AMD Ryzen 3 8300G vs AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 8300G and AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT are desktop processors from different generations. The 8300G is a 4-core, 8-thread Zen 4 part on AM5 with DDR5 support and integrated Radeon 740M graphics. The 3600XT is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 2 part on AM4 with DDR4 support and no integrated graphics. In head-to-head testing, the 3600XT wins 15 of 17 benchmarks, while the 8300G takes the remaining two. The 8300G has a higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.50 GHz) and a newer process node (4 nm vs 7 nm), but the 3600XT's extra cores and larger L3 cache give it a decisive edge in most workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Across the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, the Ryzen 5 3600XT dominates. Its largest margin is in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where it scores 113 against the 8300G's 47, a 58.4% lead. It also leads by 37.6% in both data encryption (14608 vs 9115) and physics (1210 vs 755). Data compression shows a 31.1% gap (230645 vs 158952). In Cinebench, the 3600XT is consistently 22.6% ahead in R15, R20, and R23 multi-core, and 22.6% ahead in R20 and R23 single-core, with R15 single-core at 22.8%. The 8300G's only wins are PassMark single-thread and singlethread, both scoring 3778 against 2752, a 37.3% advantage. The 3600XT also leads in integer math (51416 vs 40534, 21.2% ahead), floating point (30149 vs 25336, 16% ahead), extended instructions (14585 vs 12354, 15.3% ahead), multithread (18562 vs 14018, 24.5% ahead), and random string sorting (24960 vs 19013, 23.8% ahead). These results show a clear pattern: the 3600XT wins every test that stresses multiple cores or sustained throughput, while the 8300G only manages a single-thread win in PassMark.

Where Each One Wins

The 3600XT wins every multi-threaded test in the database, including all Cinebench multi-core runs, PassMark multithread, integer math, floating point math, data compression, encryption, physics, prime numbers, and random string sorting. It also wins all Cinebench single-core tests. The 8300G only wins PassMark's single-thread test, which is a specific workload that measures per-thread performance in that suite. This suggests that the 8300G has strong single-thread capability in PassMark, but it does not carry over to Cinebench, where the 3600XT leads by 22.6% in single-core. For users running Cinebench or similar rendering workloads, the 3600XT is clearly better. For PassMark's single-thread test, the 8300G has a 37.3% edge. The 8300G's higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.50 GHz) does not translate into a Cinebench single-core win, indicating that the 3600XT's higher base clock (3.80 GHz vs 3.40 GHz) and larger L3 cache (32 MB vs 8 MB) may play a role. In practical terms, the 3600XT is the better choice for video encoding, 3D rendering, compression, and any workload that can use more than four cores. The 8300G's single-thread PassMark win is notable but isolated.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different design eras. The 8300G uses Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, while the 3600XT uses Zen 2 on 7 nm. The 8300G packs 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die, while the 3600XT has 3,800 million on 74 mm². The 8300G has 1 MB L2 per core and 8 MB shared L3, while the 3600XT has 512 KB L2 per core and 32 MB shared L3. The 8300G supports DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC, while the 3600XT supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s and no ECC. The 8300G includes a Radeon 740M integrated GPU, while the 3600XT has none. The 8300G is on AM5, the 3600XT on AM4. The 8300G has a 65 W TDP, the 3600XT 95 W. The 8300G has a locked multiplier, the 3600XT is unlocked. The 8300G was released in 2024, the 3600XT in 2019. These differences explain the performance gap: the 3600XT's larger L3 cache and higher core count give it a substantial advantage in multi-threaded and cache-sensitive workloads, while the 8300G's newer process and higher boost clock help in specific single-thread tests.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 3 8300G | AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base clock | 3.40 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 95 W |

| Socket | AM5 | AM4 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Zen 2 |

| Process node | 4 nm | 7 nm |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | 3,800 million |

| Die size | 137 mm² | 74 mm² |

| L2 cache | 1 MB per core | 512 KB per core |

| L3 cache | 8 MB shared | 32 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 14 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4 |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 740M | None |

| Multiplier | Locked | Unlocked |

| Release date | 2024-01-07 | 2019-07-06 |

| Launch MSRP | $176 | $249 |

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600XT has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 8300G has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which CPU supports DDR5 memory?

A: The Ryzen 3 8300G supports DDR5, while the Ryzen 5 3600XT supports DDR4.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: The Ryzen 3 8300G includes a Radeon 740M integrated GPU, while the Ryzen 5 3600XT has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Ryzen 3 8300G boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the Ryzen 5 3600XT boosts to 4.50 GHz.

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

A: The Ryzen 5 3600XT scores 15776, which is 22.6% higher than the Ryzen 3 8300G's 12217.

Q: Which CPU has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600XT has 32 MB shared L3, while the Ryzen 3 8300G has 8 MB shared L3.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is clear: the Ryzen 5 3600XT is the stronger processor for almost every workload. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench runs, all multi-threaded PassMark tests, and most single-threaded tests. The 8300G's only wins are PassMark single-thread, where it leads by 37.3%. The 3600XT's advantages come from its 6 cores and 12 threads, larger 32 MB L3 cache, and higher base clock. The 8300G counters with a newer Zen 4 architecture, a 4 nm process, DDR5 support, and integrated graphics. For a system without a discrete GPU, the 8300G is the only option of the two, and its lower 65 W TDP and newer platform may appeal to some builders. But for raw CPU performance, the 3600XT is the clear choice. The 8300G's launch MSRP was $176, while the 3600XT's was $249, but the 3600XT still delivers more performance in the database's measurements. The 8300G has a slightly higher average benchmark score (18169 vs 17891) and percentile (72 vs 71), but that is driven by its single-thread PassMark win. The 3600XT's core and cache advantage outweighs the 8300G's newer process and higher boost clock in nearly every test.