The Comparator
Image from the Newegg listing
Intel Core i3-9350K — Intel Core i3-9350K

Retailer photo of Intel Core i3-9350K. View this offer in Where to buy

Intel · CPU

Intel Core i3-9350K

The current Intel Core i3-9350K price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.

Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically

Cheapest tracked offer (new)
at Newegg

1 tracked offers · 1 retailers · checked 2026-10-17

Show all offers
33
Relative value · Balanced Top 56% in this scenario
#148 of 264 in stock ranked in this scenario
C
Gamingbest grade of 3 scenarios
Cores / threads
4C / 4T
Boost clock
4600 MHz
Socket
LGA 1151
TDP
136 W
What are you planning to use it for? This scenario sets the value, rank and grades shown across the page.
Value 33

What does it cost today, and is that a good price?

Market confidence: Low

At $78 the Intel Core i3-9350K is priced in line with its $78 representative market level. Only one retailer currently backs that price, so the level is a single data point rather than a market.

Representative price$78
Lowest verified$78
Offers / retailers1 / 1

Limited market: only one retailer currently has a verified offer, so treat this price as a single data point.

Prices & availability

Intel Core i3-9350K: current price and offers

Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.

1 tracked offers · 1 retailers

VariantStoreConditionPrice (snapshot)Value · BalancedCheckedOffer link
Intel Core i3-9350KNeweggNew$78332026-10-16View offer →
Intel Core i3-9350KMultiple variants availableAmazon AffiliateVariesFind on AmazonNot trackedNo price snapshotFind on Amazon →

Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.

Performance and where it ranks

Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.

Performance Balanced

How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.

#226 of 264 graded processors

  1. #223 IntelIntel Core i5-9500T 5
  2. #224 IntelIntel Xeon E3 1230 V5 5
  3. #225 IntelIntel Xeon E5 2620 V3 5
  4. #226 IntelIntel Core i3-9350K 4
  5. #227 IntelIntel Xeon E3 1276 V3 4
  6. #228 IntelIntel Core i3-9350KF 4
  7. #229 IntelIntel Xeon E5 2650 4

Value Balanced

How much of that you get for today’s price.

#148 of 264 currently priced processors

  1. #145 IntelIntel Core i7-8700K 34
  2. #146 IntelIntel Core i7-9800X 33
  3. #147 IntelIntel Core i5-10600K 33
  4. #148 IntelIntel Core i3-9350K 33
  5. #149 IntelIntel Core i5-4690K 33
  6. #150 IntelIntel Core i9-9920X 33
  7. #151 IntelIntel Core i9-10850K 33

What it is good for

Scenariothis productCapability grade · Value at current priceHigher capabilityHigher Value with current priorities
⚖Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round viewGradeNo grade Value33Higher capability AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 71 +195% capability · +18% priceHigher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-10100F 48 +14% capability · -8% price
◉GamingScenario capabilityGradeC Value17——
◉ProductivityScenario capabilityGradeF Value1Higher capability AMD Ryzen 7 3700X C 8 +195% capability · +18% price—
◉Performance per WattScenario capabilityGradeF Value7Higher capability AMD Ryzen 7 3700X B 45 +350% capability · +18% priceHigher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 2400G F 20 +75% capability · -30% price

Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.

Compare these grades with the full tier list

Browse shortlists for different uses

Trade-offs

Works well if

  • Gaming is your main prioritygraded C for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list

Consider other options if

  • You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyat today's market no realistic price for this model reaches strong value with Balanced priorities — the calculation only gets there near $22, against a cheapest tracked $78
  • Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelIntel Core i3-10100F holds Relative Value 48 against its 33 with Balanced priorities, at $72
  • Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades only F there

Better ways to spend this money

Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.

Similar options to the Intel Core i3-9350K

Chosen for Balanced

Similar option · higher capability AMDAMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Price$92
Relative Value71
Capability+195%
Price difference+18%
Similar option · higher capability
⚠ Platform change required
Higher Value with current priorities AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2400G
Price$55
Relative Value44
Capability+15%
Price difference-30%
Clears the same bar for less money
⚠ Platform change required
Higher capability · higher price AMDAMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Price$100
Relative Value41
Capability+202%
Price difference+28%
Costs more, but buys a genuinely higher tier
⚠ Platform change required

Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.

More head-to-head comparisons in this category

Upgrade planner

Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.

Using page scenario
Current productIntel Core i3-9350K

We rank upgrades by out-of-pocket cost — the new price minus what yours is worth — not by sticker price.

Only candidates that clear the configured meaningful-upgrade gate will be shown; roles are omitted rather than filled.

Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.

Specifications and compatibility

What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.

Core / Performance

Cores
4
Threads
4
Performance cores
4
Efficiency cores
0
Base clock
4000 MHz
Boost clock
4600 MHz

Power / Interface

TDP
136 W
Maximum turbo power
136 W
Socket
LGA 1151
Maximum memory
64 GB
Integrated graphics
Intel HD Graphics 630
Process node
14 nm
Show all specifications

Core / Performance

L2 cache
1 MB
L3 cache
8 MB
Unlocked multiplier
Yes

Warranty & release

Warranty
3 years
Release year
2014
Manufacturer part number
i3-9350K-OEM

Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.

Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17

What to check in your build

Motherboard socket Required

LGA 1151 required

Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1151. A different socket does not fit — this is a physical constraint, not a preference.

Find compatible motherboards

BIOS support Required

Board BIOS must list this model

A matching socket is necessary but not sufficient — check the vendor CPU support list.

Memory Unknown

Unknown

Cooling Required

Cooler rated for 136 W or more

No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 136 W on socket LGA 1151.

Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.

Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.

Summary

Computed conclusion

Intel Core i3-9350K offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #226 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 214. AMD Ryzen 5 2400G currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.

FAQ

Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?

Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.

Why can Amazon appear without a tracked price?

Amazon is shown as a discovery link when we do not have a permitted verified price snapshot. It is excluded from price comparisons, rankings and Relative Value until a compliant tracked price exists.

Useful links & sources

offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17 · formula cpu-value-v1.4 · facts facts-2026-10-17 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.