Intel Celeron N5100 vs Intel Core i3-6300 Comparison

The Verdict

The data in this comparison is unusually one-sided. Across every recorded Cinebench iteration, the Intel Core i3-6300 finishes ahead of the Intel Celeron N5100, winning all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The i3-6300 posts a 20.6% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core, a 20.4% lead in R20 multi-core, a 20.5% lead in R20 single-core, a 20.3% lead in R23 multi-core, and a 20.5% lead in R23 single-core. There is no benchmark in the database where the Celeron N5100 takes the win.

However, the average benchmark scores tell a more nuanced story. The i3-6300 averages 978 points, while the Celeron N5100 averages 966 points, a gap of only 1.2%. Both processors sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same overall performance tier despite the i3-6300’s consistent victory in each individual test. The nearest rivals for the i3-6300 include the Intel Core i5-5257U (976, delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i3-4150T (975, delta 0.3%), and the AMD Athlon X4 840 (975, delta 0.3%). For the Celeron N5100, the nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon X5570 (967, delta -0.1%), the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U (968, delta -0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-2400S (968, delta -0.2%).

Who should pick which? The i3-6300 is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing raw multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering performance, as it leads every Cinebench test by roughly a fifth. It is a desktop part with a 51 TDP, active production status, and a Skylake architecture. The Celeron N5100, by contrast, is an end-of-life mobile part with a 6 TDP and a Tremont architecture. Its appeal lies not in peak performance but in its low power envelope, four physical cores, and newer 10 nm process. If the workload is sustained rendering, the i3-6300 wins outright. If the requirement is a low-power mobile processor with four cores and integrated UHD Graphics 24EU, the Celeron N5100 is the only one of the two that fits that profile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design eras. The Core i3-6300 uses the Skylake architecture on a 14 nm process node, fabricated by Intel with 1,400 million transistors on a 150 mm² die. It has 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and no boost clock listed. Its cache layout consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Celeron N5100 uses the Tremont architecture under the Jasper Lake codename, built on a 10 nm process node with a die size of 63.8 mm². It has 4 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 1100.00 MHz, and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz. Its cache differs: 64 KB of L1 per core, but 1.5 MB of shared L2, and the same 4 MB of shared L3.

The memory controllers also diverge. The i3-6300 supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a maximum bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Celeron N5100 supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4, also dual-channel, but with a higher memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. PCIe lanes differ as well: the i3-6300 offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Celeron N5100 offers Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are present on both, but with different capabilities: the i3-6300 has Intel HD 530, while the Celeron N5100 has UHD Graphics 24EU. Neither part supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The socket situation is a major architectural split. The i3-6300 uses Intel Socket 1151, a desktop socket with replaceable chips. The Celeron N5100 uses Intel BGA 1338, a ball-grid array soldered to the motherboard, reflecting its mobile market segment. The i3-6300 is classified as a desktop processor and is still marked as active in production, with a release date of 2015-08-31. The Celeron N5100 is classified as mobile and is marked end-of-life, with no release date recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Celeron N5100 has 4 cores, while the Core i3-6300 has 2 cores. Both have 4 threads, meaning the i3-6300 uses Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads from 2 physical cores, while the Celeron N5100 has 4 physical cores and no extra threads.

Q: Does the Celeron N5100 beat the Core i3-6300 in any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the Core i3-6300 winning all five recorded Cinebench tests, with deltas ranging from 20.3% to 20.6%. The Celeron N5100 has zero wins in the comparison.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core i3-6300 has an average benchmark score of 978, and the Celeron N5100 has an average of 966. That is a difference of 12 points, or roughly 1.2%. Both processors sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Core i3-6300 has a TDP of 51, while the Celeron N5100 has a TDP of 6. The Celeron N5100 draws significantly less power, consistent with its mobile market segment and BGA socket.

Q: Which processor has a faster single-core clock speed?

A: The Core i3-6300 has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and no boost clock. The Celeron N5100 has a base clock of 1100.00 MHz and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz. The i3-6300’s base clock exceeds the Celeron’s boost clock, but the Celeron’s 10 nm process and boost capability allow it to reach 2.80 GHz.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No. The Core i3-6300 is listed as active in production. The Celeron N5100 is listed as end-of-life.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two processors differ, according to the database.

| Field | Intel Core i3-6300 | Intel Celeron N5100 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 1100.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 2.80 GHz |

| TDP | 51 | 6 |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel BGA 1338 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Tremont |

| Codename | Skylake | Jasper Lake |

| Generation | Core i3 (Skylake) | Celeron (Tremont) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 10 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 150 mm² | 63.8 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 1.5 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, LPDDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 46.9 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 530 | UHD Graphics 24EU |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

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

| Release Date | 2015-08-31 | Not recorded |

| Part Number | SR2HA | SRKGZ |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are consistent across every test. The Core i3-6300 wins each comparison by a margin that hovers near 20%. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural, rooted in clock speed and architectural efficiency rather than workload-specific quirks.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-6300 scores 340 against the Celeron N5100’s 282, a 20.6% advantage. That is the largest delta in the dataset. The gap narrows only slightly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i3-6300 records 1419 and the Celeron N5100 records 1179, a 20.4% lead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-6300 posts 3380 versus 2809, a 20.3% advantage. Each multi-core test shows the same pattern: the i3-6300’s two Skylake cores at 3.80 GHz outrun the Celeron N5100’s four Tremont cores, even though the latter has twice the physical core count.

Single-core results follow the same trend. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-6300 scores 200, and the Celeron N5100 scores 166, a 20.5% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i3-6300 scores 477, and the Celeron N5100 scores 396, another 20.5% gap. This single-core advantage is especially telling because the Celeron N5100 has a boost clock of 2.80 GHz, yet it still trails the i3-6300’s fixed 3.80 GHz base clock by a fifth. The Skylake architecture’s higher per-core throughput is evident.

The Celeron N5100 does hold some specification-level advantages that do not translate into Cinebench wins. It has 4 physical cores versus 2, a newer 10 nm process, a smaller 63.8 mm² die, higher memory bandwidth at 46.9 GB/s, and support for LPDDR4. In the recorded benchmarks, however, none of these advantages overcome the i3-6300’s clock speed and IPC lead. The average benchmark scores confirm that both CPUs land in the same performance class, but the Celeron N5100’s wins in efficiency and mobile integration are not reflected in the rendering tests.

For a user comparing these two, the benchmark data is unambiguous. The Core i3-6300 is the stronger CPU for Cinebench workloads, winning every recorded test by roughly 20%. The Celeron N5100 is the lower-power, mobile-oriented alternative with four cores and a newer process, but its performance ceiling in these tests sits below the i3-6300. The database records no benchmark where the Celeron N5100 takes the lead.