AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT vs Intel Core 3 305 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits these two processors into clearly different personalities. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT wins the majority of the head-to-head comparisons, taking 12 of 17 tests, while the Intel Core 3 305 manages 5 wins. That raw count, however, hides a more interesting story about what each chip is actually good at.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT dominates threaded productivity workloads. Its Cinebench results are consistently about 17% ahead of the Intel part across R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests. The data compression test shows the largest gap in favor of AMD, with a 36.3% advantage. Integer math also heavily favors the Ryzen, coming in 37.2% ahead. Random string sorting, a memory-heavy workload, gives AMD a 29.4% edge. These are all workloads that scale with thread count, cache size, and memory bandwidth, and the Ryzen 5 3600XT has advantages in all three areas.

The Intel Core 3 305, by contrast, wins in a narrower set of workloads, but the wins are striking. The PassMark single-thread test shows Intel ahead by 44.5%, a massive margin that suggests the newer architecture has a substantial per-core efficiency advantage. Floating point math is another Intel win, coming in 40.3% ahead. The other two Intel victories, find prime numbers and physics, are narrow: 1.8% and 1.9% respectively. These are modest margins, but they show that the Intel part holds its own in specific computational patterns.

The use-case split is therefore fairly clean. The Ryzen 5 3600XT is the choice for rendering, compression, encryption, and general multithreaded productivity. The Intel Core 3 305 is better suited for lightly threaded workloads where raw single-thread performance matters most, and for floating point heavy calculations. The data suggests that neither chip is universally superior; the right pick depends entirely on what the workload looks like.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from very different design philosophies and manufacturing generations. The Intel Core 3 305 is built on a 3 nm process at Intel, using the Wildcat Lake codename, and is classified as a mobile part. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT uses TSMC's 7 nm process with the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse 2, and is a desktop part.

The core and thread counts tell a crucial story. Both have 6 cores, but the Intel part has 6 threads while the AMD part has 12 threads. That means the Ryzen 5 3600XT has simultaneous multithreading enabled, effectively doubling its thread count. This explains a large portion of its multi-core benchmark advantage.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The Intel Core 3 305 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has 64 KB of L1 cache per core (which totals 384 KB across six cores), 512 KB of L2 cache per core (3 MB total), and a much larger 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip's larger L3 cache is a major factor in its data compression and random string sorting wins, since those workloads benefit from having more data resident on-die.

Memory support is another differentiator. The Intel part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with a single-channel memory bus and 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD part supports DDR4 with a dual-channel memory bus and 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part has higher theoretical bandwidth despite being single-channel, because DDR5 and LPDDR5X are newer standards. The AMD part's dual-channel configuration helps it in certain memory-latency-sensitive tasks.

The Intel Core 3 305 includes integrated Intel Xe3 Graphics with one Xe core, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has no integrated graphics at all. The AMD part also has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, whereas the Intel multiplier is locked. The Intel part uses the BGA 1516 socket, meaning it is soldered to the motherboard, while the AMD part uses Socket AM4, a removable desktop socket. The Intel part has PCIe Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while the AMD part has PCIe Gen 4 without a lane count listed in the data.

The transistor count and die size are only recorded for the AMD part: 3,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die. The Intel part has no transistor or die size data in the database. The AMD part also lists a 95 W TDP versus the Intel part's 15 W TDP, a massive difference that reflects the mobile versus desktop positioning.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. In R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 1590 versus 1322 for Intel, a 16.9% advantage. In R15 single-core, AMD scores 224 versus 186, a 17% advantage. The R20 multi-core test shows AMD at 6625 versus 5511, a 16.8% gap, and R20 single-core shows AMD at 935 versus 777, also 16.9%. R23 multi-core gives AMD 15776 versus 13123, another 16.8% gap, and R23 single-core gives AMD 2227 versus 1852, again 16.8%. The consistency across all six Cinebench tests suggests a stable architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The PassMark suite paints a more varied picture. Data compression heavily favors AMD: 230645 versus 146857, a 36.3% gap. Data encryption favors AMD by 24.6%, with scores of 14608 versus 11019. Extended instructions give AMD a smaller 7.1% edge, 14585 versus 13543. Integer math is strongly AMD: 51416 versus 32295, a 37.2% gap. Multithread performance favors AMD by 16.8%, 18562 versus 15439. Random string sorting favors AMD by 29.4%, 24960 versus 17623.

The Intel wins are just as decisive in their own domains. The PassMark single-thread test shows Intel at 3977 versus 2752 for AMD, a massive 44.5% advantage. Floating point math gives Intel 42284 versus 30149, a 40.3% edge. Find prime numbers is a narrow Intel win at 115 versus 113, only 1.8% ahead. Physics is similarly close: 1233 versus 1210, a 1.9% margin.

The average benchmark scores in the database tell a slightly different story than the head-to-head results. The Intel Core 3 305 has an average benchmark score of 18302, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has 17891. The nearest rival data shows the Intel part at 0.1% below the Intel Core i3-14100 and the AMD part essentially tied with the Intel Core 5 120U. The Intel part also sits at the 72nd percentile versus all CPUs, while the AMD part sits at the 71st. So while AMD wins most head-to-head tests, the Intel part has a slightly higher average score across all recorded benchmarks, likely because its single-thread and floating point wins are so large.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification category in the database.

| Specification | Intel Core 3 305 | AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 6 |

| Threads | 6 | 12 |

| Base clock | 1.50 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.30 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 95 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1516 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Codename | Wildcat Lake | Matisse 2 |

| Architecture | Not listed | Zen 2 |

| Process node | 3 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| L1 cache | 192 KB | 64 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 2.5 MB | 512 KB per core |

| L3 cache | 6 MB shared | 32 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR5, LPDDR5X | DDR4 |

| Memory bus | Single-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 59.7 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| Integrated graphics | Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) | None |

| Market segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Multiplier unlocked | No | Yes |

| Transistors | Not listed | 3,800 million |

| Die size | Not listed | 74 mm² |

| Release date | 2026-04-15 | 2019-07-06 |

| Launch MSRP | $309 | $249 |

The base clock difference is stark: 1.50 GHz for Intel versus 3.80 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks are closer at 4.30 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. The Intel part launches in April 2026 at a launch MSRP of $309, while the AMD part launched in July 2019 at a launch MSRP of $249.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 wins the PassMark single-thread test decisively, scoring 3977 versus 2752 for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT, a 44.5% advantage. However, the AMD part wins all three Cinebench single-core tests (R15, R20, R23) by roughly 17% each.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT have more cores than the Intel Core 3 305?

A: No, both have 6 cores. The AMD part has 12 threads while the Intel part has 6 threads, meaning AMD supports simultaneous multithreading and Intel does not.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has 32 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 3 305 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Can the Intel Core 3 305 run without a discrete graphics card?

A: Yes, the Intel part includes integrated Intel Xe3 Graphics with one Xe core. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT has no integrated graphics and requires a discrete GPU.

Q: Which processor is more power efficient?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 has a 15 W TDP compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT's 95 W TDP, a substantial difference reflecting the Intel part's mobile design.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT supports DDR4. The Intel part has a single-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, while AMD uses dual-channel with 51.2 GB/s.

The Verdict

The data points to two different buyers. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT is the stronger choice for multithreaded productivity, with consistent 16.8% to 17% wins across all Cinebench versions, a 36.3% lead in data compression, a 37.2% lead in integer math, and a 29.4% lead in random string sorting. Its 12 threads and 32 MB of L3 cache clearly matter in these workloads. Desktop users with AM4 motherboards, DDR4 memory, and a discrete GPU will find this chip handles rendering and compression tasks well.

The Intel Core 3 305 is the better choice for lightly threaded applications and floating point work. Its 44.5% single-thread win in PassMark and 40.3% floating point win are the largest margins in either direction across the entire comparison. Mobile users benefit from its 15 W TDP, integrated graphics, and support for DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory. The 3 nm process and 2026 release date suggest a much newer design, which explains the per-core efficiency advantage.

The average benchmark scores are close, with Intel at 18302 and AMD at 17891, a difference of about 2.3%. The percentile rankings are similarly tight at 72 versus 71. Neither chip is a clear overall winner. The Ryzen 5 3600XT wins more tests, but the Intel Core 3 305 wins the tests where it does win by enormous margins. The choice comes down to workload: thread-heavy productivity favors AMD, while single-thread and floating point tasks favor Intel. The data does not support a universal recommendation.