AMD Ryzen 5 150 vs Intel Core 3 305 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a split decision between the AMD Ryzen 5 150 and the Intel Core 3 305, with the AMD part winning 6 of 11 head-to-head comparisons and Intel taking 5. The margins, however, tell a more interesting story than the raw win count.

AMD's largest victory comes in Passmark integer math, where it scores 62,151 against Intel's 32,295, a dominant 92.4% advantage. This is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. Data compression also favors AMD heavily: 211,289 versus 146,857, a 43.9% lead. Random string sorting goes AMD's way by 27%, with scores of 22,382 against 17,623. Data encryption shows AMD ahead by 21.8% (13,425 versus 11,019), and extended instructions favor AMD by a narrower 8.4% margin (14,675 versus 13,543). The multithread benchmark, a good proxy for overall throughput, lands in AMD's corner at 17,492 versus 15,439, a 13.3% edge.

Intel answers with a clean sweep of the single-thread and specialized workloads. The biggest margin is in prime number finding, where Intel scores 115 versus AMD's 47, a 59.1% advantage. Floating-point math goes Intel's way by 16.9% (42,284 versus 35,118). Physics simulation shows Intel ahead by 34.6% (1,233 versus 806). Single-thread performance is firmly Intel's: 3,977 versus 3,155, a 20.7% lead. That same margin appears in the duplicate single-thread listing, confirming consistency.

The benchmark results indicate a clear pattern: AMD wins throughput-oriented workloads that exploit its 12 threads, while Intel wins latency-sensitive and single-threaded tasks. The average benchmark scores reflect this split. AMD's average is 34,881, placing it at the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Intel's average is 18,302, at the 72nd percentile. AMD's nearest rivals by average score include the Intel Xeon 6349P (34,890, 0% delta), the Intel Core 7 253PTE (34,962, -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-13800H (34,988, -0.3%), and the Intel Core i9-12900HX (35,003, -0.3%). Intel's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-14100 (18,318, -0.1%), the Intel Core 5 330 (18,345, -0.2%), the Intel Core 7 360 (18,374, -0.4%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E (18,230, 0.4%).

The data suggests AMD's multithread score of 17,492 is competitive with mainstream desktop parts, while Intel's single-thread score of 3,977 is exceptional for a 15-watt part. Neither chip dominates the other outright; they are optimized for different workload profiles.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 150 is the clear choice for workloads that scale with thread count and memory bandwidth. Its 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with dual-channel DDR5 support and 76.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth, drive its wins in integer math, data compression, encryption, and random string sorting. The 92.4% margin in integer math is particularly notable; any application that performs heavy arithmetic on integers, such as database operations, financial modeling, or certain scientific computations, will see substantial gains on the AMD part. The 43.9% lead in data compression makes it the better option for archiving, backup tools, or any file-handling workload. Its 27% advantage in random string sorting points to strengths in text processing, log analysis, and sorting algorithms.

The Intel Core 3 305 is the better performer for single-threaded and physics-heavy tasks. Its 20.7% single-thread lead indicates superiority in legacy applications, many games, and software that relies on a single fast core. The 34.6% advantage in physics simulation is directly relevant to game physics engines and certain simulation workloads. The 59.1% margin in prime number finding suggests strength in cryptographic key generation and number theory computations. The 16.9% lead in floating-point math makes it the pick for scientific calculations, 3D rendering that uses FP math, and audio processing. Intel's 6 cores and 6 threads, paired with 3 nm process technology, deliver exceptional per-core performance despite the modest 1.50 GHz base clock and 15-watt TDP.

The key differentiator is thread scaling. AMD's 12 threads allow it to crush multithreaded workloads, while Intel's 6 threads limit its ceiling in heavily parallel tasks, even when each core is faster. The data shows Intel wins where the workload fits within a few fast cores, and AMD wins where the workload can use all available threads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. AMD uses Zen 3+ architecture on a 6 nm TSMC process, with the Rembrandt-R codename. The chip measures 210 mm² and uses the AMD Socket FP7. Intel uses Wildcat Lake architecture on a 3 nm Intel process, mounted on Intel BGA 1516. The process node advantage goes to Intel at 3 nm versus AMD's 6 nm, which helps explain Intel's superior single-thread performance despite a lower base clock.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. Both have 6 physical cores, but AMD enables Simultaneous Multithreading, giving it 12 threads. Intel's part has 6 threads, meaning no SMT. This is the single most important architectural distinction when predicting benchmark outcomes. The cache hierarchy also diverges. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel specifies 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. AMD's larger L3 cache and per-core L2 support its multithreaded throughput advantage.

Memory support and platform connectivity favor AMD. AMD uses dual-channel DDR5 with 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth and 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes from the CPU. Intel uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth and only 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. The memory bandwidth difference of 17.1 GB/s in AMD's favor is substantial and likely contributes to its wins in data compression and random string sorting, which are memory-intensive. The PCIe lane difference is stark: AMD offers more than three times Intel's lane count for CPU-attached devices, which matters for storage and GPU connectivity in mobile systems.

Clock speeds show a contrast in strategy. AMD's base clock is 3.30 GHz with a boost of 4.55 GHz. Intel's base clock is much lower at 1.50 GHz, but it boosts to 4.30 GHz. The wide gap between Intel's base and boost clocks indicates a design that aggressively ramps up under load but saves power at idle. AMD's higher base clock suggests steadier performance at low load levels. Thermal design power reflects this: AMD is rated at 35 watts, Intel at 15 watts. The 20-watt difference means Intel is designed for fanless or ultra-low-power environments, while AMD trades more power for more consistent throughput.

Integrated graphics also differ. AMD uses the Radeon 660M, while Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. Neither specification includes a detailed comparison in the recorded data, but the presence of both iGPUs means either chip can drive a display without a discrete graphics card. Both support DDR5 memory, though Intel also supports LPDDR5X, which is useful for low-power laptops. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear division of use cases. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 is the better processor for multithreaded productivity, content creation, compression, and any workload that benefits from 12 threads and dual-channel memory bandwidth. Its 92.4% lead in integer math and 43.9% lead in data compression are decisive. The 84th percentile ranking and average score of 34,881 place it in a different performance class than Intel's 72nd percentile and 18,302 average.

The Intel Core 3 305 is the better choice for single-threaded performance, physics simulation, and power-constrained systems. Its 20.7% single-thread lead and 34.6% physics advantage are significant for interactive workloads and games. The 15-watt TDP and 3 nm process make it the more efficient part for battery-powered devices where sustained single-core speed matters more than thread throughput.

For a builder choosing between the two, the decision comes down to workload type. If the application can use more than six threads, the AMD part delivers substantially higher throughput. If the application is single-threaded or physics-heavy, the Intel part wins. The memory bandwidth and PCIe lane counts also favor AMD for systems that need fast storage or external GPU connectivity. Intel's single-channel memory and 6 PCIe lanes limit system-level expansion.

The launch MSRP for the Intel Core 3 305 is $309. No launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD Ryzen 5 150.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-thread score?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 scores 3,977 in the Passmark single-thread test, while the AMD Ryzen 5 150 scores 3,155. Intel leads by 20.7%.

Q: How much faster is AMD in multithreaded workloads?

A: In the Passmark multithread test, AMD scores 17,492 versus Intel's 15,439, a 13.3% advantage. AMD also leads in data compression by 43.9% and integer math by 92.4%.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration of each processor?

A: Both have 6 physical cores. The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has 12 threads due to SMT, while the Intel Core 3 305 has 6 threads with no SMT.

Q: Which processor supports dual-channel memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 150 supports dual-channel DDR5 with 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 3 305 uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s.

Q: What is the power draw difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 150 has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core 3 305 has a TDP of 15 watts, a 20-watt difference in favor of Intel.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: AMD's average benchmark score is 34,881, placing it at the 84th percentile. Intel's average is 18,302, at the 72nd percentile. AMD's average is roughly 90% higher based on these recorded values.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 5 150 | Intel Core 3 305 |

|---------------|-----------------|------------------|

| Architecture | Zen 3+ | Wildcat Lake |

| Process Node | 6 nm (TSMC) | 3 nm (Intel) |

| Cores | 6 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 3.30 GHz | 1.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.55 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1516 |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB per core | 192 KB total |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB per core | 2.5 MB |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB shared | 6 MB shared |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 59.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 4, 6 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 660M | Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | Not recorded |

| Part Number | 100-000000990 (FP7r2) | SAE3L |

| Release Date | 2025-09-30 | 2026-04-15 |