CPU Comparison
Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core 3 305
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. Intel Core 3 304 is a five-core mobile processor from the Wildcat Lake (Core Series 3) family, built on Intel 18A, with one Cougar Cove P-core and four Darkmont low-power E-cores. It delivers up to 4.3 GHz P-core boost, 15 W base / 35 W turbo power, an NPU 5 block rated at 15 TOPS (INT8), and a single Xe3 graphics core at 2.3 GHz capable of 9 TOPS. It targets affordable thin-and-light laptops, mini PCs, and edge AI devices with single-channel LPDDR5X up to 7467 MT/s or DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s, six PCIe 4.0 lanes, Thunderbolt 4, and a 4 MB memory-side cache to reduce memory latency.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Everyday productivity is snappy thanks to strong single‑thread performance from the Cougar Cove core and efficient task scheduling across LPE cores.
Six threads and high P-core turbo frequencies make the 305 responsive for office work, web, and light creative tasks, though it’s not meant for heavy multi-threaded workloads.
Gaming
With only one Xe3 core and single‑channel memory, gaming is limited to light or older titles; it is not aimed at mainstream or high‑refresh‑rate gaming.
The 1-core Xe3 iGPU with 16 EUs is enough for very light or older titles at low settings, but not for serious 1080p gaming. AV1 decode and modern display outputs are more relevant than raw frame rates.
Virtualization
Fine for a single light VM or container, but limited threads and memory channels restrict more serious virtualization use cases.
VT-x and VT-d are supported, but limited cores, memory channels, and PCIe lanes constrain its use as a virtualization host beyond light VMs.
Efficiency
The 15 W base and 10 W minimum assured power, combined with Intel 18A and the 4 MB memory‑side cache, enable long battery life in thin‑and‑light designs.
The 15 W base power and Intel 18A process deliver strong performance per watt, ideal for thin, fanless, or battery-first designs.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- NPU 5 provides 15 TOPS for on‑device AI, supporting Windows Studio Effects and lightweight local inference.
- Combined CPU + GPU + NPU platform TOPS (about 25 TOPS) suits basic AI PC scenarios, though below Copilot+ PC NPU thresholds.
- Developers can target NPU 5 via OpenVINO, ONNX RT, WebNN, and related frameworks supported on the chip.
- No dedicated NPU on Core 3 305; NPU is present only on higher Wildcat Lake SKUs like Core 3 304
- Intel Deep Learning Boost on CPU and GPU provides int8 acceleration for lighter AI workloads
- OpenVINO, DirectML, WindowsML, WebNN frameworks are supported
- Suitable for on-device inference (vision, audio, small models), not large LLM training
Content Creation
Gaming
- Single Xe3 graphics core constrains GPU throughput.
- Single‑channel memory bandwidth limits heavy 3D workloads.
- Suitable for light e‑sports or older titles at low settings; not intended for AAA gaming.
- 1-core Xe3 iGPU with 16 EUs targets very light gaming and media playback, not 3D AAA titles
- AV1 decode and modern display outputs (DP 2.1, HDMI 2.0b) are more relevant than high FPS
- Best suited for cloud gaming or older/low-demand games at 1080p Low
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Modern hybrid architecture with Cougar Cove and Darkmont cores.
- Intel 18A compute tile with good performance per watt.
- NPU 5 with 15 TOPS for on‑device AI features.
- Low base power (15 W) and minimum assured power (10 W) enabling fanless designs.
- Modern connectivity (Thunderbolt 4, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0).
- 4 MB memory‑side cache helps mitigate single‑channel memory latency.
- Supports up to 64 GB memory and fast LPDDR5X/DDR5 speeds.
Cons
- Single‑channel memory limits bandwidth‑sensitive workloads.
- Only one Xe3 graphics core constrains gaming and heavy GPU tasks.
- No Hyper‑Threading (5 cores/5 threads).
- No SIPP or vPro support on this SKU.
- Only six PCIe 4.0 lanes from the platform controller tile.
Pros
- Modern Intel 18A process with strong performance per watt
- Hybrid 2P+4LPE core design improves responsiveness vs older E-core-only designs
- Xe3 iGPU with AV1 decode and modern display outputs (DP 2.1, HDMI 2.0b)
- 15 W base power enables thin, fanless, or always-on edge designs
- Full VT-x and VT-d virtualization support
- Embedded-friendly BGA package with industrial temperature options
Cons
- No NPU; AI features rely on CPU/GPU DL Boost only
- Single-channel memory controller limits bandwidth for heavy workloads
- Only six PCIe 4.0 lanes restrict expansion
- 1-core Xe3 iGPU with 16 EUs is weak for 3D gaming
- Locked multiplier with no overclocking support
- L3 cache only 6 MB; L2 breakdown not specified by Intel
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core 3 304
- AMD Ryzen 5 8500GERival
Value mobile
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 4Rival
Thin‑and‑light ARM
- Intel Processor N200Rival
Budget E‑core mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core 5 315Rival
Higher‑end Wildcat Lake
- MediaTek Kompanio 8000 seriesRival
Chromebook/value laptop ARM
- Intel Core 7 350/360Alt
If budget allows, stepping up increases cores, Xe3 graphics cores, and NPU TOPS significantly.
Intel Core 3 305
- AMD Ryzen 3 7320URival
Value Thin-and-Light
- AMD Ryzen 3 8320URival
Value Thin-and-Light
- Intel Core 3 N350Rival
Value Mobile
- Intel Processor N250Rival
Entry Mobile
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (Entry SKUs)Rival
AI-Forward Thin-and-Light
Adds an NPU for basic AI acceleration if you need dedicated AI hardware; otherwise very similar CPU and GPU performance.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i3-N305Alt
Better for users who need more E-cores and don’t require P-cores or modern Xe3 graphics, often at lower cost.
- AMD Ryzen 3 7320U / 8320UAlt
Stronger integrated graphics and dual-channel memory, better for light gaming and GPU-accelerated workloads.
Higher clocks and two Xe3 GPU cores for better GPU and CPU performance if you can spend more.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core Ultra 3 200U-seriesAlt
Choose if you want an NPU and more advanced platform features in a thin-and-light form factor.
Our Verdict on Each
The Core 3 304 brings modern architectures (Cougar Cove and Darkmont on Intel 18A) and useful AI capabilities to budget systems. Single-channel memory and a single Xe3 graphics core limit heavy gaming and creator workloads, but for everyday computing, battery life, and basic AI features it offers a well-balanced entry point into the Wildcat Lake lineup.
Best for: Budget laptops and mini PCs for school, office, and basic edge AI where battery life and modern I/O matter more than gaming or heavy content creation.
Read the full reviewA very efficient, modern low-power SoC for budget and edge PCs, with solid multi-thread performance and capable Xe3 graphics, but limited PCIe lanes, no NPU, and only single-channel memory.
Best for: Value thin-and-light laptops, Chromebooks, or embedded systems where efficiency and modern features matter more than raw CPU or GPU performance.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core 3 304 or Intel Core 3 305?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core 3 305 comes out ahead with a score of 7.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core 3 304 or Intel Core 3 305?
For gaming, the Intel Core 3 305 leads with a gaming performance score of 55/100 among Intel Core 3 304 and Intel Core 3 305.
Do Intel Core 3 304 and Intel Core 3 305 use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the FCBGA1516 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core 3 305 has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core 3 304 (5 cores), Intel Core 3 305 (6 cores).