AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, and the Intel Core 3 304 has a boost clock of 4.30 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 3 304 does not.

Q: What integrated graphics does the Intel Core 3 304 include?

A: The Intel Core 3 304 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe), whereas the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do the two processors compare in average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has an average benchmark score of 50718 and sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 3 304 has an average benchmark score of 13745 and sits in the 68th percentile.

Q: What are the launch MSRPs?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has a launch MSRP of $349. The Intel Core 3 304 has a launch MSRP of $309.

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two processors into entirely different performance classes. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the Intel Core 3 304 taking only the two single-thread PassMark tests. The Ryzen 9 5900XT delivers an average benchmark score of 50718, which places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 3 304 records an average score of 13745, placing it in the 68th percentile. The gap in average score is 36973 points, a multiple of roughly 3.7 times in favor of the AMD part.

The nearest rivals in the database confirm the positioning. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT sits within 0.6% of the Intel Core i9-14900T, the Intel Core i7-13850HX, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370, and the Intel Core i9-13980HX. The Intel Core 3 304 sits within 1.4% of the AMD EPYC 7443, the Intel Core i7-8750H, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, and the Intel Core 5 120UL. The Ryzen 9 5900XT competes with high-core-count desktop and mobile flagship parts, while the Core 3 304 aligns with older mid-range mobile and server parts.

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT is for workloads that scale with core count and thread count. Its 16 cores, 32 threads, and 64 MB L3 cache produce dominant multi-threaded results. The Intel Core 3 304 is a 5-core, 5-thread mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, which points to low-power, light-duty usage. The single-thread PassMark win for the Core 3 304 is narrow at 3.9%, and it does not offset the massive multi-threaded deficits. The choice depends entirely on whether the workload is multi-threaded throughput or single-thread responsiveness in a low-power mobile context.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show the largest multi-threaded margins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT scores 37373 against 5263 for the Intel Core 3 304, a delta of 610.1%. The R20 multi-core test shows 15696 versus 4160, a delta of 277.3%. The R15 multi-core test shows 3767 versus 849, a delta of 343.7%. These results reflect the 16-core versus 5-core configuration and the 32-thread versus 5-thread configuration.

Single-core Cinebench results also favor the AMD part, though by smaller margins. The R23 single-core test shows 5276 versus 1765, a delta of 198.9%. The R20 single-core test shows 2215 versus 587, a delta of 277.3%. The R15 single-core test shows 531 versus 264, a delta of 101.1%. The Ryzen 9 5900XT holds a clear advantage in every Cinebench single-core test despite the Core 3 304 having a newer 3 nm process node.

PassMark results follow a similar pattern. The integer math test shows 177566 for the AMD part versus 24640 for the Intel part, a delta of 620.6%, which is the largest margin in the entire comparison. The data compression test shows 597862 versus 114775, a delta of 420.9%. The random string sorting test shows 62537 versus 13659, a delta of 357.8%. The data encryption test shows 37814 versus 8501, a delta of 344.8%. The extended instructions test shows 39141 versus 9686, a delta of 304.1%. The floating point math test shows 99398 versus 29722, a delta of 234.4%. The find prime numbers test shows 205 versus 68, a delta of 201.5%. The multithread test shows 43810 versus 11625, a delta of 276.9%. The physics test shows 1715 versus 868, a delta of 97.6%.

The Intel Core 3 304 wins only the PassMark single-thread tests. The passmark_single_thread test shows 3614 for the Intel part versus 3474 for the AMD part, a delta of -3.9%. The passmark_singlethread test shows the same scores and the same delta. This is the only area where the Intel part leads, and the margin is small.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT is a desktop processor on AMD Socket AM4. The Intel Core 3 304 is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1516. The AMD part has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel part has 5 cores and 5 threads. The AMD base clock is 3.30 GHz, and the Intel base clock is 1.50 GHz. The AMD boost clock is 4.80 GHz, and the Intel boost clock is 4.30 GHz. The AMD TDP is 105 W, and the Intel TDP is 15 W.

Memory support differs sharply. The AMD part supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory. The Intel part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC memory. The AMD part provides PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part provides PCIe Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only). The AMD part has no integrated graphics. The Intel part includes Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe).

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel Core 3 304 does not. The AMD part number is 100-000001581, and the Intel part number is SAE3K. The AMD launch MSRP is $349, and the Intel launch MSRP is $309. The AMD release date is 2024-07-30, and the Intel release date is 2026-04-15.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT uses the Zen 3 architecture with the codename Vermeer, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, built on Intel's 3 nm process. The AMD part has 8,300 million transistors and a die size of 2x 74 mm². The Intel part has no recorded transistor count or die size in the database.

Cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD L1 cache is 64 KB per core, L2 is 512 KB per core, and L3 is 64 MB total. The Intel L1 cache is 192 KB total, L2 is 2.5 MB total, and L3 is 6 MB shared. The AMD cache hierarchy is per-core for L1 and L2, while the Intel L3 is shared across all cores. The Intel L3 is 6 MB shared, which is a small fraction of the AMD 64 MB L3.

The AMD processor belongs to the 5000 series and the Ryzen 9 generation, specifically Ryzen 9 (Zen 3 (Vermeer)). The Intel processor belongs to the Core 3 generation, specifically Core 3 (Wildcat Lake). The AMD part is a desktop market segment product, while the Intel part is a mobile market segment product. The AMD processor has no integrated graphics, while the Intel processor includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe.

The process node difference is notable: the Intel part uses a 3 nm process versus the AMD part's 7 nm process. The Intel part also uses a single-channel memory bus versus the AMD dual-channel bus. The Intel memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s is higher than the AMD 51.2 GB/s despite the single-channel bus, which reflects the newer DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory support. The Intel part has fewer PCIe lanes at 6 versus the AMD 20 lanes. The AMD part supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not. The Intel part has a locked multiplier, while the AMD part has an unlocked multiplier.