Core i3-4340 vs Core i5-2300

The Core i3-4340 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-2300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-2300 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i3-4340 versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-2300 — a 14.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-4340 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i3-4340 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-2300 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4340 scores 3,490 against the Core i5-2300's 3,475 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-4340. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,024 vs 516, a 66% lead for the Core i3-4340 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-4340 vs 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2300.

The Core i3-4340 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2300 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H81,B85,Q85,H87,Q87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i3-4340) and H61,P67,Z68,Z77 (Core i5-2300).

Virtualization support: VT-x, EPT (Core i3-4340) vs Yes (Core i5-2300). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4600 (Core i3-4340) and Intel HD Graphics 2000 (Core i5-2300) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4340 targets Mainstream Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-4340 rivals FX-6350.

The Core i3-4340 launched at $149 MSRP, while the Core i5-2300 debuted at $177. At current prices ($50 vs $17), the Core i5-2300 is $33 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-4340 delivers 69.8 pts/$ vs 204.4 pts/$ for the Core i5-2300 — making the Core i5-2300 the 98.2% better value option.