CPU Comparison
Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core 5 330
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.
- NPU delivers 16 INT8 TOPS with sparsity support, suited to local inference tasks.
- GPU contributes an additional 20 INT8 TOPS; CPU also supports DL Boost.
- Software support includes OpenVINO, WindowsML, DirectML, ONNX RT, and WebNN.
- Meets everyday AI features (e.g., Windows Studio Effects) but falls short of Microsoft’s 40 TOPS NPU‑only Copilot+ PC requirement.
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.
- Integrated Intel Graphics with 2 Xe3 cores and up to 2.5 GHz boost.
- Single‑channel memory limits GPU bandwidth.
- Best suited for eSports and older titles at 1080p low/medium.
- AV1 encode/decode helps with streaming from supported apps.
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 compute tile with Cougar Cove and Darkmont LP‑E cores.
- 16 TOPS NPU plus 20 TOPS GPU AI (40 TOPS platform total including CPU).
- Single‑channel LPDDR5X‑7467 / DDR5‑6400 with a 4 MB memory‑side cache.
- Very low 15 W base power with 35 W turbo for occasional bursts.
- Thunderbolt 4 and six PCIe 4.0 lanes for a value platform.
- SIPP and TXT support for commercial and fleet deployments.
- AV1 encode/decode and Quick Sync Video for modern codecs.
Cons
- Only six PCIe 4.0 lanes and single‑channel memory, limiting high‑end use cases.
- No Hyper‑Threading on LP‑E cores, so threads equal cores (6/6).
- Not intended for serious gaming or heavy content creation workloads.
- Multiplier is locked; no enthusiast overclocking.
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 5 330
- AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 (Krackan Point)Rival
Value thin‑and‑light / mainstream laptops
- Apple A18 Pro (MacBook Neo)Rival
ARM‑based premium/value ultraportables
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8‑coreRival
ARM ‘AI PC’ thin‑and‑lights with big NPU
- Intel Core 7 150URival
Prior‑gen Intel U‑class (2P+8E, 15 W, dual‑channel)
- Intel Core 3 304 (Wildcat Lake)Rival
Entry 5‑core Wildcat Lake variant with 1 Xe3 core and 15 TOPS NPU
- Intel Core 5 320 (Wildcat Lake)Alt
Very similar to 330 but without SIPP validation; pick 320 for non‑commercial use cases where SIPP is unnecessary.
- AMD Ryzen AI 5 340Alt
Competing x86 value chip with Zen 5/Zen 5c cores, Radeon 840M graphics, and XDNA NPU; better if you prefer AMD’s software stack.
- Intel Core 7 350 (Wildcat Lake)Alt
Higher NPU (17 TOPS) and slightly higher P‑core turbo (4.8 GHz) if you want more AI headroom and can spend a bit more.
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 reviewThe Core 5 330 brings Intel’s latest CPU and Xe3 graphics IP to the value segment with a sipping 15 W base power and a 16 TOPS NPU. It is well-suited for everyday tasks and light AI workloads, though single-channel memory and six PCIe lanes make it a poor fit for gaming or heavy content creation.
Best for: Budget laptops for students, small businesses, or embedded/edge systems that need modern AI features, long battery life, and commercial stability (SIPP) at a low price.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core 3 304 or Intel Core 5 330?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core 5 330 comes out ahead with a score of 7.4/10. 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 5 330?
For gaming, the Intel Core 5 330 leads with a gaming performance score of 55/100 among Intel Core 3 304 and Intel Core 5 330.
Do Intel Core 3 304 and Intel Core 5 330 use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core 3 304: FCBGA1516, Intel Core 5 330: FCBGA1516 (Intel BGA 1516)), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core 5 330 has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core 3 304 (5 cores), Intel Core 5 330 (6 cores).