CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-8300 and Intel Core i5-4690S are both quad-core desktop processors, but they come from different eras of Intel’s lineup. The i3-8300 is a Coffee Lake part built on a 14 nm process, while the i5-4690S is a Haswell chip on a 22 nm process. Despite the i5’s older heritage and higher launch MSRP of $224, the benchmark data shows the newer i3-8300 consistently outperforms it across every single test recorded. This head-to-head analysis uses only the provided benchmark results to determine which CPU is the better choice for specific workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i3-8300 wins every benchmark in the data set, with a remarkably consistent margin across all six tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8300 scores 545 against the i5-4690S’s 464, a delta of 17.5%. That gap narrows only slightly in single-core R15, where the i3-8300 posts 76 versus 65, a 16.9% advantage. These are not small differences; they represent a clear generational leap in per-clock efficiency.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The i3-8300 scores 2271 in multi-core, beating the i5-4690S’s 1935 by 17.4%. In single-core R20, the i3-8300 hits 320 while the i5-4690S manages 273, a 17.2% delta. The consistency of these margins, all hovering around 17%, suggests the i3-8300’s advantage comes from a superior architecture and higher base clock, not from any workload-specific optimization.

The newest test in the pack, Cinebench R23, shows the same story. The i3-8300 scores 5408 multi-core versus 4609 for the i5-4690S, a 17.3% delta. Single-core R23 sees the i3-8300 at 763 and the i5-4690S at 650, a 17.4% gap. The i5-4690S does have a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, which is higher than the i3-8300’s fixed 3.70 GHz base clock, but that extra 0.20 GHz is not enough to overcome the i3-8300’s architectural advantages.

In terms of aggregate benchmark scores, the i3-8300 averages 1564 across all tests, while the i5-4690S averages 1551. That 13-point difference is small in absolute terms, but it places the i3-8300 in a slightly higher tier of overall performance. The nearest rivals for the i3-8300 include the Intel Core i5-6600T with a matching 1563 score (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 3 1300X at 1562 (0.1% delta). The i5-4690S, meanwhile, sits near the Intel Core i7-4760HQ at 1549 (0.2% delta) and the Intel Core i3-9300 at 1554 (-0.2% delta). Both CPUs land in the 39th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they are mid-pack performers overall.

Where Each One Wins

The i3-8300 wins in every category that the benchmark data covers, which makes the use-case split straightforward. For multi-threaded workloads like video rendering, 3D modeling, or batch photo processing, the i3-8300’s lead is substantial. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it is 17.3% ahead of the i5-4690S, a difference that translates to noticeably shorter render times in real-world projects. The i3-8300’s 8 MB of shared L3 cache, double the i5-4690S’s 6 MB, likely contributes to this advantage in data-heavy tasks.

For single-threaded performance, which matters in everyday applications like web browsing, office productivity, and older games, the i3-8300 again takes the crown. Its 17.4% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core (763 vs 650) is even more pronounced than its multi-core edge. This is partly due to its higher base clock of 3.70 GHz versus the i5-4690S’s 3.20 GHz base, but the newer Coffee Lake architecture clearly delivers more instructions per clock.

The i5-4690S does have one advantage that the i3-8300 lacks: a boost clock. It can reach 3.90 GHz under load, whereas the i3-8300 is locked at 3.70 GHz with no boost capability. However, this 0.20 GHz boost does not translate into any benchmark victory. The i5-4690S also supports DDR3 memory with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i3-8300 uses DDR4 at 38.4 GB/s. That 50% memory bandwidth advantage for the i3-8300 is another reason it dominates in multi-core tests.

For users who need ECC memory support, the i3-8300 is the only option here, as it supports ECC while the i5-4690S does not. This makes the i3-8300 a more suitable choice for entry-level servers or workstations where data integrity is critical. The i3-8300 also features newer integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630) versus the i5-4690S’s Intel HD 4600, which could matter for systems without a discrete GPU.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs are separated by more than just a generation. The i3-8300 is built on Intel’s Coffee Lake architecture using a 14 nm process node, while the i5-4690S uses the older Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process. This process shrink is one of the primary reasons for the i3-8300’s performance advantage, as it allows for higher clock speeds and better power efficiency simultaneously.

The i3-8300 has a die size of 126 mm², significantly smaller than the i5-4690S’s 177 mm². The i5-4690S also packs 1,400 million transistors, a figure not provided for the i3-8300, but the smaller die on a more advanced node indicates that the i3-8300 is more transistor-dense. Both CPUs have 4 cores and 4 threads, so the threading model is identical, no hyper-threading on either part.

Cache configurations differ notably. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the shared L3 cache is 8 MB on the i3-8300 versus 6 MB on the i5-4690S. This 2 MB difference in shared cache can be significant for workloads that repeatedly access the same data, such as database queries or complex simulation loops.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The i3-8300 uses DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth, while the i5-4690S uses DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s. This 12.8 GB/s bandwidth gap directly impacts memory-intensive tasks like video encoding or large-scale data manipulation. The i3-8300 also supports ECC memory, a feature entirely absent from the i5-4690S.

Socket compatibility reinforces the generational divide. The i3-8300 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i5-4690S uses the older Intel Socket 1150. These sockets are not interchangeable, so upgrading from one to the other requires a new motherboard. Both CPUs offer PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, so expansion capabilities are similar, but the platform-level differences are substantial.

The i3-8300 was released on 2018-02-13, nearly four years after the i5-4690S’s 2014-04-30 launch. That time gap explains the architectural leap. The i3-8300 carries a launch MSRP of $138, while the i5-4690S launched at $224, making the newer chip both faster and cheaper at launch. The i3-8300 is now end-of-life, and the i5-4690S has no production status listed, so both are legacy parts.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i3-8300 wins every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 5408 versus 4609 for the i5-4690S, a 17.3% delta. It also leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (545 vs 464) and R20 multi-core (2271 vs 1935).

Q: Does the i5-4690S’s boost clock help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. Despite having a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, the i5-4690S loses all six head-to-head benchmarks. The i3-8300, running at a fixed 3.70 GHz, wins each test with deltas between 16.9% and 17.5%.

Q: Which CPU supports faster memory?

A: The i3-8300 supports DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-4690S supports DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s. The i3-8300 also supports ECC memory, which the i5-4690S does not.

Q: Are these CPUs socket-compatible?

A: No. The i3-8300 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i5-4690S uses Intel Socket 1150. They require different motherboards.

Q: Which CPU has more cache?

A: The i3-8300 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 6 MB on the i5-4690S. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core.

Q: How do these CPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The i3-8300’s average benchmark score of 1564 places it near the Intel Core i5-6600T (1563, 0% delta) and AMD Ryzen 3 1300X (1562, 0.1% delta). The i5-4690S averages 1551, sitting near the Intel Core i7-4760HQ (1549, 0.2% delta) and AMD FX-8350 (1557, -0.4% delta).

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-8300 is the superior processor in this matchup. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with margins ranging from 16.9% to 17.5%. The i3-8300’s advantages in architecture (Coffee Lake vs Haswell), process node (14 nm vs 22 nm), cache (8 MB vs 6 MB L3), and memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s vs 25.6 GB/s) collectively explain its consistent lead.

Users building a new system should choose the i3-8300 if they are starting from scratch, as its Socket 1151 platform is newer and its DDR4 memory support offers higher bandwidth. It also provides ECC memory support, a feature that could be decisive for users running critical workloads. The i3-8300’s launch MSRP of $138 further reinforces its position as the more sensible option.

The i5-4690S is only relevant for users who already own a Socket 1150 motherboard and DDR3 memory and want a drop-in upgrade. Its boost clock of 3.90 GHz gives it a theoretical peak frequency advantage, but that does not translate into any benchmark win. With an average benchmark score of 1551 versus 1564 for the i3-8300, the i5-4690S is simply outclassed.

For anyone choosing between these two CPUs, the verdict is clear: the i3-8300 is faster, more efficient, and offers better platform features. The i5-4690S’s only real claim is its higher boost clock, which the data shows is not enough to overcome the i3-8300’s architectural superiority.