Intel Core i3-7300 vs Intel Pentium Gold G5500 Comparison

The Intel Pentium Gold G5500 and the Intel Core i3-7300 are two dual-core, four-thread desktop processors for Socket 1151 that the database places in nearly the same overall tier: an average benchmark score of 1130 for the G5500 versus 1115 for the i3-7300, sitting at the 32nd and 31st percentiles against all recorded CPUs respectively. Yet the head-to-head Cinebench results tell a more one-sided story, with the i3-7300 winning every recorded test by a consistent margin of roughly 15 percent. The following analysis walks through the recorded data step by step.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core i3-7300 sweeps all five recorded head-to-head tests, and the margin is remarkably stable across every workload generation.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-7300 posts 388 points against the G5500's 330, a 14.9 percent gap. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the same picture: 1619 versus 1379, a 14.8 percent lead for the i3. The single-core results mirror this almost exactly, with the i3-7300 scoring 228 in R20 single-core against 194 for the G5500 (14.9 percent), and 544 versus 463 in R23 single-core (again 14.9 percent).

Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest absolute gap in the dataset: 3856 points for the i3-7300 versus 3285 for the Pentium Gold G5500, a 14.8 percent difference. The uniformity of these deltas, all falling between 14.8 and 14.9 percent, indicates the advantage is architectural and frequency-driven rather than workload-specific. The G5500 records zero head-to-head wins; the i3-7300 records five.

The persistence of the same margin in both single-core and multi-core tests is notable. If the i3's advantage came from better multi-threaded throughput, the single-core gap would be smaller. Instead, the identical deltas point to a straightforward per-thread superiority that scales linearly across the two cores and four threads both chips share.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in the recorded benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i3-7300 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, by 14.8 to 14.9 percent in every case. For example, it scores 3856 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 3285 for the Pentium Gold G5500.

Q: How do the two compare in overall database standing?

A: They are nearly tied. The G5500 has an average benchmark score of 1130 and sits in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs; the i3-7300 averages 1115 and sits in the 31st percentile.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No. The Pentium Gold G5500 supports ECC memory; the Core i3-7300 does not. Both support DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: Which processors are the closest rivals to each chip?

A: The G5500's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i3-4370 (1130 average, 0 percent delta), Intel Core i5-4690T (1129, 0.1 percent), Intel Core i3-10110U (1131, -0.1 percent), and Intel Core i7-3612QM (1129, 0.1 percent). The i3-7300's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (1116, 0 percent), Intel Core i5-3550S (1118, -0.3 percent), Intel Core i3-4150 (1119, -0.3 percent), and Intel Core i7-5557U (1110, 0.4 percent).

Q: Are both chips still in production?

A: No. The Pentium Gold G5500 is listed as end-of-life, while the Core i3-7300 is listed as active. The G5500 launched in April 2018 with a launch MSRP of $75.

Q: Do these CPUs use the same socket?

A: Yes, both use Intel Socket 1151, which means the comparison is directly relevant for platform compatibility discussions.

The Verdict

The data gives a clear recommendation: for pure performance, the Core i3-7300 is the stronger processor in every recorded metric. It is roughly 15 percent faster in every Cinebench test, single-core and multi-core alike, and it is the only one of the two still listed as active in production.

The Pentium Gold G5500 has two data-backed arguments in its favor. First, it supports ECC memory, which the i3-7300 does not, making it the only option of the pair for error-correcting DDR4 configurations. Second, it is the newer part, launched in April 2018 versus January 2017, built on the Coffee Lake architecture rather than Kaby Lake, though the recorded benchmarks show this newer architecture does not translate into higher scores at these clock configurations.

Buyers choosing strictly on benchmark results should pick the i3-7300. Buyers who need ECC support on Socket 1151 should pick the G5500, accepting the roughly 15 percent performance deficit that comes with it.

Specification Differences

The two processors share most of their platform characteristics, including the 14 nm process node, Intel foundry, Socket 1151 compatibility, DDR4 support on a dual-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3.

The differences are as follows:

• Base clock: 3.80 GHz for the G5500 versus 4.00 GHz for the i3-7300. Neither chip has a recorded boost clock.
• TDP: 54 W for the G5500 versus 51 W for the i3-7300.
• ECC support: present on the G5500, absent on the i3-7300.
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 630 on the G5500 versus Intel HD 630 on the i3-7300.
• Architecture: Coffee Lake on the G5500 versus Kaby Lake on the i3-7300.
• Die size: 126 mm² is recorded for the G5500; no die size is recorded for the i3-7300.
• Production status: the G5500 is end-of-life; the i3-7300 is active.
• Release date: April 2018 for the G5500 versus January 2017 for the i3-7300.
• Launch MSRP: $75 for the G5500; no launch MSRP is recorded for the i3-7300.

The 0.20 GHz base clock difference aligns closely with the roughly 15 percent benchmark gap, suggesting frequency is the dominant variable in the head-to-head results given the shared core counts, thread counts, and cache configurations.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are Intel 14 nm parts, but they belong to different generations. The Pentium Gold G5500 is a Coffee Lake part from the Pentium Gold line, released in April 2018. The Core i3-7300 is a Kaby Lake part from the Core i3 line, released in January 2017.

Structurally, the two are near-identical: two cores, four threads, and the same cache layout at every level. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The G5500's integrated graphics are branded UHD Graphics 630 while the i3-7300 carries Intel HD 630, a generational rebranding of the same graphics family tier.

The practical architectural divergence that matters in the recorded data is not core design but configuration: the i3-7300 runs its two cores at 4.00 GHz while the G5500 runs at 3.80 GHz. Combined with the shared 14 nm node, shared cache sizes, and shared memory subsystem, the database indicates this clock difference is the primary driver of the i3's uniform advantage. Coffee Lake's newer architecture does not overcome the older Kaby Lake part's higher frequency in any recorded test.

The G5500 does carry one platform feature the i3 lacks: ECC memory support, unusual for a desktop part in this segment and the only functional capability in the dataset where the newer architecture separates the two.

Where Each One Wins

Where the Core i3-7300 wins: everywhere in the recorded benchmark suite. It leads by 14.9 percent in Cinebench R15 multi-core (388 versus 330), 14.8 percent in R20 multi-core (1619 versus 1379), 14.9 percent in R20 single-core (228 versus 194), 14.8 percent in R23 multi-core (3856 versus 3285), and 14.9 percent in R23 single-core (544 versus 463). For any workload driven by CPU throughput, rendering, or per-thread responsiveness, the i3-7300 is the better-performing choice, and it does so at a slightly lower 51 W TDP against the G5500's 54 W. Its nearest-rival data places it alongside the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 and Intel Core i5-3550S, within a fraction of a percent.

Where the Pentium Gold G5500 wins: on features rather than speed. It is the only chip of the pair with ECC memory support, the only one with a recorded die size (126 mm²), and the newer design by architecture generation. Its overall database standing is marginally higher too: 32nd percentile versus 31st, and an average score of 1130 versus 1115, because that aggregate includes results beyond this head-to-head pairing. Its rival cluster (Core i3-4370, Core i5-4690T, Core i3-10110U, Core i7-3612QM, all within 0.1 percent) confirms it competes in the same tier as the i3-7300's cluster despite losing every direct Cinebench comparison.

The split is therefore clean: choose the i3-7300 for performance, choose the G5500 for ECC support or if its newer platform generation matters for the build.