AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records a decisive victory for the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, which wins all 17 recorded comparisons against the Intel Core 3 304. The largest margin comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the AMD part scores 20,254 against Intel's 5,263, a 284.8% advantage. This result indicates a fundamental difference in multi-threaded throughput, driven by the AMD processor's 8 cores and 16 threads versus the Intel chip's 5 cores and 5 threads.

The gap narrows considerably in single-threaded workloads. In PassMark single-thread, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 3,641 versus 3,614 for the Intel Core 3 304, a margin of just 0.7%. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 9.1% lead for AMD (288 versus 264), but Cinebench R20 single-core shows a much larger 104.4% difference (1,200 versus 587). This inconsistency suggests that the Intel Core 3 304's single-core performance is highly workload-dependent, while the AMD part maintains a more consistent lead across rendering tests.

Multi-core deltas are uniformly large. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 140.4% advantage for AMD (2,041 versus 849), Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 104.5% (8,506 versus 4,160), and PassMark multi-thread shows 105.2% (23,850 versus 11,625). Integer math presents the second-largest overall delta at 258.5%, with AMD scoring 88,339 against Intel's 24,640. Data compression also favors AMD heavily at 137.6% (272,664 versus 114,775), while random string sorting shows a 142.4% edge (33,109 versus 13,659).

The AMD part also leads in encryption and extended instruction workloads. Data encryption scores 16,441 versus 8,501, a 93.4% difference, while extended instructions show a 97.5% gap (19,132 versus 9,686). Floating-point math gives AMD a 70.7% lead (50,746 versus 29,722), and physics tests show a 35.3% advantage (1,174 versus 868). The smallest delta in the entire comparison is PassMark find prime numbers, where AMD leads by 11.8% (76 versus 68), a result that suggests the Intel part's integer pipeline is not far behind in this specific operation.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm process at Intel's own foundry. These process nodes represent different manufacturing strategies, but the measured performance does not favor the smaller Intel node.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel chip has 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning the Intel part lacks simultaneous multi-threading entirely. Cache configurations also diverge. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3. Intel's cache is listed as 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3, with no per-core breakdown provided. The total L3 advantage for AMD is 16 MB versus 6 MB.

Memory support differs in channel configuration. The AMD processor uses dual-channel DDR5 with a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel processor supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X but uses a single-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. This 29.9 GB/s difference in theoretical memory bandwidth aligns with the large multi-core deltas, as memory-bound workloads will favor the wider AMD memory interface.

PCIe lane counts also differ. AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes. ECC memory support is present on the AMD part but absent on the Intel part. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD uses the Radeon 780M, while Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. The AMD chip has a 28 W TDP rating, while the Intel chip is rated at 15 W. Sockets are not interchangeable: AMD uses Socket FP7, Intel uses BGA 1516.

The AMD processor integrates 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel processor has no transistor count or die size recorded in the database. The AMD part's release date is recorded as 2024-04-15, while the Intel part's release date is 2026-04-15, indicating the Intel chip is a much newer design.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U wins every recorded benchmark category, so the division is not about which processor wins a given test, but rather about how close the Intel part can get in specific workloads.

The Intel Core 3 304 comes closest in single-threaded integer operations. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3,614 trails AMD's 3,641 by just 0.7%. In prime number finding, the gap is 11.8%, and in Cinebench R15 single-core, the gap is 9.1%. These results indicate that for lightly threaded integer tasks, the Intel chip delivers roughly comparable responsiveness, though it does not take a lead anywhere.

The AMD part dominates in multi-threaded rendering and compute. Cinebench R23 multi-core's 284.8% delta and integer math's 258.5% delta show that any workload scaling across cores will heavily favor AMD. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration with dual-channel memory provides a substantial throughput advantage over the 5-core, 5-thread Intel chip running single-channel memory.

For data-heavy tasks, AMD also holds the advantage. Data compression shows a 137.6% lead, random string sorting shows 142.4%, and floating-point math shows 70.7%. Encryption and extended instructions both show roughly 93% to 97% leads. The smallest AMD wins are in single-thread tests, which means users running mostly single-threaded applications will see the least performance difference, while users running heavily threaded workloads will see the largest.

The Intel part's 15 W TDP rating is lower than AMD's 28 W, which may indicate lower power draw in light workloads, but the database does not record power consumption measurements. The Intel chip also supports LPDDR5X memory in addition to DDR5, which may offer platform flexibility, though its single-channel bus limits peak bandwidth.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads, with no multi-threading support.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 20,254 versus 5,263 for Intel, a 284.8% advantage. PassMark multi-thread shows a 105.2% lead (23,850 versus 11,625).

Q: Is the Intel Core 3 304 competitive in single-threaded tests?

A: It is close in some tests. PassMark single-thread shows 3,614 versus 3,641, a 0.7% gap. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 264 versus 288, a 9.1% gap. But Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 104.4% gap (587 versus 1,200).

Q: What are the memory bandwidth differences?

A: The AMD processor uses dual-channel memory with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel processor uses single-channel memory with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 3 304 does not.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core 3 304?

A: The launch MSRP is $309. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has an average benchmark score of 32,233 and sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 3 304 has an average score of 13,745 and sits in the 68th percentile.

The Verdict

The recorded data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the faster processor in every measured category. Its 83rd percentile ranking versus the Intel Core 3 304's 68th percentile reflects the substantial gap in average benchmark scores: 32,233 versus 13,745. The AMD part's nearest rivals by average score are the Intel Core i9-11900 at 32,226, the Intel Core i5-14400F at 32,279, the Intel Core i7-12800H at 32,121, and the Intel Core i5-14400 at 32,115. The Intel Core 3 304's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX at 13,786, the Intel Core i7-8750H at 13,868, the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13,594, and the AMD EPYC 7443 at 13,936.

The Intel Core 3 304 is a lower-TDP part (15 W versus 28 W) with a smaller core count and a single-channel memory interface. It delivers competitive single-thread integer performance in some tests but falls far behind in multi-threaded rendering, compression, encryption, and math workloads. Users selecting between these two mobile processors should base the decision on workload type. For any multi-threaded or memory-intensive application, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the clear choice based on the benchmark results. For lightly threaded tasks where power draw may be a concern, the Intel part's lower TDP rating may be relevant, but its performance remains behind in every recorded test.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U | Intel Core 3 304 |

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

| Cores | 8 | 5 |

| Threads | 16 | 5 |

| Base clock | 3.30 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Not recorded |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Wildcat Lake |

| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 25,000 million | Not recorded |

| Die size | 178 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, 20 lanes | Gen 4, 6 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 780M | Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) |

| Release date | 2024-04-15 | 2026-04-15 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $309 |

| Part number | 100-000001317 (FP7r2), 100-000001377 (FP7) | SAE3K |