AMD Ryzen 3 2300X vs Intel Core i5-8279U Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-8279U has an average benchmark score of 1987, while the AMD Ryzen 3 2300X scores 1968. Both sit at the 44th percentile among all CPUs in the database, making them statistically comparable overall performers.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2300X scores 6443 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, ahead of the Intel Core i5-8279U's 6294, a 2.3% margin. This pattern repeats across all three Cinebench versions tested.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-8279U wins decisively in Geekbench multi-core with 3764 versus 3351 for the Ryzen 3 2300X, a 12.3% advantage. This is the only benchmark in the head-to-head set where Intel comes out ahead.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each chip?

A: Both processors have 4 cores. The Intel Core i5-8279U supports 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 2300X supports 4 threads. AMD's chip runs at higher base and boost clocks: 3.50 GHz and 4.00 GHz versus 2.40 GHz and 4.10 GHz for Intel.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-8279U has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 3 2300X has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the AMD chip has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches: 96 KB and 512 KB per core respectively, versus 64 KB and 256 KB per core for Intel.

Q: Do either of these processors include integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-8279U includes Iris Pro Plus 655 integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300X has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-8279U is built on Intel's Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake-U variant, manufactured on a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300X uses the Zen architecture, specifically Zen+ (Pinnacle Ridge), fabricated on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The node difference gives AMD a slight manufacturing advantage in transistor density potential, though the Intel die is substantially smaller: 126 mm² versus 213 mm² for AMD. Transistor counts differ as well, with the AMD chip packing 4,800 million transistors compared to Intel's 2,300 million.

The two processors target fundamentally different market segments. The Intel Core i5-8279U is a mobile processor with a thermal design power of 28 W, designed for thin laptops and portable workstations. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300X is a desktop processor with a 65 W TDP, intended for stationary systems with more robust cooling and power delivery. This TDP difference of 37 W is significant and helps explain the clock behavior: AMD runs a 3.50 GHz base clock versus Intel's 2.40 GHz, but Intel's boost clock of 4.10 GHz slightly exceeds AMD's 4.00 GHz.

Threading is another key architectural distinction. The Intel chip supports Hyper-Threading, delivering 8 threads from 4 cores. The AMD chip operates with 4 threads from 4 cores, meaning it lacks simultaneous multithreading. This affects multi-threaded throughput in workloads that scale beyond four threads, though the raw Cinebench results show AMD still manages a small edge in those tests.

Cache hierarchies differ per core. Intel allocates 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, while AMD allocates 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. The shared L3 favors Intel: 6 MB versus 4 MB. Memory bandwidth measurement favors AMD: 46.9 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s, despite both using dual-channel DDR4 memory. Neither chip supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The Intel chip includes Iris Pro Plus 655 integrated graphics, a feature absent from the AMD part. Production status differs: Intel's chip is end-of-life, while AMD's remains active. Intel uses the BGA 1526 socket, AMD uses the Socket AM4. AMD's multiplier is unlocked, Intel's is not. The AMD chip's part number suggests a standard retail desktop SKU, while Intel's part number reflects a mobile BGA package.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a clear but narrow pattern: AMD wins 7 of 8 benchmark comparisons, yet the margins are mostly small. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 3 2300X scores 649 against 634 for the i5-8279U, a 2.3% difference. Single-core R15 shows 91 versus 89, a 2.2% edge for AMD. These margins carry through Cinebench R20, where AMD leads 2706 to 2643 in multi-core (2.3%) and 381 to 372 in single-core (2.4%). Cinebench R23 follows the same pattern: AMD leads 6443 to 6294 in multi-core and 909 to 888 in single-core, both 2.3% margins.

The Intel processor's single victory comes in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 3764 against AMD's 3351, a substantial 12.3% lead. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison and suggests that the Geekbench multi-core workload rewards the Intel chip's 8-thread capability more than Cinebench does. In Geekbench single-core, AMD edges out Intel 1216 to 1209, a narrow 0.6% margin.

Interpreting these results: the AMD Ryzen 3 2300X demonstrates consistent, if modest, superiority across the Cinebench family, which stresses floating-point and rendering workloads. The margins are tight enough to be within run-to-run variance on some systems, but the consistency across three Cinebench versions (R15, R20, R23) indicates a real, repeatable advantage. The Intel chip's 12.3% Geekbench multi-core win is the outlier, indicating that certain integer-heavy or memory-latency-sensitive tasks favor its 8-thread design. Overall, the database average scores (1987 for Intel, 1968 for AMD) place these processors within 1% of each other, confirming that neither chip dominates the other by a wide margin.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category:

• Threads: Intel 8, AMD 4
• Base clock: Intel 2.40 GHz, AMD 3.50 GHz
• Boost clock: Intel 4.10 GHz, AMD 4.00 GHz
• TDP: Intel 28 W, AMD 65 W
• Socket: Intel BGA 1526, AMD Socket AM4
• Architecture: Intel Coffee Lake, AMD Zen (Zen+ Pinnacle Ridge)
• Process node: Intel 14 nm, AMD 12 nm
• Foundry: Intel, GlobalFoundries
• Transistors: Intel 2,300 million, AMD 4,800 million
• Die size: Intel 126 mm², AMD 213 mm²
• L1 cache: Intel 64 KB per core, AMD 96 KB per core
• L2 cache: Intel 256 KB per core, AMD 512 KB per core
• L3 cache: Intel 6 MB shared, AMD 4 MB shared
• Memory bandwidth: Intel 34.1 GB/s, AMD 46.9 GB/s
• Integrated graphics: Intel Iris Pro Plus 655, AMD none
• Market segment: Intel Mobile, AMD Desktop
• Production status: Intel End-of-life, AMD Active
• Release date: Intel 2019-04-02, AMD 2018-09-09
• Launch MSRP: Intel $320, AMD not recorded
• Multiplier unlocked: Intel false, AMD true
• Part number: Intel SREZ0, AMD YD230XBBM4KAFYD230XBBAFMPK

Shared specifications include 4 cores, dual-channel DDR4 memory support, no ECC support, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and both at the 44th percentile of all CPUs.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. The AMD Ryzen 3 2300X wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, but its advantages are consistently small, ranging from 0.6% to 2.4%. The Intel Core i5-8279U wins one benchmark, Geekbench multi-core, but does so by a commanding 12.3% margin. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 1987 for Intel versus 1968 for AMD, a difference of less than 1%.

For users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the AMD Ryzen 3 2300X is the better choice based on the recorded data. Its wins across R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core, are consistent and reproducible. The chip also offers higher base clocks, larger per-core caches, higher memory bandwidth, an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and an active production status. Its 65 W TDP is acceptable for desktop use.

For users prioritizing Geekbench multi-core performance, the Intel Core i5-8279U is the stronger option, delivering a 12.3% advantage. The Intel chip also includes integrated graphics, which is valuable in systems without a discrete GPU. Its 28 W TDP makes it suitable for compact or mobile designs, and its 8-thread capability appears to benefit certain multi-threaded workloads beyond what the 4-thread AMD chip can achieve.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 3 2300X wins in: All Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both single-core and multi-core. The margins are 2.2% to 2.4%, consistent across rendering workloads. It also wins Geekbench single-core by a slim 0.6% margin. The chip's higher base clock (3.50 GHz versus 2.40 GHz) likely contributes to its consistent lead in latency-sensitive single-threaded tasks. Its larger L2 and L1 caches and higher memory bandwidth (46.9 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s) support its multi-core Cinebench results. The unlocked multiplier allows further performance tuning beyond stock settings.

Intel Core i5-8279U wins in: Geekbench multi-core by 12.3%, the largest margin in the comparison. This indicates its 8-thread design provides a meaningful advantage in workloads that scale well with additional threads beyond four. The Intel chip also holds advantages in L3 cache capacity (6 MB versus 4 MB) and includes integrated graphics, making it the only one of the two that can operate without a discrete GPU. Its 28 W TDP is far lower than AMD's 65 W, making it suitable for power-constrained or mobile implementations. The Intel part's 4.10 GHz boost clock slightly exceeds AMD's 4.00 GHz, though this does not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded tests.

The database also shows the Intel chip's nearest rivals are within 0.2% of its average score, including the AMD Ryzen 5 1500X and Intel Xeon E3-1285L v4. The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-10810U and Intel Xeon D-2712T, also within 0.2%. Both processors sit at the 44th percentile, meaning they are roughly average performers across the entire database of CPUs. Users should select based on specific workload priorities: rendering tasks favor AMD, Geekbench multi-core favors Intel, and systems without discrete graphics favor Intel for its integrated GPU.