Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core 5 130UL Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents an asymmetric comparison. The Intel Core 3 304 has a complete benchmark profile, while the Intel Core 5 130UL has no recorded benchmark scores in the database. The Core 3 304 therefore holds every measurable performance win by default, but this does not indicate superiority in a vacuum. Instead, the data indicates the Core 5 130UL is positioned differently: it uses a 10-core, 12-thread configuration versus the 5-core, 5-thread layout of the Core 3 304, and it targets the desktop segment with a Socket 1700 interface, while the Core 3 304 is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1516.

The Core 3 304 achieves a 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13745. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX at 13786 (0.3% higher), the Intel Core i7-8750H at 13868 (0.9% higher), and the AMD EPYC 7443 at 13936 (1.4% higher). This places the Core 3 304 within a tight competitive band, essentially matching high-end workstation and server processors from previous generations on average score. The Intel Core 5 130UL sits at the 50th percentile with no average score recorded, so the database cannot confirm its standing against these rivals.

For a user choosing strictly from the data, the Core 3 304 is the only option with verified performance metrics. The Core 5 130UL offers more cores and threads, a higher boost clock, and dual-channel memory support, but none of those specifications are validated by benchmark results in the database. The verdict is conditional: the Core 3 304 is the measured performer, while the Core 5 130UL is an unverified alternative with architectural advantages on paper.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark wins are entirely allocated to the Core 3 304, since the Core 5 130UL has no recorded scores. The Core 3 304 delivers strong single-thread performance with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1765 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3614. Multi-threaded workloads also favor the Core 3 304 in the recorded data: Cinebench R23 multi-core reaches 5263, and PassMark multithread scores 11625. These numbers indicate the Core 3 304 handles both lightly threaded and heavily threaded tasks competently, with the single-core results suggesting strong per-thread efficiency.

The Core 5 130UL, with its 10 cores and 12 threads, would logically excel in parallel workloads if benchmark data existed. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory bus point toward a design intended for sustained multi-threaded throughput. However, the absence of any recorded benchmarks means the database cannot confirm this expectation. The Core 3 304 counters with a 3 nm process node versus the 10 nm node of the Core 5 130UL, which likely contributes to its measured performance per thread.

In practical terms, the data shows the Core 3 304 winning every recorded benchmark category, from data compression (114775 in PassMark) to extended instructions (9686). The Core 5 130UL wins no recorded category. The use-case split is therefore not about benchmark wins but about architectural intent: the Core 3 304 is a mobile processor optimized for efficiency and measured output, while the Core 5 130UL is a desktop processor with more cores but no validated performance profile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge fundamentally in their underlying designs. The Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename with a 3 nm process node, fabricated by Intel. The Core 5 130UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS codename with a 10 nm process node, also from Intel. This process node difference is substantial: the 3 nm node represents a newer manufacturing technology, which typically enables higher transistor density and lower power consumption per unit of work. The Core 3 304 is part of the Core 3 generation under Wildcat Lake, while the Core 5 130UL belongs to the Core 5 generation under Raptor Lake-PS.

Core counts differ sharply: the Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning no hyper-threading. The Core 5 130UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, indicating that two of its cores support an extra thread each. Cache hierarchies also differ. The Core 3 304 has a 192 KB L1 cache, a 2.5 MB L2 cache, and a 6 MB shared L3 cache. The Core 5 130UL has an 80 KB L1 cache per core, a 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, and a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The Core 5 130UL therefore has twice the total L3 capacity, which can benefit workloads with large working sets.

Memory support creates another distinction. The Core 3 304 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus and a measured memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The Core 5 130UL supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus, though no bandwidth figure is recorded. The single-channel limitation of the Core 3 304 could bottleneck memory-intensive tasks, but its LPDDR5X support is typical for mobile designs. The Core 5 130UL lacks LPDDR5X, aligning with its desktop orientation.

Socket and market segment further separate the pair. The Core 3 304 uses Intel BGA 1516, a soldered mobile socket, and is classified as a Mobile processor. The Core 5 130UL uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop socket, and is classified as Desktop. PCIe lane counts also differ: the Core 3 304 provides Gen 4 with 6 CPU-only lanes, while the Core 5 130UL provides Gen 4 with 8 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 3 304 has Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe unit, and the Core 5 130UL has Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 130UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, compared to the Intel Core 3 304 with 5 cores and 5 threads. The Core 5 130UL offers double the core count and more than double the thread count.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core 3 304 is built on a 3 nm process node, while the Intel Core 5 130UL uses a 10 nm process node. The 3 nm node is a newer manufacturing technology.

Q: Does the Core 3 304 have any recorded benchmark advantages?

A: The Core 3 304 has a full benchmark profile, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 5263 and a PassMark multithread score of 11625. The Core 5 130UL has no recorded benchmarks in the database, so all measured wins go to the Core 3 304.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Core 3 304 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus. The Core 5 130UL supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus. The Core 5 130UL does not support LPDDR5X.

Q: How does the Core 3 304 rank against its nearest rivals?

A: The Core 3 304 has an average benchmark score of 13745, placing it at the 68th percentile. It trails the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX by 0.3%, the Intel Core i7-8750H by 0.9%, and the AMD EPYC 7443 by 1.4%, while leading the Intel Core 5 120UL by 1.1%.

Q: What is the release date and market segment for each?

A: The Core 3 304 was released on 2026-04-15 and is classified as Mobile. The Core 5 130UL was released on 2024-04-07 and is classified as Desktop. The Core 3 304 has a launch MSRP of $309; the Core 5 130UL has no recorded launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark section contains no recorded comparisons between the two processors. All performance data comes from the Core 3 304's individual benchmark profile. The most informative comparison is therefore against its nearest rivals, not against the Core 5 130UL.

The Core 3 304 shows its strongest single-thread performance in PassMark single-thread testing with a score of 3614. Its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 264 and R20 single-core score of 587 reinforce this pattern. In multi-threaded tests, the Core 3 304 delivers a Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 849, an R20 multi-core score of 4160, and an R23 multi-core score of 5263. PassMark multithread scoring reaches 11625, with physics at 868 and integer math at 24640.

Specialized workloads reveal additional strengths. PassMark data compression scores 114775, floating point math scores 29722, and random string sorting scores 13659. Extended instructions score 9686, while data encryption scores 8501. The prime number finding test is the weakest area at 68, which suggests the Core 3 304 is not optimized for that specific integer workload. These scores collectively place the Core 3 304 at the 68th percentile among all CPUs.

Against its nearest rivals, the Core 3 304 is nearly tied with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, trailing by only 0.3% in average score. It also trails the Intel Core i7-8750H by 0.9% and the AMD EPYC 7443 by 1.4%. The only rival it leads is the Intel Core 5 120UL, which it beats by 1.1%. These margins are all within a few percentage points, indicating the Core 3 304 occupies a performance tier comparable to those processors despite its lower core count and mobile orientation. The absence of any benchmarks for the Core 5 130UL means no direct head-to-head numbers exist; the only statement the database supports is that the Core 3 304 has measured scores while the Core 5 130UL does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification field. The most prominent difference is core configuration: the Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads, while the Core 5 130UL has 10 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are close, with the Core 3 304 at 1.50 GHz and the Core 5 130UL at 1.60 GHz. Boost clocks differ more substantially: the Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz, and the Core 5 130UL boosts to 4.70 GHz. Both have a TDP of 15.

Socket compatibility is entirely different. The Core 3 304 uses Intel BGA 1516, a soldered mobile socket. The Core 5 130UL uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop socket. Process nodes differ as well: 3 nm for the Core 3 304 versus 10 nm for the Core 5 130UL. The codenames are Wildcat Lake for the Core 3 304 and Raptor Lake-PS for the Core 5 130UL, with corresponding generation labels of Core 3 and Core 5.

Cache configurations show structural differences. The Core 3 304 has a 192 KB L1 cache, a 2.5 MB L2 cache, and a 6 MB shared L3 cache. The Core 5 130UL has an 80 KB L1 cache per core, a 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, and a 12 MB shared L3 cache. The Core 5 130UL has double the total L3 capacity. Memory support diverges: the Core 3 304 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel bus and 59.7 GB/s bandwidth; the Core 5 130UL supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe and graphics also differ. The Core 3 304 provides Gen 4 with 6 CPU-only lanes and integrates Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe unit. The Core 5 130UL provides Gen 4 with 8 CPU-only lanes and integrates Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. Market segments are Mobile for the Core 3 304 and Desktop for the Core 5 130UL. Release dates are 2026-04-15 for the Core 3 304 and 2024-04-07 for the Core 5 130UL. The Core 3 304 has a launch MSRP of $309; the Core 5 130UL has none recorded. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.