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
Gaming
Virtualization
Efficiency
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).