AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core 3 305 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark database places the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G and Intel Core 3 305 in different tiers despite sharing a 6-core count. The AMD part wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, while Intel takes 4. The average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is 20425, which places it at the 74th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 3 305 averages 18302, landing at the 72nd percentile. The AMD chip sits within 0.1% of the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V and 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 in average score, while the Intel part is effectively tied with the Intel Core i3-14100 at a 0.1% delta.

The verdict from the data is clear: the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is the stronger processor for multithreaded workloads, with consistent 40% margins across Cinebench tests. The Intel Core 3 305 counters with a few narrow wins in specific math and single-thread tests, but those wins are small. The AMD chip also carries a higher launch MSRP of $179 versus the Intel part's launch MSRP of $309, but the performance advantage is substantial enough that the recorded scores justify the AMD choice for anyone needing compute throughput. The Intel part may suit workloads that favor its specific strengths, but the overall dataset favors AMD decisively.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Zen 4 architecture with the codename Phoenix2, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The AMD chip integrates 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, while the Intel part does not report transistor count or die size in the database.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G offers 6 cores and 12 threads, meaning it supports simultaneous multithreading. The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, with no multithreading support. This thread disparity directly explains many of the multithread benchmark gaps. The AMD chip also has a larger cache layout: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel part shows a different cache structure with 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs sharply. The AMD processor uses DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X, but only through a single-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. PCIe connectivity favors AMD as well: the Ryzen 5 8500G provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel Core 3 305 provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only). Both parts integrate graphics, with the AMD using Radeon 740M and the Intel using Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe). Both are mobile market segments with active production status. The AMD chip released on 2024-01-07, while the Intel part has a release date of 2026-04-15.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 305 boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: Does the Intel Core 3 305 support ECC memory?

A: No, the Intel part does not support ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G does support ECC memory.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G averages 20425 across all recorded benchmarks, placing at the 74th percentile. The Intel Core 3 305 averages 18302, placing at the 72nd percentile.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G delivers 83.2 GB/s through a dual-channel memory bus. The Intel Core 3 305 delivers 59.7 GB/s through a single-channel memory bus.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G provides 14 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core 3 305 provides 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only).

Q: Do both processors have the same core count?

A: Yes, both have 6 cores. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 3 305 has 6 threads.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification field. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 305 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Thermal design power differs substantially: the AMD part is rated at 65 watts, the Intel part at 15 watts. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516.

The process nodes differ by one nanometer: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, Intel uses 3 nm from Intel. Transistor count and die size are only reported for the AMD part (20,900 million transistors, 137 mm²). Cache configurations are distinct, with AMD allocating larger per-core L1 and L2 caches and a 16 MB shared L3, while Intel uses a different layout with 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3.

Memory support shows AMD using DDR5 only with dual-channel access and ECC support, while Intel uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X with single-channel access and no ECC support. The memory bandwidth difference is 83.2 GB/s versus 59.7 GB/s. PCIe lanes favor AMD at 14 versus 6, both Gen 4. Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M for AMD and Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) for Intel. The release dates are 2024-01-07 for AMD and 2026-04-15 for Intel. The launch MSRP for AMD is $179, and for Intel it is $309. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a consistent and large advantage for the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G. In Cinebench R15 multicore, AMD scores 1851 versus Intel's 1322, a 40% delta. The single-core R15 test shows AMD at 261 versus Intel's 186, a 40.3% delta. Cinebench R20 multicore has AMD at 7714 versus 5511, a 40% delta, and single-core has AMD at 1089 versus 777, a 40.2% delta. Cinebench R23 multicore shows AMD at 18368 versus 13123, a 40% delta, while single-core has AMD at 2593 versus 1852, also a 40% delta. These six tests all land at exactly 40% or very close, indicating a structural advantage tied to the thread count and clock speed differences.

PassMark results paint a more varied picture. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins data compression with a score of 250197 versus 146857, a 70.4% delta. Data encryption goes to AMD at 14220 versus 11019, a 29% delta. Extended instructions favor AMD at 19098 versus 13543, a 41% delta. Integer math shows the largest AMD margin: 63123 versus 32295, a 95.5% delta. Multithread results give AMD 21610 versus 15439, a 40% delta. Physics testing is close, with AMD at 1318 versus 1233, a 6.9% delta. Random string sorting falls to AMD at 29407 versus 17623, a 66.9% delta.

The Intel Core 3 305 wins four tests. Prime number finding gives Intel 115 versus AMD's 87, a 24.3% delta in Intel's favor. Floating point math favors Intel at 42284 versus 39074, a 7.6% delta. The single-thread test gives Intel 3977 versus 3891, a 2.2% delta, and the same result appears for the duplicate singlethread test. These wins are narrower than AMD's margins, and they cluster in specialized math operations rather than general compute.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G wins in every rendering and general multithread scenario. The Cinebench suite, which measures CPU rendering performance, gives AMD a clean sweep with 40% margins across all six tests. This makes the AMD part the clear choice for content creation, 3D rendering, video encoding, and any workload that scales with thread count. The 12-thread configuration versus 6 threads is the dominant factor. The AMD chip also wins in integer math by nearly double, indicating strength in general-purpose computing tasks like database operations, scripting, and compilation.

The Intel Core 3 305 wins in prime number finding, floating point math, and single-thread tests. The prime number test shows a 24.3% advantage, which suggests specialized number-crunching scenarios may favor Intel. Floating point math gives Intel a 7.6% edge, which could matter for certain scientific or simulation workloads. The single-thread wins are small at 2.2%, but they indicate that Intel's single-core performance is competitive despite the lower boost clock. These wins are narrow, and they do not offset the multithread deficit.

For users running heavily parallel workloads, the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is the stronger option by a wide margin. For workloads that rely on floating point throughput or specific integer prime calculations, the Intel Core 3 305 offers a modest edge. The AMD chip also provides more memory bandwidth, more PCIe lanes, and ECC support, which extend its usefulness in data-heavy applications. The Intel part's lower TDP of 15 watts versus 65 watts suggests it may fit power-constrained designs, but the database does not include power efficiency benchmarks. The overall win count of 13 to 4 in favor of AMD reflects the broader performance picture.