AMD Ryzen 3 8300G vs Intel Core i7-9700 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-9700 and AMD Ryzen 3 8300G present a fascinating generational clash, pitting an eight-core Coffee Lake veteran against a four-core Zen 4 Phoenix2 newcomer. While both CPUs land at the 72nd percentile in the global benchmark pool and share nearly identical average scores (18180 vs 18169), the data reveals two distinctly different performance profiles. The i7-9700 dominates in specific compute-heavy workloads, while the 8300G counters with superior efficiency in single-threaded and encryption tasks. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, architectural disparities, and the concrete implications for workload selection.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head results is the complete sweep of Cinebench tests by the AMD Ryzen 3 8300G. Across all six Cinebench benchmarks, the 8300G maintains a consistent lead of approximately 8.3% over the i7-9700. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the 8300G scores 12217 against the i7-9700's 11200, a margin of 8.3%. The single-core results tell the same story: the 8300G posts 1724 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1581 for the i7-9700 (8.3% difference), and in Cinebench R15 single-core, the scores are 173 vs 159 (8.1% advantage). This consistency suggests a fundamental per-clock efficiency advantage for the Zen 4 architecture rather than a clock-speed-only effect.

The AMD processor also wins the PassMark multithread test, scoring 14018 against 13223 (5.7% ahead), and the PassMark single-thread test decisively at 3778 vs 2756 — a massive 27.1% advantage. The data compression test flips the script, however: the Intel i7-9700 scores 181411 versus the 8300G's 158952, a 14.1% win for Intel. The i7-9700 also takes PassMark extended instructions (14488 vs 12354, 17.3% ahead), floating-point math (34187 vs 25336, 34.9% ahead), random string sorting (23482 vs 19013, 23.5% ahead), and physics (820 vs 755, 8.6% ahead).

The encryption test produces the largest delta in the entire dataset: the 8300G scores 9115 in PassMark data encryption against the i7-9700's 4322 — a 52.6% advantage for AMD. This is the single biggest win for either side. Integer math is nearly a tie, with the 8300G edging ahead at 40534 vs 40138 (1% difference). The find prime numbers test is essentially a dead heat, with the i7-9700 winning 48 to 47 (2.1% margin). Overall, the AMD part wins 11 of 17 benchmarks, but the Intel part wins the six most compute-intensive floating-point and sorting workloads by substantial margins.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural gap is the process node: the Ryzen 3 8300G uses a 4nm TSMC process, while the i7-9700 is built on Intel's 14nm node. This explains the transistor density difference — the 8300G packs 20,900 million transistors into a 137 mm² die, whereas the i7-9700 uses a 180.3 mm² die with no transistor count listed. The 8300G's Zen 4 architecture (codename Phoenix2) contrasts with the i7-9700's Coffee Lake design, and the core counts differ significantly: 8 cores/8 threads for Intel versus 4 cores/8 threads for AMD. The 8300G compensates for fewer physical cores with simultaneous multithreading, which the i7-9700 lacks entirely.

Clock speeds favor AMD on paper: the 8300G has a 3.40 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost, versus 3.00 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost for the i7-9700. Cache configurations also diverge sharply. Both share 64 KB L1 per core, but the 8300G has 1 MB L2 per core versus 256 KB for the i7-9700. The i7-9700 has more shared L3 at 12 MB versus 8 MB. Memory support is a generational leap: the 8300G uses DDR5 with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-9700 is limited to DDR4 at 42.7 GB/s. The 8300G also supports ECC memory, which the i7-9700 does not.

Platform connectivity differs as well. The i7-9700 uses Intel Socket 1151 with PCIe Gen 3 (16 lanes), while the 8300G uses AMD Socket AM5 with PCIe Gen 4 (14 lanes). Both have integrated graphics, but the 8300G features the Radeon 740M versus the i7-9700's UHD Graphics 630. The 8300G is an active product released in 2024, while the i7-9700 is end-of-life from 2019. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not a differentiator.

FAQ

Q: Why does the AMD Ryzen 3 8300G win all Cinebench tests despite having half the physical cores?

A: The data shows the 8300G achieves higher scores across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multicore tests. With 8 threads from 4 cores, the 8300G benefits from simultaneous multithreading, a feature the 8-core i7-9700 lacks. The 8300G also has higher base (3.40 GHz vs 3.00 GHz) and boost (4.90 GHz vs 4.70 GHz) clocks, plus a more efficient 4nm process.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700 wins PassMark data compression by a significant margin, scoring 181411 versus the 8300G's 158952, a 14.1% advantage. This suggests the i7-9700's larger L3 cache (12 MB shared vs 8 MB shared) and 8 physical cores provide an edge in this specific workload.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The 8300G leads in PassMark single-thread by 27.1% (3778 vs 2756) and by 8.3% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1724 vs 1581). This is the 8300G's most decisive advantage outside of encryption, indicating superior per-core performance from the Zen 4 architecture.

Q: What explains the massive encryption performance difference?

A: The 8300G scores 9115 in PassMark data encryption versus 4322 for the i7-9700, a 52.6% gap. This is the largest delta in any benchmark between the two. The AMD processor's newer architecture and likely hardware-accelerated instructions (as reflected in its 4nm process and Zen 4 design) account for this dramatic difference.

Q: Do the processors have similar overall performance?

A: Yes, their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 18180 for the i7-9700 and 18169 for the 8300G, a negligible 0.1% difference. Both CPUs sit in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. However, the distribution of wins is skewed — the 8300G wins 11 benchmarks while the i7-9700 wins 6, but the Intel part's wins come in larger margins on specific workloads.

Q: Which processor has better memory bandwidth?

A: The 8300G supports DDR5 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, nearly double the i7-9700's DDR4 bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This memory advantage likely contributes to the 8300G's performance in memory-sensitive tests like encryption and single-threaded workloads.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload type. The AMD Ryzen 3 8300G is the superior choice for single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its 27.1% PassMark single-thread lead and consistent 8.3% Cinebench single-core margins. It also dominates encryption (52.6% ahead) and multithreaded Cinebench workloads despite having only 4 physical cores. The 8300G's 4nm process, DDR5 support, and higher clocks make it the more modern and efficient performer for general productivity, web browsing, and lightly-threaded applications.

The Intel Core i7-9700 is the pick for specific compute-heavy tasks. Its 34.9% lead in floating-point math, 23.5% advantage in random string sorting, and 17.3% edge in extended instructions indicate a strong suit in scientific, simulation, and data-manipulation workloads. The 14.1% data compression win also makes it attractive for file-archiving and compression-heavy server tasks. The i7-9700's 8 physical cores without hyperthreading provide consistent performance in fully-threaded integer workloads, though the 8300G still wins the PassMark multithread test (14018 vs 13223).

For a buyer choosing between these two today, the 8300G is the more future-proof option with its active production status, DDR5 memory support, and PCIe Gen 4 connectivity. The i7-9700, being end-of-life, offers no upgrade path on its Intel Socket 1151 platform. However, the i7-9700's wins in floating-point math and sorting are substantial and cannot be ignored for users running those specific applications. The near-identical average scores (18180 vs 18169) mask a deep divergence in workload-specific performance, making the choice entirely dependent on the intended use case.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-9700 | AMD Ryzen 3 8300G |

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

| Cores | 8 | 4 |

| Threads | 8 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Zen 4 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 20,900 million |

| Die Size | 180.3 mm² | 137 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | 83.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 14 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | Radeon 740M |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2019-04-22 | 2024-01-07 |

| Launch MSRP | $333 | $176 |

| Part Number | SRG13 | 100-000001492 |