Intel Core i3-4340 Review

The Core i3-4340 is one of Intel's entry-level Desktop processors. It was released in 2013 with 2 cores and 4 threads. With base clock at 3.6GHz, max speed at 3.6GHz, and a 54W power rating. The Core i3-4340 is based on the Haswell 22nm family and is part of the Core i3 series.

Core i3-4340 is also the successor of Intel's last gen Core i3-3240 processor that was based on the Ivy Bridge and 22nm process and was released in 2012.

But we've also found that, after simple push-button overclocking, the Core i3-4330 offers similar performance to the Core i3-4340, even when it is also overclocked. But for $70 less. The Core i3-4340 is an impressive chip and offers a better mixture of performance than AMD's Athlon X2 350, no doubt, but in this case, value seekers might opt for its less expensive sibling.

As the higher-priced version of the Core i3-4330, the Core i3-4340 has higher base and Boost frequencies of 3.6 and 3.6 GHz, respectively. That's an increase in base frequency and a bump to boost clocks, but the real advantage should lay in the higher Package Power Tracking (PPT) envelope, which is a measurement of the maximum amount of power delivered to the socket. The Core i3-4330's PPT tops out at 54W, while the motherboard can pump up to 142W to the Core i3-4340 at peak performance. That opens up much more aggressive boost behavior, on both single and multiple cores, that could widen the performance gap beyond what we see on the spec sheet.

The Intel Core i3-4340 is another impressive release from Intel and its 4 Generation of Core i3 chips. With it, you’re getting 2-cores and 4-threads, with a boost clock of 3.6GHz. It may not be the strongest contender ever made on paper, but when you see and feel the actual performance gains it offers, you’re certainly getting a lot of bang for your $210 buck.

Bear in mind, however, that if you already have something like the Core i3-3240, this generation doesn't offer the biggest boost in performance. You might want to wait another year or so before dropping a few hundred bucks, or even opt to splurge on a higher-end but pricier chip.

One of the nice things about the Intel Core i3-4340 processors is that the retail boxed models come with a CPU cooler. So, you can pick something like the Intel Core i3-4340 up for $210 and don’t need to spend any extra money on CPU cooling.

The Intel Core i3-4340 retail boxed processor comes with the traditional ‘pancake’ CPU cooler. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done on this processor which is rated at 54W TDP. You do not need to have an aftermarket cooling solution unless you want to.

Bottom Line, the Intel Core i3-4340 does not get much media attention since it is entry-level 4 Gen Core Haswell processor, but it is a very capable processor that still delivers a good computing experience for entry-level users.

If extended overclocking and boost frequencies are trivial matters to you, Intel also offers the Core i3-4330 at $171. It’s still outfitted with 2-cores and 4-threads, but clocks in at a slower 3.5GHz and maxes out at only 3.5GHz.

That said, to squeeze out all the potential of this surprisingly potent entry-level chip, you’ll want (and need) to splurge on an enthusiast-grade Q87, Z87, Z97 motherboard.

Fresh from a successful roll-out of mainstream Core i3 CPUs, Intel's attack on AMD now extends down into the entry-level with its Core i3-4340 processors, which the company is making available as of Jan 2013.