Intel Core i3-7350K vs Intel Core i5-8250U

Processor comparisons 18-02-2022

   For example you have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i3-7350K vs Intel Core i5-8250U and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, streaming, machine learning, programming, rendering. Here is useful information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PassMark, UserBenchmark, Handbrake, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, PCMark 10, Gears 5, MATLAB, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, 7zip, Prime95, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, RealBench.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Watch Dogs Legion
Death Stranding
Overwatch
Red Dead Redemption 2
Halo Infinite
Rainbow Six Siege
Last Man Standing
Borderlands 3
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fallout 76
Valheim
Grand Theft Auto V
DOOM: Eternal
Apex Legends
Valorant
Cyberpunk 2077
Fortnite

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-8250U or Intel Core i3-7350K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i3-7350K

51%

Core i5-8250U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-7350K

51%

Core i5-8250U

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, DOTA 2A, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, Control, Battlefield V, Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	90.6	91.6
Valorant	102.9	104.0
Cyberpunk 2077	57.6	58.3
Apex Legends	96.8	97.8
Call of Duty Warzone	77.2	78.0
Overwatch	83.4	84.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.0	71.8
DOOM Eternal	51.5	52.0
Warzone	80.3	81.2
Assassin's Creed	86.5	87.4
Valheim	85.4	86.4

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-7350K

62%

Core i5-8250U

199%

To make a finishing decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-8250U is more energy efficient than the Core i3-7350K as it consumes less power: 60W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-7350K	Intel Core i5-8250U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	181	157
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	458	549
Cinbench 20 Single-core	370	348
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	874	1509
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1251	897
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3136	3118

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-7350K	Intel Core i5-8250U
Single-Core	2467	1990
Multi-Core	4831	6011

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-7350K	Intel Core i5-8250U
Single-Core	1122	896
Multi-Core	2531	3494

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-7350K	Intel Core i5-8250U
Announcement date	March 21, 2017	April 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Kaby Lake	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	8
Turbo Frequency		3.4 MHz
Frequency	4.2 MHz	1.6 MHz
Cores	2	4
Threads	4	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1640 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	60 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth		37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	4 MB	6 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-7350K is 61% better than Core i5-8250U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-8250U has 2 more core than Core i3-7350K. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-7350K is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8250U is better: 24
All the data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i3-7350K and Intel Core i5-8250U before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-7350K - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-7350K specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-8250U specs and review.