CPU
GPU
Ryzen 3 4300U
Core i5-8260U
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. The Ryzen 3 4300U is positioned at rank 457 and the Core i5-8260U is on rank 239, so the Core i5-8260U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 3 4300U
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 3 4300U | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) / 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 3 4300U | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Ryzen 3 4300U and Core i5-8260U
Ryzen 3 4300U
The Ryzen 3 4300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,359 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-8260U
The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 3 4300U packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i5-8260U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4300U versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U — a 5.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-8260U (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Ryzen 3 4300U uses the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i5-8260U uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 4300U scores 7,359 against the Core i5-8260U's 7,316 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 3 4300U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4300U vs 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 4300U | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz | 3.9 GHz+5% |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+69% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 6 MB+50% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 7 nm-50% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) |
| PassMark | 7,359 | 7,316 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 3 4300U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8260U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 4300U | Core i5-8260U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP6 | FCBGA1528 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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