Intel Pentium G3420T socket: LGA 1150

What the Pentium G3420T is

Intel Pentium G3420T is a dual core Haswell desktop part that Intel released in September 2013 for office desktops and small systems. It uses the Haswell core design on a 22 nm process, running at 2.7 GHz with no turbo. The cache is 3 MB Smart Cache. Power is 35 W. Graphics come from Intel HD Graphics (200 MHz to 1100 MHz).

The two cores have no Hyper-Threading, so threads equal cores at 2. Each core carries its own floating point unit, which keeps single thread behavior predictable across office apps. The GT1 graphics block covers monitors and video without a separate card. The chip integrates the dual channel memory controller with ECC support and 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes on die.

At 35 W the Pentium G3420T belongs to the low power T group for small cases. The fixed 2.7 GHz clock suits file, print, point of sale and classroom duty with stock cooling. Boards pair it with DDR3 DIMMs and SATA SSDs. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the socket before ordering parts.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Pentium G3420T fits LGA 1150 in LGA form with 1,150 lands. The chipsets built for the socket are the 8 and 9 series: H81, B85, Q85, Q87, H87, Z87, H97 and Z97. Any of them boots Haswell with a shipping BIOS, since the chip predates no board in a confusing way. Server and workstation boards with C222 and C226 add ECC UDIMM validation for embedded duty.

Power delivery at 35 W is modest for LGA 1150, so all desktop power designs cover it. Memory support decides more builds than power: the board must accept ECC UDIMMs where server use is planned. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide explains the 75 by 75 mm LGA 1150 pattern. Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works covers Intel pairing rules.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is ddr3-1333 and 1600, two channels, up to 32 gb, ecc. ECC UDIMMs are the server and embedded choice, since they catch single bit errors in long running tasks. Two matched modules give the rated bandwidth. There is no DDR4 option, so a move to DDR4 means leaving the socket.

PCI Express is PCIe 3.0 with 16 lanes from the CPU for graphics and fast storage, plus chipset lanes for the rest. Most builds in this class stay on integrated graphics, since Intel HD Graphics covers office work and video. A low profile card of the era pairs without waste where a slot is free.

Cooling follows the 35 W rating. A low profile cooler with a quiet fan suits the 35 W envelope in slim cases. The 75 by 75 mm mounting pattern is shared across LGA 1150, LGA 1155 and LGA 1156 coolers with the right brackets. Check height clearance in slim cases.

Upgrade paths

Within LGA 1150 the Pentium G3420T sits in the dual core Celeron and Pentium group. A same socket move can add clocks or cache, for example from a Celeron to a Pentium, or from a 35 W T part to a faster standard part where cooling allows. The board stays, while memory and cooler often carry over.

A bigger move means a new socket with DDR4. Intel moved mainstream desktops to LGA 1700 via intermediate steps, with different pin layouts and cooler spacing. That move needs a new board, new memory and often a new cooler bracket. Keep the LGA 1150 board for secondary duty where it still runs well.