Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core 5 211TE Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two processors into clearly defined roles. The Intel Core 3 305 wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 211TE takes only 2. The margin of victory matters more than the raw count. The Core 3 305 dominates in single-threaded workloads, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number finding, and floating-point math, often by massive double-digit percentages. The Core 5 211TE counters in integer math and physics simulation, but by small margins of 5% and 3.5% respectively.

For single-thread performance, the Core 3 305 is decisively ahead. The PassMark single-thread test shows a 182.5% advantage, which is the largest gap in the entire dataset. This carries over to Cinebench single-core results, where the Core 3 305 leads by 7.5% across R15, R20, and R23. The 4.30 GHz boost clock on the Core 3 305 versus 4.80 GHz on the Core 5 211TE does not translate into a win for the latter. The Core 3 305's higher IPC from its newer architecture overcomes the clock deficit.

Multi-threaded workloads also favor the Core 3 305 despite its lower core count. The Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Core 5 211TE offers 10 cores and 16 threads. Yet the PassMark multithread score shows the Core 3 305 ahead by 32.1%, and Cinebench R23 multicore favors it by 7.6%. The Core 3 305 also leads in data compression by 10.1%, random string sorting by 18.8%, and data encryption by 52.4%. The floating-point math gap reaches 61.7%, and extended instructions sit at 57.2%.

The Core 5 211TE wins only in PassMark integer math, with a 5% advantage, and PassMark physics, with a 3.5% edge. These are narrow margins compared to the Core 3 305's sweeping wins. The Core 5 211TE's higher core and thread counts do help in integer-heavy tasks, but the effect is modest. Physics simulation also slightly favors the Core 5 211TE, suggesting its workload scheduling benefits from the extra threads.

The average benchmark score reinforces the gap. The Core 3 305 averages 18,302 points, while the Core 5 211TE averages 15,370. The Core 3 305 sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, and the Core 5 211TE lands at the 69th percentile. The Core 3 305's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18,318 points (0.1% behind), the Intel Core 5 330 at 18,345 (0.2% behind), and the Intel Core 7 360 at 18,374 (0.4% behind). The Core 5 211TE's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7543 at 15,477 (0.7% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7440U at 15,682 (2% ahead). These positioning data indicate that the Core 3 305 competes in a higher performance tier overall.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families built on different process nodes. The Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake architecture on a 3 nm process, while the Core 5 211TE uses Bartlett Lake on a 10 nm process. The die size for the Core 5 211TE is 215 mm², while the Core 3 305's die size is not recorded in the database.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads with no hyperthreading, while the Core 5 211TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Core 5 211TE's thread count implies hyperthreading on some or all of its cores. Cache hierarchies also diverge. The Core 3 305 has a 192 KB L1 cache, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The Core 5 211TE has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3. The larger L3 on the Core 5 211TE provides more shared cache capacity, but the Core 3 305's per-core cache allocation works out differently given its smaller core count.

Memory support separates the two clearly. The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus and 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Core 5 211TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel memory bus and 76.8 GB/s bandwidth. The Core 5 211TE's dual-channel configuration provides higher memory bandwidth, which likely contributes to its integer math and physics wins. The Core 3 305's single-channel bus limits memory throughput, yet its architecture compensates in most workloads.

PCIe capabilities also differ. The Core 3 305 uses PCIe Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while the Core 5 211TE uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The Core 5 211TE offers more lanes and a newer PCIe generation, providing greater expansion potential. Integrated graphics differ as well. The Core 3 305 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core, while the Core 5 211TE includes UHD Graphics 730. The Core 3 305's Xe3 graphics represent a newer GPU generation.

ECC memory support is exclusive to the Core 5 211TE. The Core 5 211TE supports ECC memory, while the Core 3 305 does not. This makes the Core 5 211TE more suitable for error-sensitive workloads. The Core 5 211TE targets the desktop market segment with an Intel Socket 1700, while the Core 3 305 targets mobile with Intel BGA 1516. The power envelopes differ greatly: the Core 3 305 has a 15 W TDP, and the Core 5 211TE has a 45 W TDP. The Core 5 211TE draws three times the power budget.

Release dates show the Core 5 211TE launched earlier on 2025-01-12, with the Core 3 305 following on 2026-04-15. The Core 3 305's launch MSRP is $309, while the Core 5 211TE's launch MSRP is $221. Both processors are active in production. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The Core 3 305's part number is SAE3L, and the Core 5 211TE's part number is SRQDL.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear performance hierarchy. The Intel Core 3 305 wins 15 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks and carries a higher average benchmark score of 18,302 versus 15,370. Its single-thread advantage of 182.5% in PassMark and consistent 7.5% leads across all Cinebench single-core tests make it the stronger choice for responsiveness and lightly threaded applications. The Core 3 305 also wins multi-threaded Cinebench workloads by 7.6% despite having fewer cores and threads, which points to superior architectural efficiency from the 3 nm Wildcat Lake design.

The Core 5 211TE holds only two wins: PassMark integer math by 5% and PassMark physics by 3.5%. These narrow margins do not offset the Core 3 305's broad dominance. The Core 5 211TE's advantages in memory bandwidth, L3 cache size, PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and ECC support are real, but they do not translate into benchmark victories outside those two tests. The Core 5 211TE's higher TDP of 45 W and older 10 nm process contribute to its lower efficiency.

For users who prioritize raw benchmark performance across most workload categories, the Core 3 305 is the stronger processor. Its percentile ranking of 72 versus 69 places it above the Core 5 211TE in the overall CPU distribution. The nearest rival data confirms this positioning: the Core 3 305 trades within 0.4% of the Intel Core 7 360, while the Core 5 211TE trails the AMD Ryzen 3 7440U by 2%. Users who need ECC memory, a desktop socket, more PCIe lanes, or dual-channel memory bandwidth may prefer the Core 5 211TE despite its lower benchmark scores. Those needs fall outside the benchmark data but are documented in the specifications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core 3 305. It leads by 7.5% in all three Cinebench single-core tests and by 182.5% in the PassMark single-thread test.

Q: Does the Core 5 211TE win in any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark integer math by 5% and PassMark physics by 3.5%. These are its only two wins out of 17 head-to-head comparisons.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Core 5 211TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Core 5 211TE has more cores but loses most multi-threaded benchmarks.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Core 5 211TE supports ECC memory. The Core 3 305 does not.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel bus. The Core 5 211TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus.

Q: What is the process node for each processor?

A: The Core 3 305 uses a 3 nm process with the Wildcat Lake architecture. The Core 5 211TE uses a 10 nm process with the Bartlett Lake architecture.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single benchmark gap belongs to the PassMark single-thread test, where the Core 3 305 scores 3,977 against the Core 5 211TE's 1,408, a 182.5% advantage. This result appears twice in the dataset under slightly different test names but with identical scores. The second-largest gap is in floating-point math, where the Core 3 305 scores 42,284 versus 26,150, a 61.7% lead. Extended instructions follow closely with the Core 3 305 at 13,543 against 8,615, a 57.2% margin. Prime number finding shows the Core 3 305 at 115 versus 72, a 59.7% advantage. Data encryption delivers a 52.4% gap, with scores of 11,019 and 7,231.

The PassMark multithread test shows the Core 3 305 at 15,439 versus 11,685, a 32.1% lead. Random string sorting favors the Core 3 305 by 18.8%, with scores of 17,623 and 14,838. Data compression gives the Core 3 305 a 10.1% edge, scoring 146,857 against 133,434. All Cinebench tests favor the Core 3 305 by consistent margins: R15 multicore shows 1,322 versus 1,229 (7.6%), R15 single-core shows 186 versus 173 (7.5%), R20 multicore shows 5,511 versus 5,124 (7.6%), R20 single-core shows 777 versus 723 (7.5%), R23 multicore shows 13,123 versus 12,201 (7.6%), and R23 single-core shows 1,852 versus 1,722 (7.5%).

The Core 5 211TE's wins are smaller. PassMark integer math shows 33,991 versus 32,295, a 5% advantage. PassMark physics shows 1,278 versus 1,233, a 3.5% edge. These two victories do not approach the magnitude of the Core 3 305's wins. The Core 3 305 also holds the higher overall average benchmark score at 18,302 versus 15,370, and the higher percentile rank at 72 versus 69. The nearest rival data places the Core 3 305 within 0.1% of the Intel Core i3-14100 and 0.2% of the Intel Core 5 330, while the Core 5 211TE sits 0.7% behind the AMD EPYC 7543 and 2.3% ahead of the Intel Core i3-1315U.