Core i3-9300 vs Xeon E3-1231 v3
Core i3-9300
Xeon E3-1231 v3
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-9300
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E3-1231 v3
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-9300 | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($75) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-WS (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-9300 | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($75) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-9300 and Xeon E3-1231 v3
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.
Xeon E3-1231 v3
The Xeon E3-1231 v3 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-WS (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,031 points. Launch price was $240.
Processing Power
The Core i3-9300 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Xeon E3-1231 v3's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i3-9300 versus 3.8 GHz on the Xeon E3-1231 v3 — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Core i3-9300 (base: 3.7 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i3-9300 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses Haswell-WS (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9300 scores 7,105 against the Xeon E3-1231 v3's 7,031 — a 1% lead for the Core i3-9300. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9300 vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1231 v3.
| Feature | Core i3-9300 | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4.3 GHz+13% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.7 GHz+9% | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) | Haswell-WS (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 7,105+1% | 7,031 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,498 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 4,025 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-9300 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-9300 | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-9300) / not specified (Xeon E3-1231 v3). The Core i3-9300 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Xeon E3-1231 v3 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i3-9300 | Xeon E3-1231 v3 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
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