AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data presents a clear picture of dominance, with the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U winning 13 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core 3 304. The most dramatic divergence appears in multi-threaded Cinebench workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD part scores 15,456 points against Intel's 5,263, a 193.7% advantage. Similarly, Cinebench R15 multi-core shows the AMD processor at 1,557 versus 849 for the Intel chip, a 83.4% lead, and Cinebench R20 multi-core delivers a 56% win with scores of 6,491 and 4,160 respectively.

The multi-core supremacy extends into PassMark workloads as well. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U records 56,738 in integer math versus 24,640 for the Intel Core 3 304, a 130.3% difference. Data compression results show 205,703 against 114,775, a 79.2% margin, and random string sorting yields 24,797 versus 13,659, an 81.5% gap. The multithread benchmark itself, at 18,218 versus 11,625, confirms a 56.7% edge for the AMD processor.

Single-threaded performance tells a different story in certain tests. The Intel Core 3 304 wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 264 points versus 219 for the AMD chip, a 17% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, Intel records 3,614 against 3,563, a narrower 1.4% lead. The find prime numbers test also goes to Intel, with 68 versus 66, a 2.9% margin. However, the AMD processor takes Cinebench R20 single-core at 916 versus 587, a 56% win, and Cinebench R23 single-core at 2,182 versus 1,765, a 23.6% advantage.

The remaining comparisons split in favor of AMD. Floating point math shows 34,865 versus 29,722, a 17.3% lead. Data encryption delivers 12,319 versus 8,501, a 44.9% margin. Extended instructions score 15,410 against 9,686, a 59.1% difference. Physics results show 983 versus 868, a 13.2% edge for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, fabricated by TSMC on a 4 nm process. The Intel Core 3 304 carries the Wildcat Lake codename, built by Intel on a 3 nm process. The manufacturing differences extend to transistor counts and die size, with AMD reporting 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, while Intel provides no recorded figures for either metric.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The AMD processor offers 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip provides 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. Cache layouts also differ substantially. AMD allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel lists 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD processor has a larger aggregate cache pool, which likely contributes to its performance in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory architecture creates another major separation. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U supports dual-channel DDR5 with a recorded bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and includes ECC memory support. The Intel Core 3 304 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but runs single-channel, with bandwidth capped at 59.7 GB/s and no ECC capability. The bandwidth gap, at roughly 50% in favor of AMD, helps explain the multi-core performance disparities observed in the benchmarks.

PCIe lane allocation also differs. AMD provides Gen 4 with 14 CPU-only lanes, while Intel offers Gen 4 with 6 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well, with AMD using the Radeon 740M and Intel using Xe3 Graphics with a single Xe core. The AMD processor's socket is AMD Socket FP7, while Intel uses BGA 1516. Base clock rates show AMD at 3.20 GHz versus Intel at 1.50 GHz, while boost clocks reach 4.90 GHz on AMD and 4.30 GHz on Intel. The TDP figures are 28 watts for AMD and 15 watts for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results indicate a clear separation based on workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U dominates in every multi-threaded scenario in the database. Rendering workloads in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core all show substantial AMD leads, with the largest margin at 193.7% in R23. Content creation, video encoding, and 3D rendering tasks that leverage multiple cores will consistently favor the AMD processor. The data compression and integer math results reinforce this pattern, suggesting strong performance in file archiving, data processing, and general productivity tasks.

The AMD processor also wins in most single-threaded Cinebench tests, specifically R20 and R23, despite having a lower base clock than Intel's boost advantage. The Cinebench R20 single-core result of 916 versus 587 and the R23 result of 2,182 versus 1,765 indicate that AMD's per-core efficiency in these rendering workloads exceeds Intel's. The extended instructions benchmark, at 15,410 versus 9,686, points to AMD advantages in workloads using advanced CPU instructions such as AES or AVX.

The Intel Core 3 304 claims wins in specific niche areas. Cinebench R15 single-core shows Intel ahead by 17%, and PassMark single-thread shows a 1.4% edge. The find prime numbers test, which measures prime generation performance, goes to Intel by 2.9%. These results suggest Intel has a slight edge in certain latency-sensitive or algorithm-specific single-threaded tasks, though the margin is often small. The physics benchmark, at 868 versus 983, shows AMD ahead by 13.2%, indicating better performance in physics simulation workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U scores 15,456 points, which is 193.7% higher than the Intel Core 3 304's 5,263 points.

Q: Does the Intel Core 3 304 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel chip wins Cinebench R15 single-core (264 versus 219), PassMark single-thread (3,614 versus 3,563), and the find prime numbers test (68 versus 66).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U supports 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.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The AMD processor has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel processor has 5 cores and 5 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while Intel uses a 3 nm process from its own foundry.

The Verdict

The database paints a lopsided picture in favor of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U. Its 13 benchmark wins against 4 for Intel, combined with the magnitude of those wins, establishes it as the stronger overall processor for multi-threaded workloads. The 193.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is not a marginal difference but a generational gap in rendering capability. The 130.3% advantage in integer math and the 79.2% lead in data compression reinforce the AMD processor's suitability for compute-intensive tasks.

The Intel Core 3 304 has a place for users prioritizing specific single-threaded performance characteristics. Its wins in PassMark single-thread and Cinebench R15 single-core, though narrow, indicate competitive per-core performance in certain workloads. The lower 15-watt TDP also suggests a more efficient power profile, which could matter in fanless or ultra-portable designs. However, the single-channel memory and lack of SMT place hard limits on its multi-threaded throughput.

For users running rendering, data processing, encryption, or any parallel workload, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the clear choice based on recorded measurements. The AMD processor's 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, 16 MB of L3 cache, and 12 threads provide a structural advantage that the benchmarks consistently confirm. The Intel chip wins only narrow single-threaded contests and one prime number test, which limits its applicability to specialized use cases.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U | Intel Core 3 304 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 5 |

| Threads | 12 | 5 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Wildcat Lake |

| Process Node | 4 nm (TSMC) | 3 nm (Intel) |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 137 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 192 KB total |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB per core | 2.5 MB total |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB shared | 6 MB shared |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 14 Lanes | Gen 4, 6 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 740M | Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) |

| Release Date | 2024-04-15 | 2026-04-15 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $309 |

| Part Number | 100-000001329(FP7r2), 100-000001331(FP7) | SAE3K |