AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX vs Intel Core 3 305 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX, winning 11 of the 13 shared benchmark comparisons. The most dramatic margin appears in PassMark integer math, where the AMD part scores 146,506 against Intel's 32,295, a lead of 353.6%. Data compression also heavily favors the Ryzen 7 8840HX, with a score of 496,427 compared to 146,857, a 238% advantage. These two results alone indicate that the AMD processor is operating in a different performance class for heavily threaded integer workloads.

Multi-core rendering follows the same pattern. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX posts 25,265 points versus 13,123 for the Intel Core 3 305, a 92.5% improvement. The gap is consistent across other throughput-oriented tests: random string sorting gives AMD a 229% lead, data encryption shows 171.5%, and the PassMark multithread result is 41,732 to 15,439, a 170.3% difference. Floating point math also favors the AMD chip, scoring 86,747 against 42,284, a 105.2% edge. Extended instruction throughput shows 36,527 versus 13,543, a 169.7% delta, while prime number generation lands at 304 versus 115, a 164.3% advantage. Physics simulation scores complete the sweep of multi-threaded workloads, with AMD at 2,185 and Intel at 1,233, a 77.2% difference.

Single-core performance is the one area where the two processors are nearly tied, and the Intel part actually claims a narrow win. The PassMark single-thread test records 3,977 for the Intel Core 3 305 versus 3,958 for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX, a delta of just -0.5%. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD chip wins by the slimmest margin possible, 1,857 to 1,852, a 0.3% difference. These results indicate that per-clock efficiency is comparable between the two designs, with neither holding a meaningful advantage in lightly threaded tasks.

The overall average benchmark score reinforces the separation. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX sits at 71,797, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 3 305 averages 18,302, which puts it at the 72nd percentile. The AMD part's nearest rivals in the database are desktop and server chips like the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF, Intel Xeon Platinum 8270, and Intel Xeon 6517P, all within 0.8% of its average score. The Intel Core 3 305, by contrast, is grouped with the Intel Core i3-14100, Intel Core 5 330, and AMD Ryzen 5 2600E, all within 0.4% of its average.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX wins every multi-threaded and throughput-oriented test in the comparison set. Its largest advantages come from integer math, data compression, and random string sorting, tasks that scale with core count and memory bandwidth. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 25,265 places it at nearly double the Intel part's output, confirming that heavily parallel rendering workloads are firmly in AMD territory. The PassMark multithread score of 41,732 versus 15,439 reinforces this conclusion, as do the physics simulation and extended instruction results. Any workload that can use more than six threads will favor the AMD processor substantially.

The Intel Core 3 305 wins only the PassMark single-thread test, and by a negligible margin. A score of 3,977 against 3,958 is effectively a tie in real-world terms, but it does show that the Intel design does not sacrifice single-thread responsiveness despite its lower core count. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part edges ahead by 0.3%, so the two chips are interchangeable for tasks that depend on one or two threads. The Intel chip's advantage is not a functional one, it is simply the only test in the database where it records a higher score.

For mixed workloads, the data points to the AMD chip unless the task is almost purely single-threaded. Even then, the margin is under one percent. The Intel Core 3 305 is competitive in raw single-thread speed but falls behind by margins ranging from 77.2% to 353.6% in every parallel test. That makes the choice straightforward: the AMD processor is for compute-heavy multitasking, rendering, encryption, and data processing, while the Intel chip offers comparable single-thread responsiveness at a fraction of the multi-thread capacity.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX uses the Zen 4 architecture on TSMC's 5 nm process, with a Dragon Range codename and 13,140 million transistors spread across a dual-die design measuring 2x 71 mm². The Intel Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on Intel's own 3 nm process. The process node difference is notable, but the architectural approach diverges more significantly. AMD's design uses 12 cores with 24 threads, while Intel uses 6 cores with 6 threads, meaning the Intel chip has no simultaneous multithreading. This explains the massive multi-threaded deltas, as the AMD part has twice the cores and four times the thread count.

Cache allocation differs sharply between the two. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 305 provides 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2 total, and 6 MB of shared L3. The L3 difference alone is 64 MB versus 6 MB, a tenfold gap that heavily influences the compression, encryption, and integer math results. The AMD chip's larger cache hierarchy gives it a substantial advantage in data-heavy workloads that repeatedly access the same working set.

Memory architecture also diverges. The AMD part supports DDR5 over a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Intel chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s. The combination of dual-channel memory and higher bandwidth directly contributes to the AMD chip's dominance in bandwidth-sensitive tests like data compression and random string sorting. The Intel chip's PCIe implementation is also more limited, offering Gen 4 with 6 lanes from the CPU, whereas AMD provides Gen 5 with 28 lanes. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. Integrated graphics differ as well, with AMD using Radeon 610M and Intel using Xe3 Graphics with one Xe core.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most immediate difference: 12 cores and 24 threads for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX versus 6 cores and 6 threads for the Intel Core 3 305. Base clocks are 2.90 GHz for AMD and 1.50 GHz for Intel, while boost clocks are 5.10 GHz and 4.30 GHz respectively. The thermal design power ratings are 55 W for the AMD chip and 15 W for the Intel chip, indicating very different intended power envelopes. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FL1, while Intel uses Intel BGA 1516.

The process nodes differ, with AMD on 5 nm from TSMC and Intel on 3 nm from its own foundry. The AMD chip has a published transistor count of 13,140 million and a die size of 2x 71 mm², while the Intel part does not have transistor or die size data recorded. Cache configurations differ in structure as well as capacity, with AMD using per-core L1 and L2 allocations versus Intel's aggregate figures. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD and DDR5 plus LPDDR5X for Intel. Memory bus width is dual-channel for AMD and single-channel for Intel, with bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s versus 59.7 GB/s. PCIe support is Gen 5 with 28 lanes for AMD and Gen 4 with 6 lanes for Intel. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel chip does not. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $309, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP recorded. Release dates place the AMD chip in April 2025 and the Intel chip in April 2026.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX scores 25,265 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 13,123 for the Intel Core 3 305, a 92.5% advantage. The PassMark multithread score is 41,732 against 15,439, a 170.3% lead.

Q: Is the Intel Core 3 305 faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Intel chip wins PassMark single-thread with 3,977 versus 3,958, a 0.5% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD chip wins 1,857 to 1,852, a 0.3% margin. The practical difference is negligible.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The AMD chip uses dual-channel memory with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel chip uses single-channel memory with 59.7 GB/s.

Q: What are the power ratings?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has a TDP of 55 W. The Intel Core 3 305 has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which chip has more L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX has 64 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX averages 71,797, placing it in the 94th percentile. The Intel Core 3 305 averages 18,302, placing it in the 72nd percentile.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for multi-threaded workloads. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX leads the Intel Core 3 305 by 92.5% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, by 170.3% in PassMark multithread, and by margins from 77.2% to 353.6% across the rest of the parallel test suite. The AMD processor also offers 24 threads, 64 MB of L3 cache, dual-channel memory at 83.2 GB/s, and Gen 5 PCIe with 28 lanes. For rendering, data compression, encryption, physics simulation, or any workload that scales across cores, the AMD chip is the clear selection.

The Intel Core 3 305 has a single meaningful advantage: a 0.5% win in PassMark single-thread, which is offset by a 0.3% loss in Cinebench R23 single-core. Its 15 W TDP is dramatically lower than the AMD chip's 55 W, and its 3 nm process node from Intel is more advanced than the 5 nm TSMC node used by AMD. It also supports LPDDR5X memory, which the AMD chip does not. For a system where low power draw is the priority and single-thread responsiveness is the main requirement, the Intel chip delivers comparable per-thread speed with far fewer resources.

The average benchmark score of 71,797 for the AMD part versus 18,302 for the Intel part, combined with percentile rankings of 94 versus 72, summarizes the class gap. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HX sits alongside desktop and server processors like the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and Xeon Platinum 8270, while the Intel Core 3 305 competes with the Core i3-14100 and Ryzen 5 2600E. Users who need maximum throughput from a mobile processor should choose the AMD chip. Users who need minimal power consumption and only light threaded workloads may find the Intel chip sufficient, but the recorded data shows a roughly fourfold difference in average performance.