AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE vs Intel Core i7-6800K Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture: the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, despite having fewer cores and threads than the Intel Core i7-6800K. Across all six Cinebench tests, the AMD part leads by margins between 4.4% and 4.8%, which is a remarkably uniform advantage regardless of workload type. The Intel Core i7-6800K, despite its six cores and twelve threads, never once takes a win in the recorded comparisons.

For a user choosing between these two processors strictly on the basis of recorded benchmark performance, the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE is the superior choice in every measured category. It wins in both multicore and single-core tests, meaning there is no workload in the database where the Intel part can be recommended based on performance. The AMD chip also carries a far lower thermal design power, a much newer manufacturing process, and an integrated GPU, making it the more complete package for a modern desktop build. The Intel part, however, remains relevant for users who specifically need quad-channel memory support or who already own an Intel Socket 2011-3 platform and wish to keep that ecosystem alive.

The database places the Intel Core i7-6800K at the 51st percentile among all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE sits at the 50th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are close, with Intel at 2838 and AMD at 2759, but the head-to-head results tell a different story. The Intel part’s average is buoyed by its Geekbench scores, which are not part of the direct comparison set. In the six directly comparable Cinebench tests, the AMD part wins all of them. Users should weight the head-to-head results heavily when making a purchase decision, as these are direct measurements under identical test conditions.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-6800K uses the Broadwell-E architecture, built on a 14 nm process node at Intel’s own foundry. It is a Broadwell-generation part released for the desktop enthusiast market. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, built on a 7 nm process node at TSMC. This generational gap is significant: the AMD part uses a more advanced manufacturing process, which helps explain its superior performance per watt and its much lower thermal design power.

The Intel part contains 3,400 million transistors on a 246 mm² die, while the AMD part contains 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The AMD chip packs nearly three times as many transistors into a smaller physical area, a direct consequence of the denser 7 nm process. The transistor count difference also reflects the AMD part’s integrated graphics and its more modern memory controller design.

Cache configurations differ substantially. Both parts have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: the Intel part has 256 KB per core, while the AMD part has 512 KB per core, doubling the per-core L2 capacity. The L3 cache tells the opposite story: the Intel part has 15 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD part has only 4 MB of shared L3 cache. This means the Intel part has a much larger total last-level cache, which could benefit certain workloads that fit within that cache footprint. The AMD part compensates with more L2 cache per core and a higher boost clock.

The Intel Core i7-6800K supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE supports dual-channel DDR4 with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Intel part offers roughly 50% more memory bandwidth, which is a meaningful advantage for memory-intensive workloads. However, the AMD part supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. The Intel part provides 28 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part provides PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count specified in the database. The AMD part also includes a Radeon Vega 6 integrated GPU, while the Intel part has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark results are unambiguous. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE scores 961 against the Intel Core i7-6800K’s 916, a 4.7% advantage for AMD. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD leads 135 to 129, a 4.4% margin. These are the smallest deltas in the comparison set, but they still favor AMD in both cases.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD part scores 4006 in multicore against Intel’s 3819, a 4.7% lead. In single-core, AMD scores 565 against Intel’s 538, a 4.8% lead, the largest margin in the entire comparison. The pattern continues in Cinebench R23, where AMD leads 9540 to 9093 in multicore, again a 4.7% margin, and 1346 to 1283 in single-core, a 4.7% margin.

The consistency of these results is notable. The AMD part wins every test by almost exactly the same percentage, regardless of whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded. This suggests the performance advantage comes from architectural efficiency and clock speed rather than from core count. The Intel part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD part has 4 cores and 8 threads, yet the AMD part still wins the multicore tests. This indicates that the AMD cores are substantially more efficient per thread, and the higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz versus 3.60 GHz helps close the core-count gap.

The Geekbench results favor the Intel part in the overall average, but these are not part of the head-to-head set. The Intel Core i7-6800K scores 5688 in Geekbench multicore and 1237 in single-core, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE has no Geekbench scores recorded in the database. This means the Intel part’s average benchmark score of 2838 is inflated by tests that are not directly comparable. Users should focus on the six Cinebench tests where both parts were measured under the same conditions.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Intel Core i7-6800K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel part has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the AMD part has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The AMD part has both a higher base clock and a significantly higher boost clock.

The thermal design power differs by a factor of four: the Intel part is rated at 140 W, while the AMD part is rated at 35 W. This is one of the most striking differences in the comparison. The AMD part delivers better benchmark performance while consuming only a quarter of the thermal budget, a signal of the efficiency of the 7 nm Zen 2 architecture.

The sockets are incompatible: the Intel part uses Intel Socket 2011-3, while the AMD part uses AMD Socket AM4. The Intel part is end-of-life, while the AMD part is still active in production. The Intel part had a launch MSRP of $434, while the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Memory support differs in channel count and bandwidth, as noted earlier: the Intel part offers quad-channel with 76.8 GB/s, while the AMD part offers dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s. The AMD part supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. Both parts support DDR4 memory. The Intel part provides 28 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the AMD part provides PCIe Gen 3 without a specified lane count. The AMD part includes Radeon Vega 6 integrated graphics, while the Intel part has no integrated graphics. Both parts have an unlocked multiplier, and both are desktop market segments. The release dates are far apart: the Intel part launched on 2016-05-30, while the AMD part launched on 2020-07-20.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the direct comparison?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests recorded in the database. The Intel Core i7-6800K wins zero direct comparisons.

Q: How large is the AMD part’s performance advantage?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE leads by 4.4% in Cinebench R15 single-core, 4.7% in R15 multicore, 4.8% in R20 single-core, 4.7% in R20 multicore, 4.7% in R23 single-core, and 4.7% in R23 multicore.

Q: Does the Intel part’s higher core count help it in multicore tests?

A: No. Despite having 6 cores and 12 threads versus the AMD part’s 4 cores and 8 threads, the Intel Core i7-6800K loses every multicore test. The AMD part’s higher boost clock and architectural efficiency overcome the core-count deficit.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: The Intel Core i7-6800K is rated at 140 W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE is rated at 35 W. The AMD part delivers higher benchmark scores while using a quarter of the thermal budget.

Q: Does the Intel part have any advantages in memory support?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-6800K supports quad-channel DDR4 with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE supports dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. However, the AMD part supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE includes a Radeon Vega 6 integrated GPU. The Intel Core i7-6800K has no integrated graphics and requires a discrete GPU for display output.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. It leads in single-core performance across all three Cinebench versions, which means it will feel snappier in everyday tasks and lightly threaded applications. It also leads in multicore performance across all three Cinebench versions, meaning it handles multi-threaded rendering workloads better despite having fewer cores. The AMD part’s 35 W thermal design power makes it suitable for compact, low-power builds, and its integrated Radeon Vega 6 GPU means a system can be built without a discrete graphics card for basic display output. The 7 nm process node and active production status make it a more future-proof choice for a new build.

The Intel Core i7-6800K has fewer recorded wins, but it does hold advantages in specific specification areas. Its quad-channel memory support with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth is a substantial edge for workloads that are memory-bandwidth sensitive. Its 15 MB of shared L3 cache is nearly four times larger than the AMD part’s 4 MB, which could benefit certain cache-heavy workloads. The Intel part’s 28 PCIe Gen 3 lanes provide more direct CPU connectivity for expansion cards, and its higher average benchmark score of 2838 versus 2759 reflects strong Geekbench results, though those tests are not directly comparable. The Intel part also has a higher launch MSRP of $434, but pricing considerations are outside the scope of this analysis.

For a user building a new system today, the data clearly favors the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE. It wins every direct benchmark, uses far less power, includes integrated graphics, supports ECC memory, and is still in active production. The Intel Core i7-6800K is an end-of-life product that loses every head-to-head test, but its quad-channel memory controller and larger L3 cache give it a niche appeal for users who specifically need those features and are willing to accept lower benchmark scores. The database results are decisive: six wins for AMD, zero for Intel, with margins that are consistent across every workload type.