CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-8300 and Intel Core i3-9300 are two quad-core desktop processors from Intel’s Coffee Lake family, both built on the same 14 nm process and sharing the same 62 W TDP. The data shows a remarkably tight contest: across six Cinebench tests, the i3-8300 wins every single one, though the margins are wafer-thin, ranging from 0.6% to 0.7%. The i3-9300 is the newer part, released in April 2019 versus February 2018 for the i3-8300, and it carries a higher launch MSRP of $143 compared to $138. Despite the refresh, the benchmark results indicate that the older chip holds a slight but consistent edge in all measured workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is decisively one-sided, with the Intel Core i3-8300 taking all six head-to-head victories. This is not a case of one chip dominating a specific workload type while the other counters elsewhere; the i3-8300 leads in both single-core and multi-core tests across three generations of Cinebench. In single-threaded workloads, the i3-8300 posts 76 points in Cinebench R15, 320 in R20, and 763 in R23, while the i3-9300 trails by 0.6% to 0.7% in the R20 and R23 runs and ties at 76 in R15. For multi-threaded tasks, the i3-8300’s edge is equally consistent: 545 versus 541 in R15 (0.7% lead), 2271 versus 2257 in R20 (0.6%), and 5408 versus 5374 in R23 (0.6%).

Given these numbers, the i3-8300 is the pick for any workload that leans on Cinebench-style rendering, whether that is single-core responsiveness or multi-core throughput. The i3-9300, despite its higher boost clock, never manages to convert that specification advantage into a benchmark win. The practical takeaway is that for users choosing between these two, the older i3-8300 offers a marginal performance advantage, but the difference is so small that it would be imperceptible in real-world use. The i3-9300’s only distinguishing feature in the data is its newer release date and higher launch MSRP, neither of which translates into a performance benefit.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental architecture: Coffee Lake, built on Intel’s 14 nm process, with a die size of 126 mm² and four physical cores with four threads. The cache hierarchy is identical, with 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is also the same, DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and both support ECC memory. Each chip integrates UHD Graphics 630 (the i3-8300 lists it as "UHD Graphics 630", the i3-9300 as "UHD 630"), provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and uses Intel Socket 1151.

The key architectural differentiator is the clock behavior. The i3-8300 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz with no listed boost clock, while the i3-9300 also has a 3.70 GHz base clock but adds a 4.30 GHz boost clock. This suggests the i3-9300 is designed to run faster under load, yet the benchmark data shows it falling slightly behind. The generation field also differs: the i3-8300 is listed as "Coffee Lake" while the i3-9300 is "Coffee Lake Refresh", indicating a minor refresh rather than a new architecture. Both are end-of-life products, locked multipliers, and part of the Core i3 generation for their respective refresh cycles. The part numbers differ (SR3XY for the i3-8300, SRCZU for the i3-9300), but there are no transistor counts listed for either.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant win for the Intel Core i3-8300 comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it scores 545 against the i3-9300’s 541, a delta of 0.7%. That same 0.7% margin appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, with the i3-8300 at 763 and the i3-9300 at 758. In the remaining four tests, the i3-8300 leads by 0.6%: Cinebench R20 multi-core (2271 vs 2257), R20 single-core (320 vs 318), and R23 multi-core (5408 vs 5374). The only test without a measurable margin is Cinebench R15 single-core, where both chips tie exactly at 76 points.

These deltas are within the noise of typical benchmark variance, yet the consistency is notable, the i3-8300 wins every test by a nearly identical percentage. The i3-9300’s higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz does not appear to help in these synthetic loads, possibly because the workloads are not sustained enough to benefit, or because the base clock of 3.70 GHz is the limiting factor for both chips. The average benchmark scores reflect this pattern: the i3-8300 has an average score of 1564, while the i3-9300 sits at 1554, a difference of roughly 0.6%. Both chips land in the 39th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in the broader market context.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i3-9300 has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, while the Intel Core i3-8300 has no listed boost clock and a base clock of 3.70 GHz.

Q: Does the newer i3-9300 outperform the i3-8300 in any benchmark?

A: No. The i3-8300 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins between 0.6% and 0.7%, and the two chips tie in Cinebench R15 single-core.

Q: Are the cache sizes different between the two chips?

A: No. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for both processors?

A: Both support dual-channel DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Which chip has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-8300 has an average benchmark score of 1564, compared to 1554 for the i3-9300.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the i3-8300 and i3-9300 list ECC memory support as true.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in only a few listed fields. The base clock is identical at 3.70 GHz for both, but the i3-9300 adds a boost clock of 4.30 GHz while the i3-8300 has none listed. The release dates differ: the i3-8300 launched on 2018-02-13, and the i3-9300 launched on 2019-04-22. The launch MSRP is $138 for the i3-8300 and $143 for the i3-9300. The generation field shows "Core i3 (Coffee Lake)" for the i3-8300 and "Core i3 (Coffee Lake Refresh)" for the i3-9300. The part numbers are SR3XY for the i3-8300 and SRCZU for the i3-9300. The integrated graphics naming differs slightly: "UHD Graphics 630" for the i3-8300 and "UHD 630" for the i3-9300.

All other core specifications match exactly: 4 cores, 4 threads, 62 W TDP, Intel Socket 1151, 14 nm process, 126 mm² die size, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, 8 MB shared L3, DDR4 dual-channel memory at 38.4 GB/s, ECC support, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, desktop market segment, end-of-life production status, and locked multipliers. The benchmark scores differ slightly, with the i3-8300 leading in all six Cinebench tests, and the average benchmark score is 1564 for the i3-8300 versus 1554 for the i3-9300. Both sit in the 39th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals for the i3-8300 include the Intel Core i5-6600T (average score 1563, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen 3 1300X (1562, 0.1%), and AMD Opteron 6276 (1560, 0.3%). The i3-9300’s nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 (1557, -0.2%), Intel Core i5-4690S (1551, 0.2%), AMD FX-8350 (1557, -0.2%), and Intel Core i3-1115G4E (1559, -0.3%).