Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy between these two Intel processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T wins every single recorded benchmark, 17 wins to 0, and its average benchmark score of 38561 is 2.8 times the Core 3 304's average of 13745. The Ultra 5 235T sits at the 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core 3 304 lands at the 68th percentile. The Core 3 304's closest rivals in average score include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (0.3% ahead), the Intel Core i7-8750H (0.9% ahead), and the AMD EPYC 7443 (1.4% ahead), which places it in a much lower performance tier. The Ultra 5 235T, by contrast, trades blows with the Intel Core i5-14500 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Xeon w3-2525 (0.4% ahead), and the Intel Core 9 270H (0.6% ahead). The data indicates that the Core Ultra 5 235T is for users who need serious compute throughput, while the Core 3 304 serves lighter mobile workloads where its 15 W TDP and compact BGA socket matter more than raw performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge substantially in their underlying designs. The Intel Core 3 304 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on a 3 nm process built by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 235T uses the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process built by TSMC. The Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning no hyperthreading support, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 235T has 14 cores and 14 threads, also without hyperthreading, but with a higher base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. That core count advantage is the single largest architectural differentiator: the Ultra 5 235T has 2.8 times the cores of the Core 3 304.

Cache configurations also differ sharply. The Core 3 304 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 235T has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 235T also carries a much larger transistor count at 17,800 million on a 243 mm² die, whereas the Core 3 304 has no transistor or die size figures recorded. Memory support is another major split: the Core 3 304 uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus and 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ultra 5 235T uses DDR5 only, but with a dual-channel bus and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth, 1.7 times the memory bandwidth. PCIe connectivity favors the Ultra 5 235T as well, with Gen 5 and 20 CPU lanes versus Gen 4 and 6 lanes on the Core 3 304. The integrated graphics differ: the Core 3 304 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core, while the Ultra 5 235T uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 24 EU. The Core 3 304 targets mobile with its Intel BGA 1516 socket and 15 W TDP, while the Ultra 5 235T is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1851 with a 65 W TDP. The release dates are far apart: the Ultra 5 235T arrived in January of 2025, while the Core 3 304 launched in April of 2026. Both are active production parts, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The Core Ultra 5 235T wins every category in the head-to-head benchmark set, but the margin varies by workload type. The largest advantage appears in multi-core and heavily parallel workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ultra 5 235T scores 26232 against the Core 3 304's 5263, a 79.9% lead. The PassMark find prime numbers test shows a similar gap at 78.6%, with 318 versus 68. Floating point math favors the Ultra 5 235T by 72.1% (106546 versus 29722), and integer math by 70.8% (84244 versus 24640). These results align with the core count difference: workloads that scale across 14 cores will consistently outperform a 5-core part.

The Core 3 304 is not without a role, however. Its 15 W TDP makes it suitable for power-constrained mobile designs, and its single-channel memory support and compact BGA socket fit thin-and-light laptops. The data shows it is a functional processor for single-threaded tasks, where its deficit shrinks: in PassMark single-thread, the Ultra 5 235T leads by only 16.7% (4339 versus 3614), and in Cinebench R15 single-core the gap is 29.2% (373 versus 264). The Core 3 304's 4.30 GHz boost clock does not close the gap to the Ultra 5 235T's 5.00 GHz boost, but the single-thread margins are the smallest in the entire comparison. For workloads that are mostly single-threaded and do not demand high memory bandwidth, the Core 3 304 is closer in capability, though still behind. The Ultra 5 235T's wins in data compression (61.1%), data encryption (63.8%), extended instructions (58.3%), multithread (62.4%), physics (59.8%), and random string sorting (61.4%) all reinforce the same conclusion: the 14-core desktop part dominates across the board, while the 5-core mobile part is a lower-power alternative for less demanding scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235T has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Intel Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads. Neither processor supports additional threads beyond its core count.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the most demanding multi-core test?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 235T scores 26232 versus the Core 3 304's 5263, a 79.9% advantage. This is the largest delta in the head-to-head benchmark set.

Q: Are these processors on the same manufacturing process?

A: Both use a 3 nm process, but they are fabricated by different foundries. The Core 3 304 is built by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 235T uses TSMC as the foundry.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The Core 3 304 supports 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X memory bus. The Core Ultra 5 235T supports 102.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 bus.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235T boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 235T also has a higher base clock at 2.20 GHz versus 1.50 GHz.

Q: How does the single-threaded performance compare?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235T leads in PassMark single-thread with a score of 4339 versus 3614 for the Core 3 304, a 16.7% difference. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 5 235T scores 3703 against 1765, a 52.3% lead.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data contains 17 benchmark comparisons, and the Core Ultra 5 235T wins all of them. The most lopsided result is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Ultra 5 235T's 26232 crushes the Core 3 304's 5263, a 79.9% deficit for the smaller chip. That same pattern repeats across the Cinebench suite: R15 multi-core shows 2644 versus 849 (67.9% gap), R20 multi-core shows 11017 versus 4160 (62.2% gap), and R23 single-core shows 3703 versus 1765 (52.3% gap). The R20 single-core result is 1555 versus 587, a 62.3% gap, and R15 single-core is 373 versus 264, a 29.2% gap. These Cinebench numbers demonstrate that the Ultra 5 235T leads in both multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering workloads, but the single-core margin is generally smaller than the multi-core margin.

The PassMark suite tells the same story. Data compression goes to the Ultra 5 235T with 295100 against 114775, a 61.1% lead. Data encryption shows 23457 versus 8501, a 63.8% gap. Extended instructions score 23212 versus 9686, a 58.3% difference. Find prime numbers is one of the largest gaps at 78.6%, with 318 versus 68. Floating point math delivers 106546 versus 29722, a 72.1% lead, and integer math delivers 84244 versus 24640, a 70.8% gap. The multithread PassMark score is 30918 versus 11625, a 62.4% difference, and physics shows 2157 versus 868, a 59.8% gap. Random string sorting lands at 35377 versus 13659, a 61.4% lead. The smallest margin in the entire comparison is PassMark single-thread, where the Ultra 5 235T's 4339 beats the Core 3 304's 3614 by 16.7%, with the identical result appearing in the duplicate singlethread entry.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the head-to-head results. The Core Ultra 5 235T averages 38561 across all recorded benchmarks, which places it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14500 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon w3-2525. The Core 3 304 averages 13745, which is 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX and 1.1% ahead of the Intel Core 5 120UL. The percentile standings are also telling: the Ultra 5 235T sits at the 86th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 3 304 sits at the 68th percentile. Every recorded measurement points to the same conclusion: the Core Ultra 5 235T is the substantially faster processor in every tested workload, with the Core 3 304 offering lower power consumption and a mobile form factor rather than competitive performance.