Intel Core i3-8300 vs Intel Core i7-4760HQ Comparison

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-8300 wins every single benchmark head-to-head against the Intel Core i7-4760HQ, taking all six Cinebench tests. The i3-8300’s victories are narrow in percentage terms—ranging from 0% to 1.1%—but they are consistent across both multi-core and single-core workloads. The i3-8300 achieves a 39th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the i7-4760HQ sits at the 38th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are similarly close: 1564 for the i3-8300 versus 1549 for the i7-4760HQ.

For a desktop user building a new system today, the i3-8300 is the clear pick. It is a desktop part on the Intel Socket 1151 platform, supports DDR4 memory, and offers ECC memory support—features the mobile i7-4760HQ cannot match. The i7-4760HQ, by contrast, is a mobile chip on Intel BGA 1364 with DDR3 memory support and no ECC. If you are constrained to a laptop motherboard or need the i7-4760HQ’s specific integrated graphics, that is a different story; but purely on CPU benchmark data, the i3-8300 wins.

The verdict is not about raw dominance—the margins are slim, with the largest gap being a 1.1% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core. It is about platform relevance and consistency. The i3-8300 edges ahead in every test, and it does so with four cores and four threads, while the i7-4760HQ has four cores and eight threads. That the i3-8300 wins despite fewer threads speaks to its architectural efficiency.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i3-8300 wins all three multi-core tests. It scores 545 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 539, 2271 in R20 multi-core versus 2249, and 5408 in R23 multi-core versus 5355. The deltas are 1.1%, 1%, and 1% respectively.

Q: Is there any test where the i7-4760HQ wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the i3-8300 winning all six benchmarks, with the i7-4760HQ recording zero wins. The closest result is Cinebench R15 single-core, where both score 76, giving the i3-8300 a 0% delta.

Q: How do their thread counts differ, and does it matter?

A: The i7-4760HQ has 8 threads (4 cores, 8 threads), while the i3-8300 has 4 threads (4 cores, 4 threads). Despite having half the thread count, the i3-8300 still wins every multi-core test, indicating its per-core performance and architecture compensate for the missing Hyper-Threading.

Q: Which CPU has better single-core performance?

A: The i3-8300 leads in single-core tests, though narrowly. It scores 320 versus 317 in Cinebench R20 single-core (0.9% delta) and 763 versus 756 in R23 single-core (0.9% delta). In R15 single-core, they are tied at 76.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The i3-8300 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7-4760HQ supports DDR3 with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Do either of them support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the i3-8300 has ECC memory support. The i7-4760HQ does not support ECC memory.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different architectural eras and design philosophies. The i3-8300 is built on Coffee Lake, a 14 nm process, while the i7-4760HQ uses Haswell (codename Crystalwell) on a 22 nm process. This process difference is significant: the i3-8300’s 14 nm node allows for better power efficiency and higher clock speeds at a given thermal envelope, which helps explain its benchmark wins despite having fewer threads.

The i3-8300 has a die size of 126 mm², whereas the i7-4760HQ’s die is 264 mm². Interestingly, the i7-4760HQ packs 1,400 million transistors into that larger die, reflecting the older, less dense 22 nm process. The i3-8300’s transistor count is not listed, but its smaller die on a newer node suggests a more efficient design.

Cache configurations also differ. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the i3-8300 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-4760HQ has 6 MB. This 2 MB advantage in L3 cache likely contributes to the i3-8300’s single-core wins, as more cache can reduce memory latency for frequently accessed data.

The i7-4760HQ’s Crystalwell codename is notable—it is a variant of Haswell with an integrated graphics solution, Intel HD 5200. The i3-8300 uses UHD Graphics 630. Both are integrated, but they serve different market segments: the i7-4760HQ is a mobile part, while the i3-8300 is desktop.

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is clock speed. The i3-8300 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and no boost clock listed, while the i7-4760HQ has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. The i3-8300’s much higher base clock is a key factor in its benchmark performance, as it runs at a sustained higher frequency without needing to boost.

Thread counts differ: the i3-8300 has 4 threads, the i7-4760HQ has 8 threads. TDP also diverges, with the i3-8300 rated at 62W and the i7-4760HQ at 47W. Despite the i3-8300’s higher TDP, it is a desktop part, so power consumption is less constrained than in the mobile i7-4760HQ.

Socket and market segment are major differentiators. The i3-8300 uses Intel Socket 1151 and is a desktop CPU, while the i7-4760HQ uses Intel BGA 1364 and is a mobile CPU. This means they are not interchangeable—you cannot drop the i7-4760HQ into a desktop board without an adapter, and vice versa.

Memory support is another key split. The i3-8300 uses DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-4760HQ uses DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the i3-8300 but not the i7-4760HQ. Both have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Release dates are far apart: the i3-8300 launched on 2018-02-13, while the i7-4760HQ launched on 2014-01-31. Both are end-of-life, but the i3-8300 is four years newer. The i3-8300 had a launch MSRP of $138; the i7-4760HQ has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is sparse in margin but perfect in direction—the i3-8300 wins all six tests. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8300 scores 545 against 539, a 1.1% lead. This is the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison. In single-core R15, both score 76, a 0% delta, but the i3-8300 is still marked as the winner.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the i3-8300 scores 2271 in multi-core versus 2249, a 1% delta. Single-core sees 320 versus 317, a 0.9% gap. These margins are consistent, suggesting the i3-8300’s advantage is stable across workload types rather than a fluke of one test.

In Cinebench R23, the pattern repeats. Multi-core scores are 5408 for the i3-8300 and 5355 for the i7-4760HQ, a 1% delta. Single-core is 763 versus 756, again a 0.9% delta. The i7-4760HQ’s 8 threads never translate into a multi-core win, which is telling—the i3-8300’s higher base clock and newer architecture overcome the thread deficit.

The average benchmark scores confirm the trend: the i3-8300 averages 1564, while the i7-4760HQ averages 1549. That is a 15-point gap, roughly 1%. The i3-8300’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-6600T, scores 1563 with a 0% delta, while the i7-4760HQ’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-4690S, scores 1551 with a -0.1% delta. In other words, the i3-8300 sits just above the i5-6600T, while the i7-4760HQ sits just below it—a clear tier difference.

Where Each One Wins

The i3-8300 wins in every benchmark category. It takes multi-core workloads by 1% to 1.1%, and single-core workloads by 0% to 0.9%. Its wins are small but universal. For users running Cinebench-style rendering tasks—whether multi-threaded or single-threaded—the i3-8300 is the better choice.

The i7-4760HQ wins nowhere in the benchmark data. However, its 47W TDP is lower than the i3-8300’s 62W, which could matter in power-constrained environments. It also has 8 threads, which might theoretically benefit workloads not represented in these Cinebench tests, but the data does not show such a benefit.

In terms of platform, the i7-4760HQ is the only option for a mobile BGA 1364 socket—the i3-8300 cannot fit there. If you need a laptop CPU with this specific form factor, the i7-4760HQ is your choice by default. Conversely, the i3-8300 is the only one of the two that fits a desktop Socket 1151 board with DDR4 support.

The i3-8300 also wins on features: ECC memory support, newer DDR4 memory with higher bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s), and a larger 8 MB L3 cache versus 6 MB. Its integrated UHD Graphics 630 is likely more modern than the i7-4760HQ’s Intel HD 5200, though the data does not compare them directly.

Ultimately, the i3-8300 is the winner for any workload measured here, and its platform advantages make it the more future-proof choice for desktop builds. The i7-4760HQ is relegated to legacy mobile systems where its socket and form factor are the deciding factors.