Intel Core i3-8350K vs AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
CPU performance is the most looked at specification when it comes to buying or building a computer. It is necessary for your productivity, gaming, and entertaining needs. When it comes to modern CPUs, there are only two names anyone mentions, Intel or AMD. AMD CPUs focuses on packing in CPU cores and gains in multi-threading performance. Intel on the other hand, focuses on high clock-speed and individual core efficiency. For awhile, Intel dominated AMD in the CPU market but with the introduction of the Ryzen architecture, AMD is back to the forefront as a competitive force.
In terms of specifications, both processors are similar. They both have 4 cores and 4 threads and 8MB of L3 cache. Intel has a slight advantage in terms of clock speed but AMD uses faster memory. According to PassMark scores, Intel has faster CPU Mark rating and CPU single thread rating. In the Cinebench R15 tests involving 3D rendering, AMD has a slight edge. In terms of gaming using Dota, Overwatch and The Division games, AMD has a slight lead compared to Intel.
Not everyone plays games all day on their computers, sometimes we have to do some work. When it comes to productivity programs, Intel has a slight lead in productivity benchmarks. Intel performed slightly faster on TechPowerUp's Adobe Photoshop CS6 tests. When it comes to Microsoft Office, Intel again outperformed AMD by almost 20%. In compression tests using 7zip, the difference was razor thin with Intel taking a slight lead.
When we consider the budget, AMD gains ground. AMD's Ryzen 1300x costs around $110 compared to Intel's Core i3-8350k costing around $170. According to PassMark, AMD has the lead when it comes to CPU value with AMD scoring 54.17 as opposed to Intel's score of 47.20. All is not rosy for AMD in price though since AMD requires a GPU. This may not be a factor if you were planning on using a separate video card anyway. In terms of power consumption, AMD also takes the lead. AMD's R1300x uses 65W while Intel's Core i3-8350k uses 91W. What this means is that you may have to adjust your cooling and PSU needs.
Choosing between the Ryzen 3 1300x and Core i3-8350k will depend on your needs and budget. In terms of benchmark performance, the 8350K has a slight edge with faster clock speeds and faster PassMark score. In terms of price, AMD has an advantage even when taking the lower benchmark scores. What it will come down to how you will be using your computer. If you plan on playing games mostly or not.