Core i5-8259U
VS
Core i3-10300T

Core i5-8259U vs Core i3-10300T

Intel

Core i5-8259U

4 Cores8 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2018
VS
Intel

Core i3-10300T

4 Cores8 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2020

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. The Core i5-8259U is positioned at rank #209 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8259U

#57
Ryzen AI 9 365
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
96%
#197
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
374%
#198
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
369%
#199
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
338%
#200
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
337%
#201
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
334%
#203
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
322%
#204
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
309%
#205
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
309%
#206
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
300%
#209
Core i5-8259U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-10300T

#236
Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
105%
#237
Core i7-14700T
MSRP: $384|Avg: $384
104%
#238
Core i3-13100TE
MSRP: $137|Avg: $137
104%
#239
Core i5-9600T
MSRP: $213|Avg: $118
103%
#240
Core i5-12400T
MSRP: $192|Avg: $192
103%
#241
Core i9-14900F
MSRP: $524|Avg: $579
103%
#242
Celeron G6900E
MSRP: $53|Avg: $53
102%
#243
Core i3-12300T
MSRP: $209|Avg: $164
102%
#244
Core i9-12900
MSRP: $519|Avg: $420
102%
#245
Ryzen 3 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
102%
#246
Core i7-11700KF
MSRP: $374|Avg: $299
101%
#247
Core i5-10600K
MSRP: $262|Avg: $179
101%
#248
Core i3-10325
MSRP: $154|Avg: $130
100%
#249
Ryzen Embedded V2718
MSRP: $250|Avg: $200
100%
#250
Core i7-8086K
MSRP: $425|Avg: $178
100%
#251
Core i3-10300T
MSRP: $157|Avg: $100
100%
#252
Core i9-10900TE
MSRP: $309|Avg: $180
100%
#253
Core i9-12900T
MSRP: $489|Avg: $378
99%
#254
Core i5-12600T
MSRP: $223|Avg: $223
99%
#255
Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE
MSRP: $200|Avg: $180
99%
#256
Ryzen 7 1700X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $60
50%
#256
Ryzen 5 3500X
MSRP: $155|Avg: $171
98%
#257
Core i9-14900
MSRP: $524|Avg: $589
98%
#258
Core i5-8600
MSRP: $213|Avg: $130
97%
#259
Core i3-9100TE
MSRP: $122|Avg: $60
97%
#260
Core i5-12500T
MSRP: $302|Avg: $214
97%
#261
Core i9-13900
MSRP: $549|Avg: $599
96%
#262
Core i7-8700K
MSRP: $359|Avg: $160
48%
#262
Core i7-11700
MSRP: $323|Avg: $274
96%
#263
Core i9-13900T
MSRP: $549|Avg: $570
95%
#264
Processor 300T
MSRP: $82|Avg: $82
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-10300T delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-8259U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i5-8259UCore i3-10300T
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($100)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Legacy / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i5-8259UCore i3-10300T
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($100)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 i5-8259U and Core i3-10300T

Intel

Core i5-8259U

The Core i5-8259U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,843 points. Launch price was $320.

Intel

Core i3-10300T

The Core i3-10300T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2020 (5 years ago). It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 7,879 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8259U and Core i3-10300T share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-8259U versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-10300T — a 2.6% clock advantage for the Core i3-10300T (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-8259U is built on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-8259U scores 7,843 against the Core i3-10300T's 7,879 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-10300T. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8259U vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Core i3-10300T.

FeatureCore i5-8259UCore i3-10300T
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.8 GHz
3.9 GHz+3%
Base Clock
2.3 GHz
3 GHz+30%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
8 MB Intel® Smart Cache+33%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark
7,843
7,879
Geekbench 6 Single
1,313
Geekbench 6 Multi
4,090
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8259U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-10300T uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i5-8259UCore i3-10300T
Socket
FCBGA1528
LGA1200
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-8259U) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-10300T). The Core i3-10300T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-8259U requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureCore i5-8259UCore i3-10300T
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d