Intel Core i3-7300 vs Intel Pentium Gold G6500 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture: the Intel Core i3-7300 wins every recorded head-to-head comparison against the Pentium Gold G6500. Across five Cinebench tests spanning R15, R20, and R23, the i3-7300 holds a lead of roughly 20.5% to 20.6% in every discipline. This uniformity is notable, as it indicates the performance gap is not confined to a single workload type but applies broadly across both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tasks.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-7300 scores 388 against the Pentium Gold's 322, a delta of 20.5%. The R20 multi-core test shows a similar margin: 1619 versus 1343, a 20.6% advantage. The R23 multi-core result continues the trend, with the i3-7300 posting 3856 and the Pentium Gold trailing at 3199, again a 20.5% gap. These multi-core results are particularly telling because both processors feature the same core and thread configuration, so the difference must come from architectural efficiency and clock behavior rather than raw resource count.

Single-core performance tells the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-7300 scores 228 versus 189 for the Pentium Gold, a 20.6% lead. The R23 single-core test shows 544 versus 451, another 20.6% margin. Interestingly, the Pentium Gold G6500 actually has a higher base clock (4.10 GHz) than the i3-7300 (4.00 GHz), yet it still loses by a consistent margin in every test. This suggests that the i3-7300's older Kaby Lake architecture is more efficient on a per-clock basis than the newer Comet Lake Pentium, at least as measured by these Cinebench workloads.

The win count is decisive: the i3-7300 claims 5 wins, and the Pentium Gold G6500 claims none. There is no benchmark in the recorded data where the Pentium Gold closes the gap or flips the result. For users comparing these two directly, the i3-7300 is the faster part across the board, with a performance advantage that is both statistically consistent and practically significant at roughly one-fifth faster in every measured scenario.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and use different sockets, which is the most fundamental distinction between them. The Core i3-7300 is built on Kaby Lake architecture and uses the Intel Socket 1151 platform. The Pentium Gold G6500 uses Comet Lake architecture and requires the Intel Socket 1200 platform. This means they are not drop-in compatible, and any system upgrade between them would require a new motherboard.

Both chips are manufactured on the same 14 nm process node at Intel's own foundry. Both have identical core and cache configurations: 2 cores, 4 threads, 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. Neither processor supports ECC memory, neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both support DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus. The PCIe configuration is also identical: Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The base clock differs slightly. The i3-7300 runs at 4.00 GHz, while the Pentium Gold G6500 runs at 4.10 GHz. Neither part has a boost clock, so these base frequencies represent the maximum sustained clock speeds. Despite the Pentium Gold's higher clock, the i3-7300 wins all benchmarks, implying that the Kaby Lake core is significantly more efficient per clock than the Comet Lake Pentium core in these tests.

Memory bandwidth is a point of differentiation. The i3-7300 supports a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Pentium Gold G6500 supports 42.7 GB/s. The Pentium Gold has the higher theoretical memory throughput, yet this does not translate into a benchmark advantage. The integrated graphics also differ: the i3-7300 ships with Intel HD 630, while the Pentium Gold G6500 includes UHD Graphics 630. Both are integrated GPU solutions, but the newer UHD designation on the Pentium Gold reflects its later release.

Release dates are far apart. The i3-7300 launched on 2017-01-02, while the Pentium Gold G6500 arrived on 2020-04-29. The Pentium Gold is therefore a much newer product, released over three years later. Despite this, the older i3-7300 remains the faster processor in the recorded benchmarks, which is a significant finding for anyone comparing these parts. The production status for both is listed as Active, meaning neither is discontinued according to the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i3-7300 is faster in every recorded multi-core test. It leads by 20.5% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (388 vs 322) and by 20.6% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1619 vs 1343). In R23 multi-core, the margin is 20.5% (3856 vs 3199).

Q: Does the Pentium Gold G6500 win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows 5 wins for the i3-7300 and 0 wins for the Pentium Gold G6500 across all recorded Cinebench tests.

Q: How does the base clock compare between the two?

A: The Pentium Gold G6500 has a higher base clock at 4.10 GHz, while the i3-7300 runs at 4.00 GHz. Despite this 0.10 GHz disadvantage, the i3-7300 still outperforms the Pentium Gold in every benchmark.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?

A: No. The i3-7300 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses Intel Socket 1200. They are not interchangeable on the same platform.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes. Both have 2 cores and 4 threads. They also share identical cache sizes: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The i3-7300 supports 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Pentium Gold G6500 supports 42.7 GB/s. The Pentium Gold has the higher theoretical bandwidth, but this does not translate into a benchmark win.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-7300 is the superior processor in every measured category. It wins all five head-to-head benchmarks with a consistent margin of approximately 20.5% to 20.6%. For users prioritizing raw performance in Cinebench workloads, the i3-7300 is the clear choice between these two parts.

The Pentium Gold G6500 does have advantages on paper: a higher base clock (4.10 GHz versus 4.00 GHz), higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s), and a newer architecture and release date. However, none of these advantages translate into a benchmark victory. The recorded data shows that the older Kaby Lake design in the i3-7300 is simply more efficient at executing these workloads.

The socket difference is a critical practical consideration. The i3-7300 requires a Socket 1151 motherboard, while the Pentium Gold G6500 requires Socket 1200. Anyone building a new system should choose the platform first and then select the processor, rather than the other way around. If both platforms are equally accessible, the benchmark data points to the i3-7300 as the faster CPU.

For users who already own a Socket 1151 system, the i3-7300 is the obvious upgrade path over the Pentium Gold, since the latter will not fit. For users on a Socket 1200 platform, the Pentium Gold G6500 is the only one of these two that is compatible, but the data shows it delivers noticeably lower performance than the older i3-7300. The performance gap is large enough that a Socket 1200 buyer might consider a different processor within that platform, though the database does not provide such a comparison here.

Both processors sit at the 31st percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they are in the same overall performance tier despite the i3-7300's consistent head-to-head advantage. Their average benchmark scores are also close: 1115 for the i3-7300 and 1101 for the Pentium Gold G6500. This suggests that while the i3-7300 dominates this specific comparison, both parts are positioned similarly in the broader market landscape.

In summary, the i3-7300 is the faster processor in direct comparison, and the Pentium Gold G6500 is the newer but slower alternative. The choice between them will likely be dictated by motherboard platform rather than performance, since the socket difference prevents direct substitution. Where platform is not a constraint, the benchmark data recommends the i3-7300.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-7300 | Intel Pentium Gold G6500 |

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

| Base Clock | 4.00 GHz | 4.10 GHz |

| TDP | 51 W | 58 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Kaby Lake | Comet Lake |

| Generation | Core i3 (Kaby Lake) | Pentium Gold (Comet Lake) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 630 | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Release Date | 2017-01-02 | 2020-04-29 |

| Part Number | SR359 | SRH3U |

Both processors share identical specifications in several key areas: 2 cores, 4 threads, 14 nm process node, 64 KB L1 cache per core, 256 KB L2 cache per core, 4 MB shared L3 cache, DDR4 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, no ECC support, Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes, no unlocked multiplier, and Active production status. The differences are concentrated in clock speed, power draw, platform, architecture, memory bandwidth, integrated graphics, release date, and part number.