AMD Ryzen 5 9500F vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records a decisive sweep: the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F wins all 11 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core 3 304. No single test favors the Intel part. The magnitude of the wins, however, varies sharply across workloads, which reveals where each processor's architecture is strongest and weakest.

The most lopsided results appear in integer-heavy and prime-number workloads. In `passmark_integer_math`, the AMD scores 84,198 against Intel's 24,640, a 241.7% advantage. The `passmark_find_prime_numbers` test shows a 223.5% lead (220 vs. 68). These are the largest deltas in the entire comparison, indicating a fundamental throughput advantage in basic arithmetic operations. The Ryzen 5 9500F delivers 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads with no hyper-threading equivalent; the parallel execution advantage is most visible in these highly scalable integer tasks.

Data compression follows closely: the AMD scores 325,678 versus 114,775, a 183.8% lead. Extended instruction workloads show a 172.2% margin (26,370 vs. 9,686). Random string sorting runs 150.2% faster (34,174 vs. 13,659). Multithread performance, the aggregate PassMark score, lands at 28,312 for AMD and 11,625 for Intel, a 143.5% difference. These results confirm that the AMD processor's thread count advantage (12 threads vs. 5) translates into roughly 2.4x the multithreaded output.

Floating-point math shows a smaller but still substantial gap: 56,570 vs. 29,722, a 90.3% lead. Physics simulation, a workload that often depends on both core count and memory bandwidth, records 1,851 vs. 868, a 113.2% margin. Data encryption shows 15,716 vs. 8,501, an 84.9% lead.

The narrowest victory appears in single-thread performance. The `passmark_single_thread` test records 4,258 for AMD and 3,614 for Intel, a 17.8% advantage. This is the only test where the Intel chip comes within 20% of the AMD part. The Ryzen 5 9500F's boost clock of 5.00 GHz versus the Core 3 304's 4.30 GHz explains part of this, but the single-thread score gap is far smaller than the multi-thread gaps, suggesting the Intel architecture's per-core efficiency is comparatively competitive, though still behind.

The average benchmark scores in the database reinforce the same picture. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F holds an average score of 52,873, while the Intel Core 3 304 averages 13,745. That is a 3.8x difference in the aggregate metric. The AMD processor sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs in the database; the Intel part sits at the 68th percentile.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F outperforms the Intel Core 3 304 in every single recorded benchmark. The database shows 11 wins for AMD and 0 for Intel. For any workload measured here, the AMD processor delivers higher scores, often by margins exceeding 100%.

The Intel Core 3 304 is a mobile processor with a 15W TDP, 5 cores, and 5 threads. The Ryzen 5 9500F is a desktop part with a 65W TDP, 6 cores, and 12 threads. The performance gap in multithreaded tests (143.5% in PassMark's multithread suite) directly reflects the 2.4x thread-count advantage. The Intel part's single-channel memory bus (59.7 GB/s bandwidth) versus AMD's dual-channel DDR5 (89.6 GB/s) further explains the physics and floating-point gaps.

The percentile rankings put the difference in context. The Ryzen 5 9500F outperforms 91% of all CPUs in the database, while the Core 3 304 outperforms 68%. Among nearest rivals, the AMD part sits near the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.6% behind it) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (0.8% behind it), which are both high-end server and desktop processors. The Intel part's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-8750H (0.9% ahead of it) and the AMD EPYC 7443 (1.4% ahead of it), a much older mobile chip and a server part, respectively.

For a buyer choosing between these two, the recorded data offers no scenario where the Intel Core 3 304 wins on raw performance. The only area where the Intel part has an argument is power consumption: 15W TDP versus 65W TDP. That is a 4.3x difference in thermal design power, and it comes with integrated Intel Xe3 Graphics, which the AMD part lacks entirely (N/A integrated graphics). The Intel part is also a mobile BGA 1516 socket part, while the AMD uses the desktop AM5 socket.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F wins every performance category in the database. Its largest margins are in integer math (241.7%), prime number finding (223.5%), and data compression (183.8%). These are compute-heavy, parallel-friendly workloads that scale with core count and clock speed. The 6-core, 12-thread Zen 5 design with 32 MB of shared L3 cache handles these tasks efficiently. The dual-channel DDR5 memory bus (89.6 GB/s) provides ample bandwidth for data-intensive operations like random string sorting, where it leads by 150.2%.

The Intel Core 3 304's only relative strengths are in the areas where it loses by the smallest margins. Its single-thread score (3,614) trails by just 17.8%, the closest result in the entire comparison. For workloads that are purely single-threaded and do not scale with additional cores, the Intel part is the least disadvantaged. Its 15W TDP also means it consumes far less power, and its integrated GPU (Intel Xe3 Graphics, 1 Xe) enables graphics output without a discrete card, which the AMD part cannot do.

The Intel part's 3 nm process node (Intel foundry) versus AMD's 4 nm node (TSMC) does not translate into a performance win in the recorded data. The Intel part's cache configuration (192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, 6 MB L3) is far smaller than AMD's per-core 80 KB L1, 1 MB L2, and 32 MB L3. The smaller L3 cache (6 MB vs. 32 MB) likely contributes to the large gaps in data compression and sorting workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-threaded score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F scores 28,312 in `passmark_multithread`, while the Intel Core 3 304 scores 11,625. The AMD part leads by 143.5%.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F scores 4,258 in `passmark_single_thread`, and the Intel Core 3 304 scores 3,614. The AMD lead is 17.8%, the smallest margin of any test.

Q: Do both processors support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F uses dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel Core 3 304 uses single-channel memory with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part also supports LPDDR5X.

Q: What is the thermal design power of each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F has a 65W TDP, and the Intel Core 3 304 has a 15W TDP.

Q: Does either processor include integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core 3 304 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe execution unit. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F has no integrated graphics (N/A).

Q: How do the processors compare in the percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F is in the 91st percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 3 304 is in the 68th percentile.

Q: What is the fastest test result for each processor?

A: For the AMD Ryzen 5 9500F, the highest score is 325,678 in `passmark_data_compression`. For the Intel Core 3 304, the highest score is 114,775 in the same test.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F is a desktop part in the 9000 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core 3 304 is a mobile part with the Wildcat Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry. Transistor count and die size are not recorded for the Intel part.

The core configurations differ sharply. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel chip has 5 cores and 5 threads, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part does not.

Cache hierarchies are a major differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 304 provides 192 KB of L1 cache total, 2.5 MB of L2 cache total, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part's L3 cache is more than 5x larger, which contributes to its dominance in data-heavy workloads.

Memory support and PCIe connectivity also differ. The AMD part uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and supports ECC memory. The Intel part uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and does not support ECC. For PCIe, the AMD part offers Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part offers Gen 4 with just 6 lanes.

The AMD Ryzen 5 9500F is a Socket AM5 part with a launch MSRP of $219. The Intel Core 3 304 is an Intel BGA 1516 part with a launch MSRP of $309. The AMD part is unlocked for overclocking; the Intel part is locked. The AMD part has no integrated graphics, while the Intel part includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with a single Xe unit, which makes it a complete mobile SoC capable of driving a display without a discrete GPU.

Process node advantages do not translate into performance wins in the recorded data. Despite the Intel part's smaller 3 nm node, the AMD part's larger cache, higher clock speeds, and 2.4x thread count produce consistently higher scores. The Intel part's 15W TDP and integrated graphics make it suitable for low-power mobile designs, but the performance data shows no benchmark where it approaches the AMD part's output.