AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a complete sweep: the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D wins all 15 head-to-head tests against the Intel Core 3 304. The margin of victory is not uniform, however, and the shape of the performance gap reveals two very different product purposes.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D dominates in every multithreaded workload. Its largest advantage appears in PassMark integer math, where it scores 243209 against 24640, a delta of 887%. The smallest multithreaded gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, yet even there the AMD part leads by 32.6%. The Intel Core 3 304 is a 5-core, 5-thread mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, while the AMD part is a 16-core, 32-thread desktop flagship with a 170 W TDP. The performance spread directly reflects that positioning.

The Intel Core 3 304 does not win a single test, but its closest relative performance comes in single-threaded workloads. In PassMark single-thread, the Intel chip scores 3614 against the AMD's 4737, a 31.1% deficit. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap narrows to 28%. These are the only two tests where the delta drops below 30%. For a low-power mobile chip, that single-thread showing is its strongest area relative to the desktop part.

The use-case split is therefore stark. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is built for heavily threaded desktop workloads: rendering, compilation, scientific computing, and any task that can consume 32 threads. The Intel Core 3 304 is positioned for efficiency-focused mobile systems where the 15 W TDP and single-channel memory are acceptable trade-offs. In the database's average benchmark score, the AMD part sits at 75779 with a 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Intel chip averages 13745 and ranks in the 68th percentile.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D averages 75779 across all recorded benchmarks, compared to 13745 for the Intel Core 3 304. The AMD part places in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel chip sits in the 68th percentile.

Q: How large is the multithreaded performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 42018 versus 5263 for the Intel Core 3 304, a 698.4% advantage. In PassMark multithread, the AMD part scores 70255 against 11625, a 504.3% delta.

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

A: It is closer but still behind. The Intel chip scores 3614 in PassMark single-thread against the AMD's 4737, a 31.1% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel scores 1765 versus 2259, a 28% deficit.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D boosts to 5.70 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz. The AMD part also has a higher base clock at 4.30 GHz versus 1.50 GHz.

Q: Does the Intel Core 3 304 support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 3 304 does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows the clearest picture of the scaling difference. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D posts 6536 against 849 for the Intel Core 3 304, a 669.8% lead. Moving to Cinebench R23 multicore, the AMD score rises to 42018 while the Intel chip manages 5263, a 698.4% gap. The single-core results compress this gap substantially. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 350 versus 264, a 32.6% delta, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows 2259 versus 1765, a 28% delta. The pattern holds: the more threads a workload can use, the wider the AMD advantage becomes.

PassMark's workload suite reinforces this with extreme margins in compute-heavy tasks. PassMark integer math gives the AMD part its single largest win at 243209 versus 24640, an 887% delta. PassMark find prime numbers follows at 613 versus 68, an 801.5% advantage. Extended instructions show a 653.8% gap (73011 versus 9686), and data compression shows a 691.5% gap (908421 versus 114775). Floating-point math favors the AMD part by 437.4% (159724 versus 29722). Data encryption is somewhat closer in relative terms but still a 423.9% win for the AMD processor (44536 versus 8501).

The remaining PassMark tests cluster between 500% and 600% deltas. PassMark multithread shows 70255 versus 11625, a 504.3% lead. Physics shows 5670 versus 868, a 553.2% gap. Random string sorting shows 95423 versus 13659, a 598.6% difference. The only tests where the Intel Core 3 304 gets within 50% of the AMD part are the single-threaded ones: PassMark single-thread at 4737 versus 3614 (31.1%) and the duplicate PassMark singlethread entry with identical scores.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D also holds benchmark results in tests the Intel chip does not have recorded for, including 3DMark variants (single-thread: 1292, 2-thread: 2549, 4-thread: 4963, 8-thread: 9259, 16-thread: 16374, max-thread: 17184) and Geekbench (single-core: 3064, multi-core: 26736). These additional data points further separate the two products in the database.

Specification Differences

The core configuration difference is the most fundamental. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D ships with 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core 3 304 ships with 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning it has no simultaneous multithreading. Clock speeds diverge sharply: the AMD part runs at 4.30 GHz base and 5.70 GHz boost, while the Intel part runs at 1.50 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost.

Power envelopes could not be more different. The AMD processor carries a 170 W TDP and targets the desktop segment on AMD Socket AM5. The Intel processor carries a 15 W TDP and targets the mobile segment on Intel BGA 1516. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part does not.

Memory support differs in both type and channel configuration. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC support. The Intel Core 3 304 uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. PCIe connectivity also favors the AMD part: Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes versus Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD part includes Radeon Graphics, while the Intel part includes Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe). The AMD processor's launch MSRP is $699; the Intel processor's launch MSRP is $309. The AMD part carries part number 100-000000719, and the Intel part carries SAE3K.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D belongs to the 9000 series and uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Granite Ridge codename. It is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC with 16,630 million transistors across a 2x 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename and is built on a 3 nm process at Intel. No transistor count or die size data is recorded for the Intel part.

Cache hierarchies reflect their divergent roles. The AMD processor provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 128 MB of L3 cache. The Intel processor provides 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part's L3 cache is 128 MB, more than 21 times the Intel part's 6 MB. The AMD processor's 128 MB L3 is a defining feature for cache-sensitive workloads, while the Intel part's smaller cache aligns with its low-power mobile positioning.

The production status for both parts is listed as Active. Release dates differ by over a year: the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D was released on January 5, 2025, and the Intel Core 3 304 was released on April 15, 2026. The AMD part is explicitly labeled as Ryzen 9 generation (Zen 5, Granite Ridge), while the Intel part is labeled as Core 3 generation (Wildcat Lake). The Intel part's market segment is Mobile, and its socket is BGA 1516, which is a soldered mobile package. The AMD part's desktop AM5 socket supports the unlocked multiplier and a 170 W TDP profile.

The architecture comparison is not a close fight. Zen 5 on 4 nm with 16 cores and 128 MB of L3 is a high-end desktop design. Wildcat Lake on 3 nm with 5 cores and 6 MB of L3 is a low-power mobile design. The 3 nm node gives Intel a process advantage in density and efficiency, but the core count, cache size, memory bandwidth, and power budget differences overwhelm that in every recorded benchmark. The database's nearest-rival data places the AMD part among other high-end desktop and workstation chips, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (0.1% delta) and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (0.4% delta). The Intel Core 3 304 sits near mobile and older workstation parts, including the Intel Core i7-8750H (-0.9% delta) and AMD EPYC 7443 (-1.4% delta).