Review: Intel Core i3-8350K and Core i3-8100 (14nm, Coffee Lake)

Conclusion

The mainstream end of the PC market has become more interesting since Intel launched quad-core Core i3 chips and AMD, most recently, responded with second-generation Ryzen processors armed with class-leading integrated graphics.

The choice of which company to give your cash to and which model to choose depends on how you intend to use a mainstream PC. Those who want an everyday computing experience and yet have enough basic horsepower to dally with playing games ought to look at the Ryzen 3 2200G. If a bit more CPU grunt is important, particularly if most of your tasks are light in load, the Core i3-8100 is probably a better shout.

Upping the financial ante from £100 to £150 or so brings the Core i3-8350K and Ryzen 5 2400G into focus. AMD wins out financially, as the supporting motherboard is certainly cheaper than the Z370 required by Intel, and the Ryzen 5 has more stock poke due its eight threads, but Intel overclocks much better. Swings and roundabouts. We'd recommend the Intel chip if going down the discrete video card route and AMD if building a CPU-centric computer.

What we ultimately come away with is the feeling that both companies have made meaningful strides in bolstering performance at the mainstream end of the market. Both the Core i3-8100 and Core i3-8350K are safe buys, and though the transition to a quad-core design has been long overdue, this is a case of better late than never.

Intel Core i3-8350K and Core i3-8100

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The Intel Core i3-8350K and Core i3-8100 are available to purchase from Scan Computers.*

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