AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE vs Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark database presents a clear, if narrow, overall winner: the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE takes all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons against the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3. The margins are consistent, ranging from 2% to 2.3% across single-core and multi-core tests. However, the two processors occupy entirely different design philosophies. The Ryzen 3 4300GE is an active, low-power desktop part with integrated graphics, while the Xeon E5-2640 v3 is an end-of-life server/workstation chip with a much larger core count and quad-channel memory. The data suggests that for purely Cinebench throughput, the Ryzen 3 4300GE is the better choice, but the Xeon’s 16 threads and 20 MB of shared L3 cache hint at strengths in workloads not captured by these specific tests. The Ryzen 3 4300GE wins every recorded benchmark, yet the Xeon remains relevant for scenarios demanding high core counts and server-grade memory bandwidth, where the database’s current measurements do not fully differentiate them.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is generational and foundational. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process with a Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir. It packs 9,800 million transistors into a 156 mm² die. In contrast, the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 uses Intel’s 22 nm process with a Haswell architecture, codenamed Haswell-EP, housing 2,600 million transistors on a significantly larger 356 mm² die. This process difference explains why the Ryzen achieves far higher clock speeds: 3.50 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost versus the Xeon’s 2.60 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost.

Cache hierarchies also diverge sharply. Both share a 64 KB L1 per core, but the Ryzen has 512 KB L2 per core while the Xeon has 256 KB per core. The L3 cache is the biggest differentiator: the Ryzen has 4 MB shared, while the Xeon has 20 MB shared. That 5x difference in L3 capacity is typical for a server-oriented chip designed to feed many cores. The Ryzen 3 4300GE is a 4-core, 8-thread part; the Xeon doubles that with 8 cores and 16 threads. Memory support sees the Xeon offer quad-channel DDR4 with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth versus the Ryzen’s dual-channel 51.2 GB/s. Both support ECC memory and PCIe Gen 3, though the Xeon lists 40 lanes (CPU only). The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics; the Xeon has none. The Ryzen’s multiplier is unlocked, while the Xeon’s is locked. Production status separates them too: the Ryzen is Active, the Xeon is End-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on recorded Cinebench results, the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE wins everywhere. It leads in all six tests: R15 multi-core (961 vs 942), R15 single-core (135 vs 132), R20 multi-core (4006 vs 3926), R20 single-core (565 vs 553), R23 multi-core (9540 vs 9348), and R23 single-core (1346 vs 1319). The deltas are tight, between 2% and 2.3%, which indicates the Ryzen’s higher clock speeds and newer architecture overcome the Xeon’s core-count advantage in these specific workloads.

The Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 does not win any benchmark in the database. However, the data implies its strengths lie outside Cinebench. With 16 threads and 20 MB of L3, it is likely better suited for heavily threaded server tasks, database workloads, or virtualization scenarios. Its quad-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth also suggests a capability for memory-intensive operations that the dual-channel Ryzen cannot match. The Ryzen’s integrated graphics make it a fit for compact, low-power desktop builds where a discrete GPU is unnecessary. The Xeon, lacking integrated graphics, would require a dedicated GPU in any system. The Ryzen’s 35 W TDP versus the Xeon’s 90 W TDP further reinforces the Ryzen as the efficiency pick, while the Xeon targets raw throughput in multi-socket server environments, though the current data does not quantify that advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE records an average benchmark score of 2759, while the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 sits at 2703. The Ryzen is 56 points higher, a 2.1% difference.

Q: How does the core count affect the Cinebench multi-core results?

A: Despite having half the cores (4 vs 8) and half the threads (8 vs 16), the Ryzen 3 4300GE leads the Xeon E5-2640 v3 in R23 multi-core by 2.1% (9540 vs 9348). This suggests the Ryzen’s higher clocks and Zen 2 efficiency offset the Xeon’s thread advantage in this workload.

Q: What is the single-core performance gap?

A: The Ryzen 3 4300GE wins every single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1346 against the Xeon’s 1319, a 2% lead. In R20 single-core, the lead is 2.2% (565 vs 553).

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE and the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE has only 4 MB. That is a 5x difference favoring the Xeon.

Q: What are the TDP ratings?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE has a 35 W TDP, while the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 has a 90 W TDP. The Ryzen uses 55 W less.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The six benchmark comparisons all favor the AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE, with margins that are remarkably consistent. The smallest delta is 2% in three tests: Cinebench R15 multi-core (961 vs 942), R20 multi-core (4006 vs 3926), and R23 single-core (1346 vs 1319). The largest delta is 2.3% in R15 single-core (135 vs 132). The other two tests show 2.2% in R20 single-core (565 vs 553) and 2.1% in R23 multi-core (9540 vs 9348).

A deeper look reveals a pattern. The single-core deltas (2.3% and 2.2% and 2%) are slightly larger than or equal to the multi-core deltas (2.1% and 2% and 2%). This indicates the Ryzen 3 4300GE’s clock advantage (4.00 GHz boost versus 3.40 GHz) translates directly into per-thread performance. The multi-core results are closer than one might expect given the Xeon’s 16 threads versus 8, but the Ryzen’s newer architecture and higher frequency narrow the gap. The R23 multi-core score of 9540 for the Ryzen versus 9348 for the Xeon shows that a 4-core, 8-thread Zen 2 part can outrun an 8-core, 16-thread Haswell part in this render workload. Across all six tests, the Ryzen wins by an average of roughly 2.1%, which aligns with the 2% to 2.3% range observed.

The Xeon E5-2640 v3’s closest rival in the database is the Intel Core i7-1185G7E, with an identical average score of 2703 and a 0% delta. The Ryzen 3 4300GE’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE at 2767, which is only 0.3% faster. This positioning shows both processors sit in a crowded mid-pack, at the 50th percentile of all CPUs. The Xeon’s average score of 2703 is 2.1% lower than the Ryzen’s 2759, a gap consistent with the head-to-head deltas. The data does not support any scenario where the Xeon outperforms the Ryzen in these specific Cinebench tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300GE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.50 GHz versus 2.60 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.00 GHz versus 3.40 GHz, both favoring the Ryzen. TDP differs dramatically: 35 W for the Ryzen, 90 W for the Xeon.

Process technology separates them by two generations: 7 nm (TSMC) for the Ryzen versus 22 nm (Intel) for the Xeon. Transistor counts are 9,800 million versus 2,600 million, and die sizes are 156 mm² versus 356 mm². Cache configurations differ in L2 (512 KB per core for Ryzen, 256 KB per core for Xeon) and L3 (4 MB shared versus 20 MB shared). L1 is identical at 64 KB per core.

Memory support shows the Xeon’s server pedigree: quad-channel DDR4 with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth versus dual-channel DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s for the Ryzen. PCIe is Gen 3 for both, but the Xeon lists 40 lanes (CPU only) while the Ryzen does not specify lane count. The Ryzen includes integrated Radeon Vega 6 graphics; the Xeon has no integrated graphics. The Ryzen has an unlocked multiplier and is in Active production, while the Xeon is locked and End-of-life. Release dates are 2020-07-20 for the Ryzen and 2014-09-07 for the Xeon. The Xeon has a documented launch MSRP of $939, while the Ryzen’s launch MSRP is not recorded in the database. Socket types are AMD Socket AM4 for the Ryzen and Intel Socket 2011-3 for the Xeon.