Intel Pentium G2030  vs G2020 

The Pentium brand is a reliable entry level processor for desktop users on a budget. For this matchup, we’re reviewing the Intel Pentium G2030 versus the Intel G2020. Let’s see which processor will get the entry level recommendation.

A minor step up from the Celeron, the Pentium brand is made up of budget processors without Turbo Boost or Hyperthreading enabled. Although the G2030 is marginally newer than the G2020 by 3 months, both chips are similarly based on the Ivy bridge architecture. They’re essentially Dual core processors with 2 threads, 3MB cache, Intel HD Graphics, and a power consumption of 55W TDP. The only difference between these two chips is that the G2030 is clocked at 3 GHz, while the G2020 is just a tad bit slower at 2.9 GHz. Let’s take a look at their benchmark performance.

The 100 MHz increase in the G2030’s clock speed led to a marked performance boost in the tests. In the single core benchmark which tests for 1:1 ratio core performance, the G2030 performed 5% better. Additionally, it scored 12% better in the PassMark test which tests overall system performance. These results are decent for a budget processor: it’s great for everyday use, just keep in mind that it doesn’t play nice with applications that require multi-threaded intensive tasks, such as video rendering and gaming. For those tasks, you should consider upgrading to the Core series.

In conclusion, the Intel Pentium G2020 may be a solid processor, but we recommend the Intel Pentium G2030 as the better deal. It’s the logical upgrade if you’re coming from an older Celeron, and its performance is sure to put a smile on your face.