AMD Ryzen 7 3700U vs Intel Core i3-6300 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data pits the Intel Core i3-6300 against the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U across two Cinebench R15 runs, and the outcome is decisive. The AMD part wins both tests outright, with a 2-0 sweep in the head-to-head table. In the multicore test, the Ryzen 7 3700U scores 672 against the i3-6300's 340, a delta of -49.4% from Intel's perspective. That means the AMD chip delivers roughly double the multicore throughput in this workload, a gap that is hard to overstate for a desktop versus mobile comparison.

The single-core result is even more lopsided in percentage terms. The Ryzen 7 3700U posts 139 in Cinebench R15 single-core, while the i3-6300 manages only 52, a delta of -62.6%. This is surprising at first glance because the Intel part has a much higher base clock of 3.80 GHz, while the AMD chip's base is just 2.30 GHz, boosting to 4.00 GHz. Yet the benchmark data shows the AMD part leading by a wide margin. The implication is that the Ryzen 7 3700U's boost behavior and architecture efficiency overcome the Intel part's raw clock advantage in this test. Alternatively, the recorded scores suggest the i3-6300 sample may have been constrained, since its own single-core R15 score sits far below what its other Cinebench results would imply. The database lists the i3-6300 with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 477 and an R20 single-core score of 200, both of which look inconsistent with an R15 score of 52. Regardless, the head-to-head numbers are what they are: the AMD processor wins both recorded comparisons.

Looking at the broader benchmark sets, the two CPUs occupy the same percentile ranking among all CPUs, both at the 26th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 978 for the Intel part and 968 for the AMD part, a difference of only 10 points. This near parity in aggregate scoring makes the head-to-head sweep all the more striking. The Ryzen 7 3700U wins the two shared tests by huge margins, yet the overall averages are close because each processor has additional benchmarks the other lacks. The i3-6300 has Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 scores, while the Ryzen 7 3700U has Cinebench R15 and Geekbench scores. The Intel chip's R20 and R23 multicore scores of 1419 and 3380, respectively, pull its average up, while the AMD chip's Geekbench multicore score of 2377 contributes to its own average. The result is a statistical tie in average score, even though the direct comparison favors AMD heavily.

The nearest rivals in the database reinforce the picture. The i3-6300's closest competitor is the Intel Core i5-5257U, with an average score of 976 and a delta of 0.2%, meaning the i3-6300 is essentially neck-and-neck with that part. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-2400S, which also scores 968, a delta of 0%. Both CPUs sit in a cluster of comparable parts, yet their head-to-head result does not reflect that parity. This suggests that the two Cinebench R15 tests are not representative of the full workload spread, or that the Intel part's R15 scores are anomalously low relative to its other recorded results.

The data also shows a clear architectural story. The Ryzen 7 3700U has twice the cores and threads: 4 cores and 8 threads versus the i3-6300's 2 cores and 4 threads. It runs on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the Intel part uses Intel's 14 nm node. The AMD chip packs 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, compared to 1,400 million transistors on a 150 mm² die for Intel. Cache configurations differ as well: the AMD part has 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, versus 64 KB and 256 KB per core for Intel. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache. These structural differences explain the multicore dominance, but the single-core gap remains a puzzle that the clock speed data alone cannot resolve.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded measurements, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U is the winner in the head-to-head comparison. It wins both Cinebench R15 tests, multicore and single-core, with margins of -49.4% and -62.6% respectively. Any user choosing between these two based on the database's shared benchmarks should pick the AMD part without hesitation. The data shows no test where the Intel Core i3-6300 comes out ahead.

However, the verdict is not entirely one-dimensional. The two processors share the same 26th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores differ by only 10 points (978 for Intel versus 968 for AMD). The Ryzen 7 3700U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-2400S at an identical 968 average, and the i3-6300's nearest rivals cluster around 975 to 976. In terms of overall database standing, these are equivalent-class parts. The head-to-head sweep is real, but it is based on a narrow set of two tests, and the Intel part has additional Cinebench R20 and R23 results that the AMD part does not have. If those tests were shared, the aggregate picture could shift, though the R15 results strongly suggest AMD would still lead in multicore.

The production status for both is listed as Active, and neither has a launch MSRP in the database, so pricing cannot factor into this analysis. The i3-6300 is a desktop part with a 51 W TDP, while the Ryzen 7 3700U is a mobile part with a 15 W TDP. For a desktop user, the Intel chip fits a standard Socket 1151 motherboard, whereas the AMD chip uses Socket FP5, which is typically found in laptops. The verdict from the data is clear for the benchmarks, but the platform context matters: the AMD part wins the recorded tests while consuming far less power, but the Intel part is the one designed for desktop systems.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U wins every recorded head-to-head test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 672 versus 340, nearly doubling the Intel part's output. This is the kind of result expected from a 4-core, 8-thread processor against a 2-core, 4-thread one. The Ryzen 7 3700U's 4 MB shared L3 cache matches the Intel part's L3, but its larger per-core L1 and L2 caches (96 KB and 512 KB versus 64 KB and 256 KB) likely help feed its extra cores. The AMD chip also has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, which is higher than the Intel part's fixed 3.80 GHz, giving it a peak frequency advantage despite the lower base clock.

In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Ryzen 7 3700U scores 139 versus 52, a 62.6% lead. This is the more surprising win, because single-core performance typically favors higher clock speeds, and the Intel part's base clock of 3.80 GHz is higher than the AMD part's base of 2.30 GHz. The AMD chip's boost to 4.00 GHz closes that gap, and the Zen+ architecture appears to deliver better instructions per clock in this workload. The data does not show any test where the Intel Core i3-6300 wins. Its wins column is 0, and the AMD part's wins column is 2. For users who need multicore throughput, the AMD part is the obvious choice. For users who need single-core speed, the same conclusion applies based on the recorded R15 score, though the i3-6300's other single-core scores (200 in R20, 477 in R23) suggest it is not a weak chip overall.

The use-case split is therefore one-sided in the shared benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U suits workloads like video rendering, compilation, and other parallel tasks, where its extra cores and threads pay off. It also suits lightly threaded tasks according to the R15 single-core result, though the Intel part's higher base clock could theoretically help in scenarios where boost is not sustained. The Intel i3-6300, with its desktop socket and 51 W TDP, targets budget desktop builds, but the database does not record any benchmark where it beats the AMD part. The only area where the Intel chip has an edge is in available data: it has six recorded benchmark scores across R15, R20, and R23, while the AMD part has only four across R15 and Geekbench.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U wins the Cinebench R15 multicore test with a score of 672, while the Intel Core i3-6300 scores 340, a 49.4% deficit for Intel.

Q: Which CPU wins in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test, scoring 139 versus the Intel Core i3-6300's 52, a 62.6% lead for AMD.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 has an average benchmark score of 978, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has 968. They are nearly identical, and both sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 has a TDP of 51 W, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 memory with a dual-channel memory bus. The Intel part has a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the AMD part has no bandwidth figure in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The Intel Core i3-6300 uses the Skylake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process with a die size of 150 mm² and 1,400 million transistors. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U uses the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, built on GlobalFoundries' 12 nm process with a die size of 210 mm² and 4,940 million transistors. The AMD part is roughly three and a half times denser in transistor count on a larger die, which reflects its 4-core, 8-thread design versus Intel's 2-core, 4-thread design.

Cache hierarchies differ in per-core capacities. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, while the AMD part has 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache across all cores. The larger per-core caches on the AMD side likely contribute to its single-core lead in Cinebench R15, despite the Intel part's higher base clock. The AMD chip's boost clock of 4.00 GHz also exceeds the Intel part's fixed 3.80 GHz, giving it a peak frequency advantage when boosting.

The process node difference is notable: 12 nm for AMD versus 14 nm for Intel, with AMD using GlobalFoundries as the foundry and Intel using its own fabs. The transistor counts reflect the design complexity: 4,940 million versus 1,400 million. The die sizes are 210 mm² and 150 mm², respectively. The AMD part belongs to the Ryzen 7 3000 series, with the codename Picasso, while the Intel part is a Core i3 from the Skylake generation. The Intel part's part number is SR2HA, and the AMD part's is YM370BC4T4MFG. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. Both lack ECC memory support. The AMD part has Radeon Vega 10 integrated graphics, while the Intel part has Intel HD 530.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across several specification fields. The Intel Core i3-6300 has 2 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 3.80 GHz, and no boost clock. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has 4 cores and 8 threads, a base clock of 2.30 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. TDP differs substantially: 51 W for Intel versus 15 W for AMD. The sockets are different: Intel Socket 1151 for the i3-6300, AMD Socket FP5 for the Ryzen 7 3700U. The market segments differ: Desktop for Intel, Mobile for AMD.

Cache sizes differ per core: the Intel part has 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, while the AMD part has 96 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with both sharing 4 MB L3. Memory bandwidth is recorded only for the Intel part at 34.1 GB/s. PCIe support differs: the Intel part has Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD part has Gen 3 without a lane count specified. Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 530 versus Radeon Vega 10. The release dates differ, with the Intel part released earlier and the AMD part released later. The process node differs: 14 nm for Intel versus 12 nm for AMD. The foundry differs: Intel versus GlobalFoundries. Transistor counts and die sizes differ, as noted above. The part numbers differ, and the AMD part has a series designation of 3000 series.