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Intel Core i3-8300

Intel Core i3-8300: Budget Processor for Basic Tasks in 2025

April 2025

Key Features: Coffee Lake Architecture and Modest Performance

The Intel Core i3-8300 processor, released in 2018, is based on the Coffee Lake microarchitecture with a 14 nm process technology. Despite its age, it still appears in budget builds and office PCs.

Key Specifications:

- 4 cores / 4 threads — the absence of Hyper-Threading limits multitasking capabilities.

- Base clock: 3.7 GHz — fixed, without Turbo Boost.

- L3 cache: 8 MB — adequate for simple applications.

- TDP: 62 W — low power consumption.

- Integrated graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 — supports 4K@60 Hz via HDMI/DisplayPort.

Performance (Geekbench 6):

- Single-Core: 1274 — acceptable for basic tasks.

- Multi-Core: 3710 — lags behind modern 4-core processors with SMT support (e.g., Ryzen 3 5300).

Features:

- Supports Intel Quick Sync Video — accelerates video encoding.

- Compatibility with Optane Memory (for models with H370/Z370 chipsets).

Compatible Motherboards: LGA 1151 v2 Socket and 300 Series Chipsets

The processor uses the LGA 1151 v2 socket but only works with 300 series chipsets:

- H310/B360/H370 — for office PCs (non-overclockable).

- Z370/Z390 — supports memory overclocking and upgrading to more powerful CPUs (e.g., i7-8700K).

Examples of motherboards in 2025:

- ASUS Prime B360M-A (about $70) — basic model with M.2 and USB 3.1.

- Gigabyte Z390 UD ($90–$110) — for upgrades and discrete graphics.

Tip: In 2025, new LGA 1151 v2 motherboards are rarely produced — seek out leftovers in warehouses or trusted used options.

Memory Support: Only DDR4

The i3-8300 operates with DDR4-2400/2666 MHz (frequency depends on the chipset):

- B360/H310 — up to 2666 MHz.

- Z370/Z390 — overclocking up to 3000+ MHz (with XMP).

Recommendations:

- Optimal capacity is 16 GB (2x8 GB). For example, Kingston Fury DDR4-2666 ($45).

- DDR5 and LPDDR4x are not supported — this is a primary limitation for upgrades.

Power Supply: Minimum 400W with Headroom

With a TDP of 62 W, the processor is not demanding on the PSU:

- Without discrete graphics: 300–350 W is sufficient (e.g., be quiet! Pure Power 11 350W, $50).

- With a graphics card like NVIDIA GTX 1650: 450–500 W (Corsair CX450, $55).

Important: In 2025, power supplies with an 80+ Bronze certification or higher are relevant. Avoid cheap noname models — they may provide unstable performance with modern graphics cards.

Pros and Cons of i3-8300 in 2025

Pros:

- Low price ($100–$120 for a new unit).

- Energy efficiency — suitable for compact builds.

- Integrated graphics for office tasks and media centers.

Cons:

- No Hyper-Threading — 4 threads are outperformed by modern 4C/8T CPUs.

- Outdated platform — no support for PCIe 4.0, DDR5.

- Limited upgrade path — maximum Coffee Lake (i9-9900K).

Usage Scenarios: What Can i3-8300 Handle?

1. Office Tasks:

- Working with documents, browser (20+ tabs), Zoom/Teams.

- Example: build based on i3-8300 + 8 GB DDR4 + SSD — $250.

2. Multimedia:

- Watching 4K videos, streaming (via Quick Sync).

- Mini-PC for TV (e.g., in an ASRock DeskMini case).

3. Light Gaming:

- On integrated graphics: CS:GO (60 FPS on low), Minecraft.

- With a graphics card (GTX 1650): GTA V (1080p/medium), Fortnite.

4. Servers:

- NAS or home server based on Proxmox/TrueNAS.

Comparison with Competitors: Ryzen 3 and Others

- AMD Ryzen 3 3300X (2020):

- 4C/8T, 3.8–4.3 GHz, Geekbench 6 Multi-Core ~4200.

- Price: $130 (new).

- Pros: Better multithreading, PCIe 4.0 support.

- Intel Core i3-12100 (2022):

- 4C/8T, 3.3–4.3 GHz, Geekbench 6 Multi-Core ~5500.

- Price: $140.

- Pros: Alder Lake architecture, DDR5.

Conclusion: i3-8300 falls short even against budget models from 2022–2023, but it has a competitive price in the used market.

Practical Building Tips

1. Motherboard: Choose B360/Z390 with HDMI and M.2 for SSDs.

2. Cooling: The stock cooler will suffice — for example, DeepCool GAMMAXX 400 ($20).

3. Storage: Make sure to include an SSD (Kingston A400 480 GB — $35).

4. Case: Mini-ITX for compactness (Fractal Design Node 304 — $80).

Example build for $400:

- CPU: i3-8300 ($110)

- Motherboard: ASRock B360M-HDV ($70)

- Memory: 16 GB DDR4-2666 ($45)

- SSD: 500 GB NVMe ($40)

- PSU: 450 W ($55)

- Case: Thermaltake Versa H15 ($50)

Final Conclusion: Who Is i3-8300 Suitable for in 2025?

This processor should be considered only in two cases:

1. Budget Build: If you need a PC for office work, study, or a media center for minimal money.

2. Upgrading an Old System: Replacing outdated Pentium/Celeron processors on LGA 1151 v2.

Alternative: For the same $200–300, it is possible to build a PC based on Ryzen 5 5500 (6C/12T) or Intel i3-13100 with DDR5, but this will require new components.

The i3-8300 is not the best choice in 2025, but it can still serve in niche scenarios where price is more important than performance.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

February 2018

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.

i3-8300

Code Name

Coffee 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

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.

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.

L3 Cache

8 MB

CPU Socket

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

FCLGA1151

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

62 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.

DDR4-2400

Max Memory Size

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

64 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).

37.5 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.

Yes

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.

4096x2304@24Hz

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.

4096x2304@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.

4096x2304@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

1274

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

3710

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

779

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2182

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2268

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

6299

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon Gold 5218R

1359 +6.7%

Xeon Gold 6242

1317 +3.4%

Core i3-8300

1274

Core i7-10510Y

1232 -3.3%

EPYC 7773X

1194 -6.3%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon E3-1230 v5

4166 +12.3%

Core i5-9400T

3943 +6.3%

Core i3-8300

3710

Xeon E5-2620 v4

3508 -5.4%

Xeon E-2288G

3258 -12.2%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Celeron G5905T

813 +4.4%

Athlon 220GE

798 +2.4%

Core i3-8300

779

Xeon Platinum 8160

760 -2.4%

Celeron G5905

741 -4.9%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon E5507

2502 +14.7%

Xeon E5-4650

2355 +7.9%

Core i3-8300

2182

Core i7-1365URE

2040 -6.5%

Core i5-7360U

1899 -13%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i3-10100E

2333 +2.9%

Core i7-10610U

2301 +1.5%

Core i3-8300

2268

Core i5-5675R

2239 -1.3%

Core i5-1038NG7

2212 -2.5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-7600K

6806 +8%

Core i7-6700TE

6496 +3.1%

Core i3-8300

6299

Xeon X5660

6054 -3.9%

Xeon W-2104

5729 -9%