The short answer is yes, according to the passmark recommendations from Plex, the new i3 is more than double what they recommend for transcoding 4k. Personally, I like future-proofing my mac purchases, so I tend to buy as much as I can.
full info:
Here’s the thread:
Here’s a link to the Plex recommendations descriptions, which recommended an i7 at the time:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201774043-what-kind-of-cpu-do-i-need-for-my-server/?_ga=2.54808623.507762395.1541728085-354541133.1541603891
Finally, the passmark link itself:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i3-8100-vs-Intel-i5-8500-vs-Intel-i7-8700K/3103vs3223vs3098
