AMD Ryzen 3 4300U vs Intel Core i3-10100 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 4300U and Intel Core i3-10100 sit at identical average benchmark scores of 1742, placing both in the 41st percentile of all CPUs. The data shows a statistical dead heat overall, but the two processors achieve that parity through completely opposite strengths. The Ryzen 3 4300U wins four of the six head-to-head tests, while the Core i3-10100 takes the remaining two. The verdict hinges on workload type: the AMD part dominates in Cinebench rendering tests, while the Intel part leads in Geekbench and offers double the thread count. For multi-threaded rendering workloads, the Ryzen 3 4300U is the clear choice; for general desktop responsiveness and applications that favor Geekbench-style scaling, the Core i3-10100 holds the edge.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split decision. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300U wins the Cinebench R15 and R23 suites decisively, including a 118% lead in R15 multi-core and a 196.7% lead in R23 single-core. The Intel Core i3-10100 counters with a 15.5% win in Geekbench multi-core and a 5.1% win in Geekbench single-core. The average benchmark scores are identical at 1742, and both CPUs occupy the 41st percentile. The nearest rival data reinforces this parity: the Intel Core i5-6600 scores 1744 (-0.1% delta), and the Core i3-1315UE scores 1739 (+0.2% delta). The Ryzen 3 4300U is the pick for users running Cinebench-style workloads, particularly those that stress single-core performance in that suite. The Core i3-10100 is the pick for Geekbench-style workloads and scenarios where its 8 threads provide a benefit, as suggested by its 3DMark thread scaling results (3235 at 16 threads versus 3185 at max threads). Strictly from benchmark data, neither chip is universally superior; the choice depends entirely on which benchmark suite reflects the target applications.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 3 4300U wins the rendering-centric workload group. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 562.5 against the Intel's 258, a 118% advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3571 against 2564, a 39.3% advantage. The single-core Cinebench results are even more lopsided: R15 single-core shows 163.9 versus 88 (86.3% ahead), and R23 single-core shows 1074 versus 362 (196.7% ahead). These four wins account for the AMD part's head-to-head victory count of four.

The Intel Core i3-10100 wins the Geekbench group. In Geekbench multi-core, it scores 4495 against 3798, a 15.5% margin. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 1350 against 1281, a 5.1% margin. The Intel part also shows a consistent thread-scaling pattern in 3DMark: 705 single-thread, 1361 at 2 threads, 2357 at 4 threads, 3193 at 8 threads, and 3235 at 16 threads. This suggests it scales well up to its 8 threads, whereas the AMD part's 4 threads cap its scaling potential. For workloads that mirror Geekbench's methodology, the Intel part is the winner.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 4300U uses the Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 156 mm² and 9,800 million transistors. It is a mobile part with a 15 W TDP, socketed in AMD Socket FP6, and coded as Renoir from the 4000 series. It features 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. Its cache layout includes 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Memory support includes DDR4 and LPDDR4, with a dual-channel bus and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics 320SP.

The Intel Core i3-10100 uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm Intel process, with no listed transistor or die size data. It is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP, socketed in Intel Socket 1200, and belongs to the Core 10th Gen series. It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its cache layout includes 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR4 only, with a dual-channel bus and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 630. Both parts lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 3, while the Intel part uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i3-10100 has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, compared to 3.70 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U. The Intel part also has a higher base clock at 3.60 GHz versus 2.70 GHz.

Q: How do the thread counts differ?

A: The Intel Core i3-10100 has 8 threads across 4 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U has 4 threads across 4 cores. This gives the Intel part a 2:1 thread advantage, which shows in its Geekbench multi-core win of 4495 versus 3798.

Q: Which CPU is more power-efficient?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300U has a TDP of 15 W, compared to the Intel Core i3-10100's TDP of 65 W. The AMD part also uses a 7 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel part uses a 14 nm process from Intel.

Q: What is the L3 cache difference?

A: The Intel Core i3-10100 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has a 2 MB L3 advantage.

Q: Which CPU wins the most head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 4300U wins 4 of the 6 head-to-head tests, all of which are Cinebench R15 or R23. The Intel Core i3-10100 wins the remaining 2, both of which are Geekbench tests.

Q: Do these CPUs have similar average benchmark scores?

A: Yes, both have an identical average benchmark score of 1742, and both sit in the 41st percentile of all CPUs. Their nearest rival scores also align: the Core i5-6600 at 1744 and the Core i3-1315UE at 1739.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win belongs to the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 1074 against 362. That is a 196.7% delta, meaning the AMD part more than triples the Intel part's score in this test. The R15 single-core test shows a similar pattern, with 163.9 versus 88, an 86.3% delta. The R15 multi-core test gives the AMD part a 562.5 to 258 result, a 118% delta. The R23 multi-core test shows 3571 versus 2564, a 39.3% delta. These four Cinebench wins are consistent: the AMD architecture delivers far higher Cinebench scores across the board.

The Intel Core i3-10100 wins both Geekbench tests, but by smaller margins. In Geekbench multi-core, the Intel part scores 4495 against 3798, a 15.5% delta. In single-core, it scores 1350 against 1281, a 5.1% delta. The 3DMark data for the Intel part shows a thread-scaling curve that peaks at 3235 with 16 threads, and it reaches 3193 at 8 threads. The AMD part has no 3DMark data in the pack, so cross-comparison there is not possible. However, the Geekbench multi-core result suggests the Intel part's extra threads are useful in that benchmark, while its single-core advantage is modest.

Specification Differences

The core count is identical at 4, but the thread count differs: the Intel Core i3-10100 has 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U has 4. Clock speeds differ substantially: the Intel part has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost of 4.30 GHz, versus 2.70 GHz and 3.70 GHz for the AMD part. TDP differs by 50 W: 65 W for the Intel part versus 15 W for the AMD part. The Intel part uses Intel Socket 1200 and the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm Intel process; the AMD part uses AMD Socket FP6 and the Zen 2 (Renoir) architecture on a 7 nm TSMC process. The AMD part lists 9,800 million transistors and a 156 mm² die size; the Intel part lists neither.

Cache configurations differ in L2 and L3: the AMD part has 512 KB L2 per core and 4 MB shared L3, while the Intel part has 256 KB L2 per core and 6 MB shared L3. L1 cache is identical at 64 KB per core. Memory support differs: the AMD part supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part supports only DDR4 with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel memory buses. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon Graphics 320SP for the AMD part versus UHD Graphics 630 for the Intel part. The release dates differ by about four months: the AMD part launched on 2020-01-05, the Intel part on 2020-04-29. Both parts have locked multipliers, no ECC support, and are classified as Active in production status.