Core i3-9300 vs Ryzen 5 3580U

Core i3-9300 vs Ryzen 5 3580U Performance Spectrum

Core i3-9300

4 / 4

7,105

0.0%

7,142

+0.5%

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 i3-9300 vs Ryzen 5 3580U 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 i3-9300 vs Ryzen 5 3580U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-9300

2019

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 3580U needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 3580U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (7,105 vs 7,142).
❌Launch MSRP is still $143 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3580U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌313.3% higher power demand at 62W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 3580U

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 62W, a 47W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-9300 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-9300.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3580U better than Core i3-9300?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-9300 is ahead with a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3580U pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Core i3-9300 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3580U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3580U is still the better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 3580U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $143 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. Core i3-9300 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 7,105 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Ryzen 5 3580U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-9300 vs Ryzen 5 3580U Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-9300

The Core i3-9300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 62 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 7,105 points. Launch price was $143.

Ryzen 5 3580U

The Ryzen 5 3580U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,142 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-9300 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 3580U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i3-9300 versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3580U — a 15% clock advantage for the Core i3-9300 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-9300 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3580U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9300 scores 7,105 against the Ryzen 5 3580U's 7,142 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 3580U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9300 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3580U.

Feature	Core i3-9300	Ryzen 5 3580U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+16%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+76%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	7,105	7,142
Geekbench 6 Single	1,498	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,025	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-9300 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3580U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-9300	Ryzen 5 3580U
Socket	LGA1151	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-9300) / not specified (Ryzen 5 3580U). The Core i3-9300 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 5 3580U requires a dedicated GPU.