Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core i5-14401E Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a strikingly one-sided comparison. Across every measured workload, the Intel Core i5-14401E finishes ahead of the Intel Core 3 305. The head-to-head results show six benchmark wins for the Core i5-14401E and zero for the Core 3 305. This is not a case of mixed strengths, one chip winning in some tasks and the other in others. Instead, the Core i5-14401E dominates uniformly, with a consistent performance gap that hovers near 28 percent across both single-threaded and multi-threaded Cinebench tests.

The single-core results are particularly telling for general responsiveness and lightly threaded applications. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core i5-14401E scores 2564 against 1852 for the Core 3 305, a deficit of 27.8 percent for the latter. Similar margins appear in R15 and R20 single-core tests, with the Core i5-14401E posting 258 versus 186 in R15, and 1076 versus 777 in R20. These consistent single-thread advantages indicate that the Core i5-14401E will handle everyday tasks, legacy software, and any workload that relies on one or two cores with a clear edge.

Multi-threaded performance shows the same pattern, though the implications differ. The Core i5-14401E delivers 18161 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Core 3 305 reaches 13123, a 27.7 percent gap. In R20 multi-core, the scores are 7627 and 5511, respectively, and in R15 multi-core, 1830 and 1322. The margin remains almost identical to the single-core gap, which suggests that the performance difference is not primarily about core count scaling, but about per-core efficiency and clock speed. The Core 3 305 does not lose more ground in multi-threaded tests, which indicates its six threads, while fewer than the Core i5-14401E's twelve, do not suffer from disproportionate scaling penalties.

The broader database placement reinforces this hierarchy. The Core 3 305 sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18302. The Core i5-14401E, despite winning every direct comparison, holds only the 60th percentile and an average score of 5253. This apparent contradiction is explained by the nearest rival data. The Core 3 305 sits in a dense cluster of similarly performing processors: the Intel Core i3-14100 averages 18318 (0.1 percent higher), the Intel Core 5 330 averages 18345 (0.2 percent higher), and the Intel Core 7 360 averages 18374 (0.4 percent higher). The Core i5-14401E, by contrast, sits near chips like the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 (5259, 0.1 percent higher) and the Intel Core i9-10850K (5240, 0.2 percent lower). The absolute performance of the Core i5-14401E is far higher, but its percentile rank reflects a different competitive set in the database's historical record.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design points. The Intel Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake architecture on a 3 nm process node, manufactured by Intel. It is a mobile part, socketed into Intel BGA 1516, with a 15 W TDP. The Core i5-14401E belongs to the Core 14th Gen series, specifically the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 10 nm process. It is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1700 with a 65 W TDP. The process node difference is substantial, 3 nm versus 10 nm, and the TDP difference is equally stark, 15 W versus 65 W, but the benchmark results show the larger, older, higher-power desktop chip winning decisively.

Core and thread counts differ. The Core 3 305 provides 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. The Core i5-14401E provides 6 cores and 12 threads, with simultaneous multithreading enabled. This doubles the thread count for the desktop part, which directly contributes to its multi-threaded lead, though the consistent single-thread advantage shows it is not the only factor.

Clock speeds favor the Core i5-14401E as well. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz with a boost of 4.70 GHz, while the Core 3 305 runs at 1.50 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost. The desktop chip has a higher base clock by a full gigahertz and a boost clock 400 MHz higher. These clock advantages, combined with the older but higher-power architecture, explain the uniform 28 percent performance gap.

Cache hierarchies are also different. The Core 3 305 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Core i5-14401E lists L1 as 80 KB per core, L2 as 1.25 MB per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. With six cores, the per-core L1 and L2 figures for the Core i5-14401E translate to approximately 480 KB of L1 and 7.5 MB of L2 in aggregate, though the database presents them per-core. The L3 difference is clearer: 20 MB versus 6 MB, a more than threefold advantage for the desktop part.

Memory support and expansion differ as well. The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory through a single-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The Core i5-14401E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 through a dual-channel memory bus. ECC memory is supported on the Core i5-14401E but not on the Core 3 305. PCIe connectivity favors the desktop chip with Gen 5 and 16 lanes from the CPU, while the mobile chip provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes.

Integrated graphics also differ. The Core 3 305 includes Intel Xe3 Graphics with one Xe core, while the Core i5-14401E uses UHD Graphics 730. The database does not provide graphics benchmark scores, so no direct performance comparison is possible from the recorded data.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear selection for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance. The Intel Core i5-14401E wins every benchmark in the head-to-head set, by margins between 27.7 and 27.9 percent. For single-threaded tasks, it is the stronger choice due to its higher boost clock and per-core performance. For multi-threaded workloads, it benefits from 12 threads versus 6, and a larger L3 cache.

The Intel Core 3 305 is not without its own merits, but the recorded data shows no performance scenario where it wins. Its strengths lie elsewhere: a much lower TDP of 15 W versus 65 W, a smaller 3 nm process node, and a mobile form factor with integrated Xe3 graphics. For a system constrained by power or physical size, the Core 3 305 is the only viable option among the two, since the Core i5-14401E is a desktop part on Socket 1700.

The percentile data complicates a simple "pick the winner" conclusion. The Core 3 305 ranks at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, while the Core i5-14401E ranks at the 60th. This is because the Core 3 305's average benchmark score of 18302 places it near modern mid-range parts like the Intel Core i3-14100 (18318) and Intel Core 5 330 (18345), while the Core i5-14401E's average of 5253 places it near older high-end parts like the Intel Core i9-10850K (5240) and Intel Core i7-11700B (5241). The database's percentile measure reflects the full historical record, not just the direct comparison between these two chips.

For the direct question of which processor delivers better performance, the answer is unambiguous: the Core i5-14401E. For the question of which processor is more efficient or better suited to a mobile chassis, the data supports the Core 3 305, with its 15 W TDP and BGA 1516 socket, but no performance benchmark confirms it as a faster part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2564 against 1852 for the Intel Core 3 305, a 27.8 percent advantage. The same pattern holds in R20 (1076 versus 777) and R15 (258 versus 186).

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: Both processors have 6 physical cores. The Intel Core i5-14401E has 12 threads, while the Intel Core 3 305 has 6 threads. The Core i5-14401E enables simultaneous multithreading, doubling its thread count.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient based on the recorded data?

A: The Intel Core 3 305. It has a 15 W TDP, while the Intel Core i5-14401E has a 65 W TDP. The database does not provide measured power consumption, but the thermal design power figures indicate the mobile chip is designed for lower power draw.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. The Intel Core i5-14401E supports DDR4 and DDR5. The Core i5-14401E also supports ECC memory, while the Core 3 305 does not.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E has 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Why does the Intel Core 3 305 have a higher percentile rank despite losing every head-to-head benchmark?

A: The percentile rank compares each chip against all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core 3 305 has an average benchmark score of 18302 and sits at the 72nd percentile, near chips like the Intel Core i3-14100 (18318). The Intel Core i5-14401E has an average score of 5253 and sits at the 60th percentile, near the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 (5259) and Intel Core i9-10850K (5240). The direct comparison between the two is separate from their historical percentile placement.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite provides the complete head-to-head record, and the results are consistent to a remarkable degree. Across six tests, the Intel Core i5-14401E wins all of them, and the performance gap is nearly identical in every case. The largest single margin is 27.9 percent in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Core i5-14401E scores 258 and the Core 3 305 scores 186. The narrowest margin is 27.7 percent, appearing in the multi-core tests R15 (1830 versus 1322), R20 (7627 versus 5511), and R23 (18161 versus 13123), as well as R20 single-core (1076 versus 777).

The consistency of these margins is notable. In single-core tests, the deltas are 27.9 percent (R15), 27.8 percent (R20), and 27.8 percent (R23). In multi-core tests, the deltas are 27.8 percent (R15), 27.7 percent (R20), and 27.7 percent (R23). This uniformity suggests that the performance difference is not workload-dependent in any meaningful way. The Core i5-14401E is simply faster at every level of the Cinebench benchmark, whether the workload scales across cores or stays on a single thread.

The largest absolute difference appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Core i5-14401E leads by 5038 points (18161 versus 13123). In percentage terms, this is the same 27.7 percent gap seen elsewhere. The largest single-core absolute difference is in R23 single-core, a 712-point gap (2564 versus 1852).

The PassMark suite, which is recorded for the Intel Core 3 305 (including data compression at 146857, encryption at 11019, and integer math at 32295), has no corresponding scores for the Intel Core i5-14401E in the database. Therefore, no head-to-head comparison can be made for those tests. The only comparable benchmarks are the Cinebench series, and those all favor the Core i5-14401E.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in almost every recorded specification. The Intel Core 3 305 is a mobile part with a 15 W TDP, while the Intel Core i5-14401E is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP. The Core 3 305 uses a 3 nm process node, the Core i5-14401E uses a 10 nm node. The Core 3 305 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz; the Core i5-14401E has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Thread counts differ: 6 threads for the Core 3 305, 12 for the Core i5-14401E. The cache configuration is different in capacity and presentation: the Core 3 305 has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3; the Core i5-14401E has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3. The socket is BGA 1516 for the mobile chip and Socket 1700 for the desktop chip.

Memory support differs: the Core 3 305 uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel bus and 59.7 GB/s bandwidth; the Core i5-14401E uses DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus. ECC memory is supported only on the Core i5-14401E. PCIe connectivity differs: Gen 4 with 6 lanes for the Core 3 305, Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the Core i5-14401E. Integrated graphics differ: Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) on the Core 3 305, UHD Graphics 730 on the Core i5-14401E.

The release dates differ as well. The Core i5-14401E was released on 2024-06-30, while the Core 3 305 has a release date of 2026-04-15. The Core 3 305 has a launch MSRP of $309. The Core i5-14401E has no recorded launch MSRP. Both processors are active in production and both have locked multipliers.