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Intel Core i3-10300

Intel Core i3-10300: Budget Processor for Basic Tasks in 2025

(Relevance, Specifications, and Assembly Recommendations)

1. Key Specifications: Architecture and Performance

The Intel Core i3-10300 processor, released in 2020, remains a popular choice for budget PCs even in 2025. Its Comet Lake architecture is based on a 14nm process—outdated, but reliable over time. Despite its "age," the chip shows stable performance thanks to 4 cores and 8 threads (Hyper-Threading). The base clock speed is 3.7 GHz, with a maximum turbo speed of 4.4 GHz.

Key Features:

- Integrated graphics UHD Graphics 630—suitable for office tasks and light gaming.

- 8 MB of L3 cache—accelerates processing of frequently used data.

- TDP of 65W—low power consumption and minimal noise when using a standard cooler.

Performance:

According to Geekbench 6 benchmarks (2025):

- 1530 points in single-threaded mode—sufficient for working with office applications and web browsing.

- 5098 points in multi-threaded—handles rendering simple videos or streaming at 1080p.

Practical Example:

Users report that the processor runs Photoshop and Lightroom smoothly when editing medium-resolution photos. However, 4K video in DaVinci Resolve may cause some stuttering.

2. Compatible Motherboards

The LGA 1200 socket limits motherboard options to models from 2020-2021. The main chipsets include:

- H410/B460—budget options (around $60–80 in 2025), lacking overclocking support (not critical for i3-10300).

- H470/Z490—more advanced options (from $100), with improved power delivery and PCIe 3.0 support.

Selection Features:

- H410/B460 boards often lack VRM heatsinks, which could lead to overheating under prolonged load.

- For better stability, it's recommended to choose models with the B460 chipset and 4 RAM slots (for example, ASUS Prime B460M-A).

Tip:

Even in 2025, you can find new LGA 1200 boards in the secondary market at reduced prices. However, upgrades will be impossible—the next step will require a platform change.

3. Supported Memory

The processor only works with DDR4-2666 MHz (in dual-channel mode). Support for DDR5 is absent, limiting future upgrades.

Recommendations:

- Minimum—8 GB (2x4 GB), optimal—16 GB (2x8 GB).

- For gaming with a dedicated graphics card, it's better to use memory with CL16 timings (for example, Crucial Ballistix 16GB DDR4-2666—around $50).

Important:

Some H410 motherboards only support 2133 MHz—check specifications before purchase.

4. Power Supply Units

With a TDP of 65W and no overclocking support, the processor does not require a powerful PSU.

Calculations:

- With integrated graphics: a power supply of 300–400W is sufficient (for example, be quiet! System Power 400W—$45).

- With a dedicated graphics card (for example, GTX 1650): 450–500W (recommended EVGA 500 BR—$55).

Tip:

Don't skimp on the PSU—cheap models may operate unsafely under load. It's better to choose devices with an 80+ Bronze certification.

5. Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Low price (new units—$90–110 in 2025).

- Energy efficiency—suitable for mini-PCs and office builds.

- Availability of integrated graphics—saves on a graphics card.

Cons:

- Only 4 cores—weak for multitasking (streaming + gaming).

- No PCIe 4.0—limited speed for SSDs and graphics cards.

- Outdated 14nm process—higher temperatures compared to 7nm Ryzen.

6. Use Cases

- Office and Study: Working with documents, Zoom, web surfing with a dozen tabs.

- Multimedia: Watching 4K videos, editing clips in 1080p (in Premiere Pro—with some caveats).

- Gaming: With integrated graphics—CS:2, Dota 2 on low settings (40–60 FPS). With a GTX 1660 level graphics card—Fortnite, GTA V on medium settings.

Real-World Example:

A Reddit user built a PC with the i3-10300 and RX 6400 to play Warzone 2.0 at 1080p/60 FPS—this result was achieved after optimizing graphics settings.

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 3 3300X (2020):

- Pros: 4 cores/8 threads, 7nm process, PCIe 4.0 support.

- Cons: Higher price ($120), no integrated graphics.

Intel Core i3-12100 (2023):

- Pros: Alder Lake architecture, 10nm process, DDR5 support.

- Cons: Costs $30–40 more, requires LGA 1700 motherboard.

Conclusion:

The i3-10300 excels only with a tight budget and a need for iGPU. In other cases, the Ryzen 3 3300X or i3-12100 are preferable.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

1. Motherboard: Choose a B460 with HDMI/DisplayPort if using integrated graphics.

2. Cooling: The standard cooler is sufficient, but for quieter operation, consider the DeepCool GAMMAXX 400 ($25).

3. Storage: An SSD is a must (for example, Kingston A2000 500 GB—$40) to speed up the system.

4. Case: Mini-cases like Fractal Design Core 1100 ($45) save space.

Newbie Mistake: Installing a single RAM stick reduces performance by 15-20% due to the lack of dual-channel mode.

9. Final Verdict: Who Is Suitable for the i3-10300?

This processor is a choice for:

- Budget Users: Building a PC for up to $400 for study and work.

- Office Systems: Where stability and low power consumption are critical.

- Retro Gamers: For playing games from the 2010s or indie projects.

Why Not Consider in 2025?

If you plan on upgrading or need multi-threading—better to spend an additional $50–70 and opt for the Ryzen 5 5500 or Core i3-13100. However, for "here and now," the i3-10300 remains a workhorse with a good balance of price and basic performance.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

April 2020

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i3-10300

Code Name

Comet Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

3.70 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

4.40 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.

L3 Cache

8 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1200

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

65 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2666

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

41.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.15 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2160@30Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

8 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1530

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

5098

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1105

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

4229

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2698

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

9290

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i3-10325

1647 +7.6%

Xeon E3-1285 v6

1582 +3.4%

Core i3-10300

1530

Core i9-10940X X-series

1478 -3.4%

Core i3-10100

1423 -7%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon E5-2650 v3

5736 +12.5%

Core i7-1255UL

5443 +6.8%

Core i3-10300

5098

Xeon E5-2650 v4

4829 -5.3%

Xeon E3-1280

4533 -11.1%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i9-10920X X-series

1147 +3.8%

Core i7-1265U

1120 +1.4%

Core i3-10300

1105

Celeron G6900T

1078 -2.4%

Core i9-7920X X-series

1061 -4%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon Platinum 8164

4667 +10.4%

Xeon E5-1650 v2

4437 +4.9%

Core i3-10300

4229

Ryzen 3 3100

3974 -6%

Core i5-9400H

3794 -10.3%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i5-1145G7

2779 +3%

EPYC 7543P

2741 +1.6%

Core i3-10300

2698

Xeon Gold 6244

2664 -1.3%

Core i5-1140G7

2620 -2.9%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-1155G7

10227 +10.1%

Xeon E-2274G

9760 +5.1%

Core i3-10300

9290

Core i7-6700

8937 -3.8%

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G

8472 -8.8%