AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS vs Intel Core 3 304 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive sweep. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins all 17 recorded comparisons against the Intel Core 3 304. There is no single test where the Intel part takes the lead, and the margins are substantial in nearly every category.

The most extreme gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The AMD scores 25,165 against the Intel's 5,263, a delta of 378.1%. That is not a close race; it is a different performance class entirely. Even the single-core R23 result, which usually narrows gaps between processors, shows AMD ahead by 101.2%, with scores of 3,552 versus 1,765. The older R20 multi-core test tells a similar story, AMD at 10,569 versus Intel at 4,160, a 154.1% advantage. The R15 multi-core run shows AMD at 2,536 versus 849, a 198.7% lead.

Looking at PassMark workloads, the pattern repeats. Integer math is the second-largest win for AMD: 103,390 versus 24,640, a 319.6% delta. Data compression shows AMD at 368,884 versus 114,775, a 221.4% advantage. Random string sorting lands at 44,668 versus 13,659, a 227% gap. Extended instructions score 27,714 versus 9,686, a 186.1% lead. Data encryption shows 21,820 versus 8,501, a 156.7% margin. Floating point math sits at 63,490 versus 29,722, a 113.6% difference.

The narrowest wins are still clear victories. PassMark single-thread gives AMD 3,920 versus 3,614, an 8.5% lead. That is the closest contest in the entire dataset. Cinebench R15 single-core shows AMD at 357 versus 264, a 35.2% margin. PassMark find prime numbers shows 91 versus 68, a 33.8% delta. PassMark physics lands at 1,430 versus 868, a 64.7% gap. PassMark multi-thread shows 30,378 versus 11,625, a 161.3% lead.

The average benchmark score difference is enormous. AMD's average is 41,963, while Intel's is 13,745. That places the AMD processor at the 88th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Intel sits at the 68th percentile. For context, the AMD chip's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-14700T (delta 0.1%), AMD Ryzen 5 7400 (delta -0.2%), Intel Core i7-12850HX (delta 0.4%), and Intel Core 7 251TE (delta 0.8%). The Intel Core 3 304's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (delta -0.3%), Intel Core i7-8750H (delta -0.9%), Intel Core 5 120UL (delta 1.1%), and AMD EPYC 7443 (delta -1.4%). Those comparisons make the class gap explicit: the AMD competes with high-end desktop-class silicon, while the Intel sits near older mainstream mobile parts.

The Verdict

The data indicates a straightforward choice for almost any workload. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is the faster processor in every measured benchmark, and in many cases it is more than twice as fast. The Intel Core 3 304 does not win a single test, so there is no scenario in the recorded data where it outruns the AMD part.

The AMD chip delivers 8 cores and 16 threads versus Intel's 5 cores and 5 threads. That core and thread deficit explains most of the multi-threaded gap, but even single-threaded tests favor AMD, which means the Intel part cannot claim a strength in lightly threaded work either. The AMD boost clock of 5.20 GHz versus Intel's 4.30 GHz reinforces this. The base clocks differ as well, 4.00 GHz for AMD versus 1.50 GHz for Intel, though base clock matters less for bursty workloads.

The Intel Core 3 304 does have one practical advantage in the recorded specifications: power. Its TDP is 15 watts versus AMD's 45 watts. That makes it a candidate for fanless or ultra-low-power designs, but the benchmark data offers no evidence that it can keep up with the AMD part in performance. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory and has more PCIe lanes, which matters for certain professional use cases.

Who should pick the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS? Anyone running multi-threaded workloads like rendering, video encoding, data compression, or encryption, based on the Cinebench and PassMark scores. The chip also carries the Radeon 780M integrated graphics, which gives it a stronger iGPU option than the Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) in the Core 3 304, though no iGPU benchmarks are recorded in this dataset.

Who should pick the Intel Core 3 304? The only defensible reason from the data is power efficiency. At 15 watts TDP, it draws one-third the power budget of the AMD part. For a laptop where battery life and thermals take priority over raw performance, the Intel chip makes sense. The launch MSRP is $309, which can be stated once as a reference point, but the performance data does not justify choosing it for speed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins all multi-core tests by wide margins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 25,165 versus 5,263 for the Intel Core 3 304, a 378.1% advantage. PassMark multi-thread shows 30,378 versus 11,625, a 161.3% lead.

Q: Is the Intel Core 3 304 competitive in single-core performance?

A: No. The AMD chip wins every single-core test as well. PassMark single-thread shows 3,920 versus 3,614, an 8.5% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 3,552 versus 1,765, a 101.2% advantage.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel Core 3 304 has a 15 watt TDP, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has a 45 watt TDP. That is a 30 watt difference in the recorded specifications.

Q: How do the memory systems compare?

A: The AMD chip uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and supports ECC memory. The Intel chip uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and does not support ECC.

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel Core 3 304 has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The AMD part has more total cache.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads. The Intel chip has no hyperthreading in the recorded specification.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS uses 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core 3 304 uses 5 cores and 5 threads. Base clocks are 4.00 GHz for AMD and 1.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.20 GHz for AMD and 4.30 GHz for Intel. TDP is 45 watts for AMD and 15 watts for Intel.

Memory support differs: AMD uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. Intel uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC. PCIe lanes differ: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only). The AMD chip has a larger cache layout as described above. Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses Radeon 780M, Intel uses Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe).

The sockets are different: AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, Intel uses Intel BGA 1516. The AMD part number is listed as 100-000001314 (FP7r2) or 100-000001386 (FP7), while Intel's is SAE3K. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD release date is April 2024, the Intel release date is April 2026.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS is built on the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename, part of the 8000 series and Ryzen 9 generation. It uses a 4 nm process node from TSMC, with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename in the Core 3 generation, built on a 3 nm process node from Intel. The Intel part has no listed transistor count or die size in the database.

The AMD architecture supports 8 cores with 16 threads, using a 64 KB L1 per core and 1 MB L2 per core. The Intel architecture uses a different layout with 192 KB L1 total and 2.5 MB L2 total, and it does not support simultaneous multithreading in the recorded specification. The AMD L3 cache is 16 MB shared, while Intel's is 6 MB shared.

Process node differences are notable: Intel's 3 nm node is one step ahead of AMD's 4 nm node in process generation, but that advantage does not translate into benchmark wins for the Intel part. The AMD chip uses a foundry model with TSMC, while Intel uses its own foundry. The AMD part has an ECC memory capability in the architecture, which the Intel part lacks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS wins all 17 recorded benchmark comparisons. Its largest margins come in multi-threaded and compute-heavy workloads. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 378.1% lead, integer math shows a 319.6% lead, random string sorting shows a 227% lead, and data compression shows a 221.4% lead. These are workloads that scale with core count, thread count, and high boost clocks.

The AMD part also wins single-threaded tests, though by narrower margins. PassMark single-thread is the closest at 8.5%. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 35.2% lead. This means the AMD chip is not just a multi-core specialist; it is also faster on a per-thread basis, thanks to the 5.20 GHz boost clock.

The Intel Core 3 304 has no benchmark wins in this dataset. Its only recorded advantage is a lower 15 watt TDP, which is a power specification rather than a performance result. The data shows it trailing in every Cinebench and PassMark test. Its nearest rivals in the database are older or lower-end parts, which confirms its position as a low-power, low-performance option.

For practical use, the AMD chip suits rendering, data processing, encryption workloads, and any task that uses many threads. The Intel chip suits passive-cooled or ultra-portable designs where the 15 watt TDP is the deciding factor. Nothing in the benchmark results suggests the Intel part can handle the same workload intensity as the AMD part.