AMD Athlon 240GE vs Intel Core i3-N300 Comparison

Intel Core i3-N300 vs AMD Athlon 240GE

The Intel Core i3-N300 and AMD Athlon 240GE occupy similar overall performance territory in the database, with average benchmark scores of 1135 and 1121 respectively, and both sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs. The Intel part is a mobile-focused 8-core processor built on a 10 nm process with a 7 W TDP, while the AMD chip is a desktop 2-core, 4-thread part on 14 nm silicon with a 35 W TDP. Their head-to-head results are split across Cinebench generations, with Intel winning four of the six recorded tests but losing the two R23 workloads by significant margins. The practical takeaway is that neither chip is a strong performer by modern standards, but they differ sharply in workload character: the Intel i3-N300 leads decisively in legacy R15 and R20 tests thanks to raw core count and clock behavior, while the Athlon 240GE pulls ahead in R23 multi-core by 34.3% and in R23 single-core by 6.2% despite having far fewer cores. Builders should weigh the intended use case carefully, as the better R23 scores on the AMD side suggest a different performance scaling than the older Cinebench versions suggest.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core i3-N300 if you need maximum throughput in older multi-threaded workloads, want an eight-core processor with integrated UHD Graphics 770, and can operate within a mobile platform on Intel BGA 1264 socket with a 7 W TDP. The data shows the i3-N300 leads the Athlon 240GE by 75.1% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (2849 versus 1627) and by 75.1% in Cinebench R20 single-core (401 versus 401 is not correct, the actual scores are 401 and 229), so any application that relies on R20-style scaling strongly favors the Intel chip. It also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 6.7% (416 versus 390) and R15 single-core by 57.4% (85 versus 54). The Intel part has 8 cores and 8 threads, 6 MB of shared L3 cache, and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though it is single-channel memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. Its launch MSRP is $309.

Choose the AMD Athlon 240GE if you prefer the AM4 desktop socket with dual-channel DDR4 memory at 42.7 GB/s, want a 35 W TDP, a 14 nm process, and a Radeon Vega 3 integrated GPU. The Athlon 240GE wins the only two R23 tests in the head-to-head set, taking multi-core by 34.3% (3876 versus 2546) and single-core by 6.2% (547 versus 513). That R23 result is a notable reversal given the Athlon has just 2 cores and 4 threads versus 8 cores and 8 threads on the Intel side, but the recorded numbers are unambiguous. Its launch MSRP is $75.

If you are building a low-power small system that prioritizes older Cinebench benchmarks and the highest core count, the Intel i3-N300 is the stronger choice. If you are building a desktop that runs R23 or needs the simpler AM4 socket and dual-channel bandwidth, the Athlon 240GE wins where it matters most in the newest recorded test. The two CPUs are close in the overall database average (1135 versus 1121), and both sit at the 32nd percentile, so neither is a high-end option.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE wins with a score of 3876, which is 34.3% higher than the Intel Core i3-N300 score of 2546.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 has a TDP of 7 W, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has a TDP of 35 W, a difference of 28 W.

Q: Do both support DDR4 memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-N300 supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory support, and the AMD Athlon 240GE supports DDR4 memory support, so DDR4 is common to both, but DDR5 is only on the Intel side.

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-threaded R20 score?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 scores 401 in Cinebench R20 single-core, 75.1% ahead of the AMD Athlon 240GE score of 229.

Q: Are the two chips similar in overall ranking?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i3-N300 and AMD Athlon 240GE sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 1135 and 1121 respectively.

Q: Which socket does the Athlon 240GE use, and what is the Intel socket for the i3-N300?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE uses AMD Socket Socket AM4, while the Intel Core i3-N300 uses the Intel BGA 1264 socket.

Q: What is the process node for the Intel Core i3-N300?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 uses a 10 nm process node, and the AMD Athlon 240GE uses a 14 nm process node.

Q: Which CPU has dual-channel memory bus bandwidth?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has a dual-channel memory bus with 42.6 GB/s bandwidth, and the Intel Core i3-N300 has a single-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Q: What is the L3 cache size for each CPU?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, and the Intel Core i3-N300 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel L3 cache is 6 MB shared, and the AMD L3 cache is 4 MB shared.

Q: Which CPU has a higher base clock speed with the base clock?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has a base clock 3.50 GHz base clock, and the Intel Core i3-N300 base clock 100.00 GHz, note the Intel base clock is listed as 100.00 base clock, so the Athlon base clock is higher at 3.50 base clock. The Intel has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz.

Q: Do either CPU support ECC memory?

A: Both have ECC memory support: ECC memory false for Intel, and ECC memory false for AMD, meaning no ECC on either.

Q: What are the cache L1 and L2 cache sizes?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 has L1 cache 96 KB per core, L2 cache 2 MB per module, L2 cache per core 96 KB, L1 cache 96 KB per core, and the AMD Athlon 240GE has L1 cache 96 KB per core, L2 cache 512 KB per core.

Q: What are the part numbers and production status?

A: Production status Active for Intel, and Production status Active for AMD Athlon 240GE, the Intel part number is SRMDS, the AMD part number YD240GC6M2OFB.

Q: What is the transistor count and die size for AMD Athlon 240GE only?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has 4,950 million transistors transistor count of 4,950 million transistors, and die size 209.8 mm² die size, and the Intel Core i3-N300 has no transistor count data and no die size data.

Q: What is the generation and codename for each?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 generation Core i3 (Alder Lake-N), codename Gracemont, architecture Gracemont, and the AMD Athlon 240GE generation Athlon Zen (Raven Ridge), codename Zen, architecture Zen, for the AMD Athlon 240GE codename is Zen, for the Intel Core i3-N300 codename Gracemont, and the Intel architecture Gracemont, the AMD architecture Zen.

Q: What is the market segment for the Intel Core i3-N300?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 has market segment Mobile, and AMD Athlon 240GE has market segment Desktop, and mobile market segment Intel Core i3-N300, and desktop market segment AMD Athlon 240GE.

Q: Are there any rival CPUs near the Intel Core i3-N300?

A: Nearest rivals include Intel Core i5-3570T, Intel Core i5-3570T, Intel Core i5-3570T has average score 1136, delta -0.1, Intel Core i5-2550K average score 1136, delta -0.1, Intel Xeon E5640 average score 1137, delta -0.1, AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE average score 1138, delta -0.3.

Q: Are there any rival CPUs near the AMD Athlon 240GE?

A: Nearest rivals include AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE, Intel Xeon D-1518 average score 1121, delta 0, Intel Core i7-2860QM average score 1120, delta 0.1, Intel Core i3-4150 average score 1119, delta 0.2, Intel Core i5-3550S average score 1118, delta 0.3.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i3-N300 is built on the Gracemont architecture, codenamed Gracemont, and uses a 10 nm process with the Intel foundry. It has 8 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 100.00 (listed as 100.00 base clock) and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The cache layout includes 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per module, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, but only through a single-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. It has PCIe Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only), integrated UHD Graphics 770, and a TDP of 7 W.

The AMD Athlon 240GE uses the Zen architecture, codenamed Zen, on a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It has 2 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 3.50 GHz, and no boost clock. The cache structure is 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. It supports DDR4 memory only, through a dual-channel memory bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. It has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics, and a TDP of 35 W.

The most striking architectural difference is core count versus memory bandwidth. The Intel chip has four times the cores, but the AMD chip has a dual-channel memory bus that provides higher bandwidth, 42.7 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s. The Intel chip uses a smaller 10 nm process, while AMD uses 14 nm. The AMD part has a known transistor count of 4,950 million and die size of 209.8 mm², while the Intel part does not have transistor or die size data recorded. Both have ECC memory disabled, and both have multipliers locked. The Intel part belongs to the Core i3 (Alder Lake-N) generation, and the AMD part belongs to the Athlon (Zen (Raven Ridge)) generation.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i3-N300 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Intel base clock is listed as 100.00 and boost clock 3.70 GHz, while the AMD base clock is 3.50 GHz with no boost clock. TDP is vastly different: 7 W for Intel versus 35 W for AMD. Socket is Intel BGA 1264 versus AMD Socket AM4. Process node is 10 nm versus 14 nm. Foundry is Intel versus GlobalFoundries. L2 cache is 2 MB per module for Intel versus 512 KB per core for AMD. L3 cache is 6 MB shared for Intel versus 4 MB shared for AMD. Memory support is DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel versus DDR4 only for AMD. Memory bus is single-channel versus dual-channel. Memory bandwidth is 38.4 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. PCIe is Gen 3 with 9 lanes versus Gen 3 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 versus Radeon Vega 3. Market segment is Mobile versus Desktop. Release date is 2023-01-02 versus 2018-12-20. Launch MSRP is $309 versus $75. Part number is SRMDS versus YD240GC6M2OFB. The Intel chip has no transistor or die size data, while the AMD chip has 4,950 million transistors and a die size of 209.8 mm².

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a dramatic split between Cinebench versions. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel Core i3-N300 scores 416 against the AMD Athlon 240GE score of 390, a 6.7% win for Intel. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel chip scores 85 versus 54 for AMD, a 57.4% advantage. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 2849 versus 1627, a 75.1% win. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Intel chip scores 401 versus 229, again a 75.1% win. So in the older R15 and R20 tests, Intel wins all four head-to-head entries with margins ranging from 6.7% to 75.1%.

Then the pattern reverses. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Athlon 240GE scores 3876 versus 2546 for Intel, a 34.3% win for AMD. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD scores 547 versus 513, a 6.2% win. That means the newer R23 benchmark favors the AMD chip despite its far lower core count. The Intel chip wins 4 of 6 recorded tests, but the AMD chip wins the two largest margins in absolute points, especially in R23 multi-core where the difference is 1330 points. The average benchmark scores are close, with Intel at 1135 and AMD at 1121, a difference of only 14 points. Both CPUs sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs.

The R23 result is the most informative for practical use. The AMD Athlon 240GE, despite having only 2 cores and 4 threads, outperforms the 8-core Intel i3-N300 by 34.3% in multi-core R23. This suggests that the R23 workload rewards the AMD chip's per-core efficiency or memory bandwidth more than the Intel chip's core count. Conversely, the Intel chip's R20 multi-core score of 2849 is 75.1% higher than AMD's 1627, indicating that older Cinebench versions scale heavily with the Intel chip's 8 threads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-N300 wins in all Cinebench R15 and R20 tests, which are widely used in older benchmark suites. If your software stack or comparison set relies on R15 or R20, the Intel chip is the clear victor in both single-core and multi-core. The R15 single-core margin of 57.4% is particularly large, and the R20 single-core margin of 75.1% is the same as the multi-core margin, so the Intel chip dominates both single and multi-threaded older workloads. The Intel chip also has 8 cores and 8 threads, which may help in workloads that count logical processors, though the recorded benchmarks do not show a multi-core advantage in R23.

The AMD Athlon 240GE wins in Cinebench R23, both single-core and multi-core. The R23 multi-core win of 34.3% is the largest margin in the head-to-head set, and the R23 single-core win of 6.2% adds to its case. The AMD chip also has dual-channel memory with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, which is higher than the Intel chip's 38.4 GB/s single-channel bandwidth. For users who prioritize the newest Cinebench version, the Athlon 240GE is the better performer.

For use-case split, the Intel Core i3-N300 is the choice for low-power mobile applications, given its 7 W TDP, mobile market segment, and integrated UHD Graphics 770. The AMD Athlon 240GE is the choice for desktop builds on AM4, with a 35 W TDP, dual-channel DDR4, and Radeon Vega 3 graphics. The Intel chip supports DDR5 memory, which is a capability the AMD chip lacks. The AMD chip has a much lower launch MSRP at $75 versus $309, but pricing is not a factor in performance analysis. The recorded data shows that the AMD chip wins the newest benchmark, while the Intel chip wins the older ones, so the final decision depends on which benchmark generation matters more to the user.