYC 9555P | HP Xeon 6526Y | CG CHIPS GATE EPYC 6GK7443-1EX30-0XE0 1PC New 6GK7443-1EX30-0XE0 Communications Processor | MICRO CENTER 9950X3DMAGX870ETMKWF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cores | 2 | 16 | 64 | 16 | 24 | - |
| Threads | 2 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 48 | - |
| Boost Clock Mhz | - | 5700 | 4400 | 3900 | 4000 | - |
| L3 Cache Mb | 2 | 128 | 256 | 37 | 128 | - |
| Tdp W | 65 | 120 | 360 | 195 | 200 | - |
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM5 | AMD Socket SP5 | LGA 4677 | AMD Socket SP3 | - |
| Integrated Graphics | - | AMD Radeon Graphics | - | No | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AI | Feature | Platform | Efficiency | Multi Thread | Social Proof | Affordability | Single Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Celeron G1630 | 22.8 | 20.6 | 35.6 | 28.7 | 23.3 | 36.3 | 62.5 | 36.3 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Compare | 96 | 98.6 | 92.4 | 97 | 95.7 | 84.4 | 14.5 | 92.9 |
| SMC EPYC 9555P Compare | 99.3 | 77.2 | 96.8 | 89.6 | 99.4 | 0 | 0.4 | 85.9 |
| HP Xeon 6526Y Compare | 92.1 | 77.2 | 90.8 | 79.3 | 89.9 | 0 | 2.7 | 80.5 |
| CG CHIPS GATE EPYC 6GK7443-1EX30-0XE0 1PC New 6GK7443-1EX30-0XE0 Communications Processor Compare | 94.8 | 77.2 | 84.5 | 85.1 | 93.9 | 36.3 | 5.1 | 80.4 |
| MICRO CENTER 9950X3DMAGX870ETMKWF Compare | 85.8 | 20.6 | 17.4 | 66.5 | 97.1 | 0 | 6.3 | 98.4 |
Price
Value & Pricing
Pricing is all over the map. We see one US listing at $110, which is frankly absurd for a chip this old. The EUR listings range from 217 to 375, and that spread alone should tell you sellers are just throwing numbers at the wall. The best deal in our data is the EUR 217 listing from ES, but even that feels steep for what you're getting. For context, you can find used Ryzen 3 or older i5 chips for similar money that will absolutely embarrass this Celeron. Unless you're replacing a dead chip in an old board and have no other choice, the value just isn't there.
Read more
Overview
The Intel Celeron G1630 is a dual-core relic from the Ivy Bridge era, and it feels every bit its age. You get 2 cores, 2 threads, a 2.8GHz base clock, and a 65W TDP on the ancient LGA1155 socket. It's the kind of chip you find in a dusty office PC or a budget build from 2013, not something you'd actively seek out in 2025.
Our database puts this thing at 25.4 out of 100 overall. That's not a typo. The single-thread score of 1553 and multi-thread of 1707 in PassMark land it in the bottom quarter of CPUs we track. If you're just browsing the web or typing documents, it'll limp along. Anything else and you'll feel the pain immediately.
Common Questions
Q: Can this CPU handle gaming?
Not really. With 2 cores, 2 threads, and a PassMark multi-thread score of 1707, it'll struggle with anything beyond very old or extremely lightweight titles. Modern games will either refuse to run or be a slideshow.
Q: Is the Celeron G1630 good for a home office PC?
For basic tasks like word processing, email, and light web browsing, it's passable. But with only 2 threads and DDR3 memory, having more than a few browser tabs open will start to feel sluggish fast.
Q: What motherboard do I need for this CPU?
You need an LGA1155 socket motherboard, also known as Socket H2. These boards are from the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge era, so you'll be shopping the used market.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you need anything beyond basic office work. If you're planning to game, edit video, run virtual machines, or do any kind of AI or content creation, this chip will frustrate you within minutes. Also skip it if you're building a new system from scratch, because you'd be locking yourself into a dead platform with DDR3 and no upgrade path. Anyone who values their time should look at used Ryzen or older i5 options instead.
Verdict
The Celeron G1630 is for one person: someone with an old LGA1155 system that needs a working CPU and has zero budget for anything else. If that's you, fine, it'll get the machine booting again. For everyone else, this chip is a hard pass. The performance is bottom-tier, the efficiency is poor, and the asking prices we're seeing are borderline insulting. You'd be better off saving a bit more and jumping to a used Ryzen or even an older i5.
Usage Scores
- Overall26
- AI/LLM19.1
- Budget41.6
- Gaming24.6
- Server20
- Efficiency27.7
- Productivity25.2