Core i3-N300 vs EPYC 8324PN

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i3-N300

2023

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 8324PN across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,283 vs 8,375).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 8324PN, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $309 MSRP, while EPYC 8324PN mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 8324PN

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i3-N300

2023

EPYC 8324PN

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 8324PN across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,283 vs 8,375).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 8324PN, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $309 MSRP, while EPYC 8324PN mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 8324PN better than Core i3-N300?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 8324PN makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i3-N300 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 8324PN is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.4% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 6 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 8324PN is the better fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2033.3% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 6 MB).

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

EPYC 8324PN is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. EPYC 8324PN is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $309 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-N300 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 13.4% in the shared gaming data.

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

EPYC 8324PN is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 6 MB and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 8/8. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Core i3-N300 Benchmark Check

EPYC 8324PN Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-N300	EPYC 8324PN
1080p
low	177 FPS	159 FPS
medium	142 FPS	131 FPS
high	114 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	142 FPS
medium	115 FPS	114 FPS
high	91 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	68 FPS
medium	57 FPS	58 FPS
high	45 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i3-N300 Open EPYC 8324PN

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-N300	EPYC 8324PN
1080p
low	157 FPS	209 FPS
medium	135 FPS	209 FPS
high	122 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	194 FPS
medium	118 FPS	176 FPS
high	108 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	120 FPS
medium	97 FPS	111 FPS
high	89 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	79 FPS

Open Core i3-N300 Open EPYC 8324PN

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-N300	EPYC 8324PN
1080p
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS
4K
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i3-N300 Open EPYC 8324PN

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-N300	EPYC 8324PN
1080p
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS
4K
low	207 FPS	209 FPS
medium	207 FPS	209 FPS
high	207 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i3-N300 Open EPYC 8324PN

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-N300 and EPYC 8324PN

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.

EPYC 8324PN

The EPYC 8324PN is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 18 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Siena (2023−2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,375 points. Launch price was $2,125.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-N300 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the EPYC 8324PN offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 8324PN has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i3-N300 versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 8324PN — a 23.5% clock advantage for the Core i3-N300 (base: 0.1 GHz vs 2.05 GHz). The Core i3-N300 uses the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 8324PN uses Siena (2023−2024) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-N300 scores 8,283 against the EPYC 8324PN's 8,375 — a 1.1% lead for the EPYC 8324PN. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-N300 vs 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 8324PN.

Feature	Core i3-N300	EPYC 8324PN
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	32 / 64+300%
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+27%	3 GHz
Base Clock	0.1 GHz	2.05 GHz+1950%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	128 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per module)+100%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-N (2023)	Siena (2023−2024)
PassMark	8,283	8,375+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-N300 uses the FCBGA1264 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 8324PN uses SP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.