Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 3 1300X

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 3 1300X Performance Spectrum

Core i3-8350K

4 / 4

6,911

0.0%

6,923

+0.2%

Athlon 300U

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 3 1300X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 3 1300X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-8350K

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,911 vs 6,923).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.6 vs 53.7 PassMark/$ ($250 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌40% higher power demand at 91W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1300X.

Ryzen 3 1300X

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $121 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 94.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 53.7 vs 27.6 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 91W, a 26W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-8350K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 1300X better than Core i3-8350K?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-8350K is ahead with a 6.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1300X pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1300X is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 3 1300X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 3 1300X comes in $121 cheaper on MSRP at $129 MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i3-8350K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 94.1% better value on MSRP (53.7 vs 27.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 1300X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 3 1300X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-8350K

The Core i3-8350K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 91 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 6,911 points. Launch price was $168.

Ryzen 3 1300X

The Ryzen 3 1300X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,923 points. Launch price was $129.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-8350K and Ryzen 3 1300X share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i3-8350K versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1300X — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i3-8350K (base: 4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i3-8350K uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8350K scores 6,911 against the Ryzen 3 1300X's 6,923 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 3 1300X. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-8350K	Ryzen 3 1300X
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+18%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	6,911	6,923
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,486
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,120
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	3,155

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8350K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 1300X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-8350K	Ryzen 3 1300X
Socket	LGA1151	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-8350K) / AMD-V (Ryzen 3 1300X). Primary use case: Ryzen 3 1300X targets Gaming.

Feature	Core i3-8350K	Ryzen 3 1300X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i3-8350K was priced at $250, while the Ryzen 3 1300X came in at $129. On launch pricing ($250 vs $129), Ryzen 3 1300X was $121 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-8350K delivers 27.6 pts/$ vs 53.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 1300X — making the Ryzen 3 1300X the 64% better value option.

Feature	Core i3-8350K	Ryzen 3 1300X
MSRP	$250	$129-48%
Performance per Dollar	27.6	53.7+95%
Release Date	2017	2017

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