M1 vs Core i3-N300

CPU

GPU

M1

8 Cores8 Thrd−WMax: 3.2 GHz2020

Core i3-N300

8 Cores8 Thrd0 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2023

Performance Spectrum - CPU

8 / 8

8,207

0.0%

Core i3-N300

8 / 8

8,283

+0.9%

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. The M1 is positioned at rank 1004 and the Core i3-N300 is on rank 761, so the Core i3-N300 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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

Performance Per Dollar M1

#992

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2145%

#993

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2113%

#994

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1940%

#995

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1931%

#996

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1914%

#998

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1848%

#999

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1772%

#1000

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1769%

#1001

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1721%

#1004

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1005

Pentium P6000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

100%

#1007

Core i7-3630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1008

Core i7-3610QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1009

Core i3-1115GRE

MSRP: $338|Avg: $480

99%

#1010

Pentium A1020

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

99%

#1011

Core i7-4702MQ

MSRP: $383|Avg: $50

99%

#1012

Pentium N4200

MSRP: $161|Avg: $30.89

98%

#1013

Pentium J2900

MSRP: $94|Avg: $20

98%

#1014

Celeron T1700

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

97%

#1015

Celeron T3500

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

96%

#1016

A12-9720P

MSRP: $200|Avg: $25

96%

#1017

Core i5-4300M

MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A

95%

#1018

Celeron 1005M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

95%

#1019

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-N300

#749

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1094%

#750

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1078%

#751

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

990%

#752

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

985%

#753

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

976%

#755

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

943%

#756

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

904%

#757

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

903%

#758

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

878%

#761

Core i3-N300

MSRP: $309|Avg: $309

100%

#767

Core i7-1250U

MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A

99%

#772

Core i7-9750HF

MSRP: $395|Avg: $395

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-N300 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M1 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.9% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M1	Core i3-N300
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($309)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-N (2023) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M1	Core i3-N300
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($309)

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.

M1 Benchmark Check

Core i3-N300 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 and Core i3-N300

M1

The M1 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 November 2020 (5 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.064 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Passmark benchmark score: 8,207 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i3-N300

The Core i3-N300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per module). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 7 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 8,283 points. Launch price was $309.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the M1 and Core i3-N300 share an identical 8-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the M1 versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i3-N300 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Core i3-N300 (base: 2.064 GHz vs 0.1 GHz). The Core i3-N300 is built on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 scores 8,207 against the Core i3-N300's 8,283 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i3-N300. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-N300.

Feature	M1	Core i3-N300
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 8
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.8 GHz+19%
Base Clock	2.064 GHz+1964%	0.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB+167%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	16 MB+700%	2 MB (per module)
Process	5 nm-29%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	—	Alder Lake-N (2023)
PassMark	8,207	8,283