Ryzen 3 5300U vs Xeon E3-1285 v6

Ryzen 3 5300U vs Xeon E3-1285 v6 Performance Spectrum

Ryzen 3 5300U

4 / 8

9,453

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Xeon E3-1285 v6

4 / 8

9,502

+0.5%

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.

Ryzen 3 5300U vs Xeon E3-1285 v6 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.

Ryzen 3 5300U vs Xeon E3-1285 v6: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Ryzen 3 5300U

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 79W, a 64W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 6, while Xeon E3-1285 v6 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E3-1285 v6 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (9,453 vs 9,502).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Xeon E3-1285 v6

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $450 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 5300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌426.7% higher power demand at 79W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 3 5300U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E3-1285 v6 better than Ryzen 3 5300U?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E3-1285 v6 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Ryzen 3 5300U is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E3-1285 v6 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 15.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E3-1285 v6 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Xeon E3-1285 v6 is the better buy right now. Xeon E3-1285 v6 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $450 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 15.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 5300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Ryzen 3 5300U vs Xeon E3-1285 v6 Technical Specifications

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

Ryzen 3 5300U

The Ryzen 3 5300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,453 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E3-1285 v6

The Xeon E3-1285 v6 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-DT (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 79 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 9,502 points. Launch price was $450.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 3 5300U and Xeon E3-1285 v6 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5300U versus 4.5 GHz on the Xeon E3-1285 v6 — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E3-1285 v6 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Ryzen 3 5300U uses the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Xeon E3-1285 v6 uses Kaby Lake-DT (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 5300U scores 9,453 against the Xeon E3-1285 v6's 9,502 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E3-1285 v6. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 5300U vs 8 MB (total) on the Xeon E3-1285 v6.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300U	Xeon E3-1285 v6
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.5 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4.1 GHz+58%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021)	Kaby Lake-DT (2017)
PassMark	9,453	9,502
Cinebench R23 Multi	5,522	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,457	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,526	—

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Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 3 5300U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon E3-1285 v6 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 3 5300U	Xeon E3-1285 v6
Socket	FP6	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Ryzen 3 5300U) / not specified (Xeon E3-1285 v6). The Ryzen 3 5300U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 6), while the Xeon E3-1285 v6 requires a dedicated GPU.