Intel Core i3-8350K Processor

The Intel Core i3-8350K Processor — 4 cores and 4 threads, 4.0 GHz base, 8 MB Intel Smart Cache, 91 W processor base power, LGA1151. Supplied from stock with a 1-year warranty.

The only unlocked Coffee Lake i3

The i3-8350K is an outlier in the i3 line: four cores at a 4.00 GHz base with an unlocked multiplier, 8 MB of cache, and a 91 W envelope. It is the only unlocked i3 in the Coffee Lake line; Intel had opened the multiplier on an i3 once before, with the Kaby Lake i3-7350K, and never repeated it on this socket. Think of it as a cut-down i5 — same core count as the 8100, but 400 MHz more base clock, more cache and a K suffix.

The catch is that overclocking requires a Z370 or Z390 board, and at 91 W the stock cooler is not adequate for anything beyond idle. In practice most of these were bought by enthusiasts who wanted a cheap high-clock quad for a gaming or emulation build, and that is still the sensible use: pair it with a Z-series board and a tower cooler, and it will hold 4.5 GHz or better.

Technical specifications

Instruction set extensions: Intel SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX and AVX2. Security and virtualisation: AES-NI, Intel VT-x with EPT and VT-d, Intel Boot Guard.

Which systems take this processor

Anything on the FCLGA1151 socket with an Intel 300 series chipset: H310, B360, B365, H370, Q370, Z370 and Z390, plus C246 server boards. The 300 series supports 8th and 9th Generation Core processors, with 9th Generation parts requiring a BIOS from late 2018 or later on the earlier boards.

• Business desktops and SFF machines — Dell OptiPlex 3060 / 5060 / 7060, HP EliteDesk 800 G4 / ProDesk 600 G4, Lenovo ThinkCentre M720 / M920. This generation was the volume corporate platform, so chassis, coolers and replacement boards are widely available.
• Entry workstations — HP Z2 G4, Dell Precision 3630, Lenovo ThinkStation P330, where a four-core i3 covers office, CAD viewer and light rendering duty.
• Micro-server and NAS builds — C246 boards such as Supermicro X11SCH and ASUS P11C accept Core i3 parts with ECC UDIMMs, and the low power draw suits 24/7 operation.

One caveat when buying a board separately: 9th Generation parts need a BIOS from late 2018 or later on 300 series boards, and C246 boards were sold mainly for Xeon E and may list Core support only from a specific revision. Tell us the board or the machine model when you enquire and we will check it.

How it compares across the i3 line

The 8350K is not the value pick for an office machine — the 8100 costs less, uses 26 W less and is fast enough. It makes sense where clocks matter more than efficiency and the board is already a Z-series: a budget gaming build, an emulation box, or a single-thread-bound application. For everything else in this table, the locked parts win on total cost.

How each processor is tested before it ships

1. Visual inspection of the integrated heat spreader, substrate and contact pads; the sSpec laser marking (SR3N4 on our i3-8350K stock) is verified against the Intel specification sheet.
2. Burn-in on a matched diagnostic board with a pair of memory modules of the correct type for this platform.
3. All populated memory channels and the primary PCIe lanes are validated, then the processor is identified in the BIOS and in the operating system.
4. A sustained multi-threaded load test at full core count, with the clock and thermal readings recorded.
5. Thermal paste cleaned off, final inspection, then packaging in an anti-static tray with foam — which is how it arrives to you.

Warranty and lead time

Every processor is covered by a 1-year warranty against defects in workmanship and function. If a part fails within the period we replace it or refund it, and we cover return shipping on a verified fault. Stock is held in our own warehouse and normally dispatches within three to seven working days; tracking is issued at dispatch.

Purchasing and volume enquiries

The minimum order quantity for this processor is 2 units. Price is quotation-based rather than listed, because CPU pricing moves with each incoming batch — send us the quantity you need and we will come back with a firm quote and the current lead time. Larger quantities ship from the same production batch so the sSpec and the stepping stay consistent across your order.