Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX Comparison
Intel Core 3 304
Core Ultra 5 245HX
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 3 304 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX
FAQ
Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?
A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX leads with an average benchmark score of 48287, compared to 13745 for the Intel Core 3 304. That is a gap of roughly 3.5 times in favor of the Core Ultra part.
Q: How do the two CPUs rank against all other processors in the database?
A: The Core Ultra 5 245HX sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 3 304 sits in the 68th percentile. The Core Ultra part is near the top of the database, whereas the Core 3 is mid-pack.
Q: What are the closest rivals for each processor?
A: For the Core 3 304, the nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX with an average score of 13786, a 0.3% difference. The Core Ultra 5 245HX's nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A with an average score of 48201, a 0.2% difference.
Q: Did the Core 3 304 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?
A: No. The head-to-head data shows zero wins for the Core 3 304 and 17 wins for the Core Ultra 5 245HX across all recorded tests.
Q: What is the smallest performance gap between the two chips?
A: The smallest gap is in passmark single-thread performance, where the Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 4481 versus 3614 for the Core 3 304, a 19.3% difference. The largest gap is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, at 83.7%.
Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?
A: The Core Ultra 5 245HX boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the Core 3 304 boosts to 4.30 GHz. The Core Ultra part also has a higher base clock at 3.10 GHz versus 1.50 GHz.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from different Intel generations. The Core 3 304 is built on the Wildcat Lake codename, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses the Arrow Lake-HX codename and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2. Both use a 3 nm process node, but the foundry differs: the Core 3 304 is fabricated by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX is fabricated by TSMC.
The core configuration is starkly different. The Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. The Core Ultra 5 245HX has 14 cores and 14 threads, also without hyperthreading but with nearly three times the core count. The Core Ultra part reports 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the Core 3 304 does not have transistor or die size figures in the database.
Cache hierarchies diverge substantially. 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 245HX has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The per-core L2 allocation is larger on the Core Ultra part.
Memory support also differs. The Core 3 304 supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus and 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core Ultra 5 245HX supports DDR5 only but uses a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth, nearly double the throughput. The Core 3 304 uses Intel BGA 1516, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses Intel BGA 2114.
PCIe connectivity is another divider. The Core 3 304 provides Gen 4 with 6 CPU-only lanes; the Core Ultra 5 245HX provides Gen 5 with 20 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 3 304 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe unit, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 48 EU.
The power envelope is not in the same class. The Core 3 304 has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Core Ultra 5 245HX has a TDP of 55 watts. The multiplier is locked on the Core 3 304 and unlocked on the Core Ultra 5 245HX.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The recorded data shows a clean sweep. The Core Ultra 5 245HX wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, with delta percentages ranging from 19.3% to 83.7% in its favor.
The largest margin appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 32358 versus 5263 for the Core 3 304, a 83.7% advantage. That result aligns with the core count difference: 14 cores versus 5. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a similar pattern, with the Core Ultra part at 13590 against 4160, a 69.4% gap.
Single-core performance is closer but still decisively in favor of the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Cinebench R23 single-core scores 4568 versus 1765, a 61.4% difference. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 1918 versus 587, also a 69.4% gap. The passmark single-thread test narrows the margin to 19.3%, with scores of 4481 and 3614.
PassMark workloads all favor the Core Ultra part by wide margins. Data compression scores 393071 versus 114775, a 70.8% gap. Data encryption scores 30022 versus 8501, a 71.7% gap. Extended instructions show 31212 versus 9686, a 69% gap. Find prime numbers scores 359 versus 68, an 81.1% gap. Floating point math scores 120735 versus 29722, a 75.4% gap. Integer math scores 92150 versus 24640, a 73.3% gap. Multithread scores 38069 versus 11625, a 69.5% gap. Physics scores 2526 versus 868, a 65.6% gap. Random string sorting scores 47616 versus 13659, a 71.3% gap.
Cinebench R15 results follow the same direction. Multi-core scores 3261 versus 849, a 74% gap. Single-core scores 460 versus 264, a 42.6% gap. The R15 single-core margin is the second smallest in the dataset after passmark single-thread.
The average benchmark score for the Core Ultra 5 245HX is 48287, placing it at 90th percentile. The Core 3 304 averages 13745, placing it at 68th percentile. The nearest rival for the Core 3 304 is the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX at 13786, only 0.3% higher. The nearest rival for the Core Ultra 5 245HX is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A at 48201, 0.2% lower.
The Verdict
The data is unambiguous. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is the faster processor in every recorded benchmark, with no exceptions. The smallest advantage is 19.3% in single-threaded passmark performance; the largest is 83.7% in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Core Ultra part also holds a higher percentile ranking, 90th versus 68th, and a far higher average benchmark score.
The Core 3 304 is not a competitive performer against this specific rival. It wins zero head-to-head tests. Its strengths lie elsewhere: a 15-watt TDP versus 55 watts, support for LPDDR5X memory in addition to DDR5, and a smaller physical footprint via the Intel BGA 1516 socket. Those traits point to a low-power mobile design rather than a high-throughput one.
The Core Ultra 5 245HX delivers roughly 3.5 times the average benchmark score of the Core 3 304. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A and the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 380, both within 0.2% of its average score. That places it in a different performance tier entirely.
For workloads that demand multi-threaded throughput, the Core Ultra 5 245HX is the clear choice based on the recorded data. For workloads that prioritize low power consumption and compact integration, the Core 3 304 has the advantage, but the benchmark data does not show any performance scenario where it leads.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in nearly every specification field. The Core 3 304 has 5 cores and 5 threads; the Core Ultra 5 245HX has 14 cores and 14 threads. Base clocks are 1.50 GHz and 3.10 GHz respectively. Boost clocks are 4.30 GHz and 5.10 GHz. TDP is 15 watts versus 55 watts.
Sockets differ: Intel BGA 1516 for the Core 3 304, Intel BGA 2114 for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Codename is Wildcat Lake versus Arrow Lake-HX. The Core Ultra part belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2; the Core 3 304 has no series designation. Process node is 3 nm for both, but the foundry is Intel for the Core 3 304 and TSMC for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Transistor count and die size are only reported for the Core Ultra part: 17,800 million transistors and 243 mm².
Cache differs at every level. L1 is 192 KB total for the Core 3 304 versus 192 KB per core for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. L2 is 2.5 MB total versus 3 MB per core. L3 is 6 MB shared versus 24 MB shared.
Memory support differs: DDR5 and LPDDR5X for the Core 3 304, DDR5 only for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Memory bus is single-channel versus dual-channel. Memory bandwidth is 59.7 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s. PCIe is Gen 4 with 6 lanes versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 48EU.
The multiplier is locked on the Core 3 304 and unlocked on the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Release dates differ: 2026-04-15 for the Core 3 304 and 2025-01-12 for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. The Core 3 304 has a launch MSRP of $309; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core Ultra 5 245HX. Part numbers are SAE3K and SRVFM. ECC memory support is false for both. Market segment is Mobile for both. Production status is Active for both.
Where Each One Wins
The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX wins in every performance category recorded in the database. Multi-threaded workloads show its largest margins: Cinebench R23 multi-core at 83.7%, find prime numbers at 81.1%, floating point math at 75.4%, and integer math at 73.3%. These results make it the appropriate choice for rendering, scientific computation, and any workload that scales with core count.
Single-threaded performance also favors the Core Ultra 5 245HX, but by a smaller margin. The passmark single-thread test shows a 19.3% gap, and Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 42.6% gap. The Core Ultra part still leads, but the gap narrows enough to indicate that the Core 3 304's single-core architecture is comparatively less disadvantaged than its multi-core design.
Data-related workloads all favor the Core Ultra part. Data compression shows a 70.8% gap, data encryption a 71.7% gap, and random string sorting a 71.3% gap. Extended instructions show a 69% gap. The Core 3 304 trails consistently across all PassMark workloads.
The Intel Core 3 304 has no benchmark wins in the head-to-head data. Its advantages are structural rather than performance-based: a 15-watt TDP, support for LPDDR5X memory, a single-channel memory bus with lower bandwidth, and a smaller socket. These characteristics suit thin-and-light mobile designs where power draw and thermal output matter more than raw throughput.
The Core Ultra 5 245HX, with a 55-watt TDP, dual-channel memory, and Gen 5 PCIe with 20 lanes, targets higher-performance mobile workstations. Its unlocked multiplier also allows overclocking, which the Core 3 304 does not support. The recorded data shows no workload category where the Core 3 304 outperforms the Core Ultra 5 245HX.