CPU Comparison

The Intel Core 3 305 and Intel Core i7-1365U are both 15 W mobile processors, but they represent two very different design philosophies from Intel. The Core 3 305 is a modern 3 nm part with a simple 6-core/6-thread layout, while the Core i7-1365U is a 10 nm design from the Raptor Lake era with 10 cores and 12 threads. Benchmark data shows a fascinating split: the Core 3 305 wins 12 of 17 head-to-head tests, often by massive margins, yet the Core i7-1365U still takes the crown in a few key workloads. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical, 18302 for the Core 3 305 versus 18177 for the Core i7-1365U, and both sit at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs. The real story lies in how they achieve those scores, not just the final numbers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 edges out the Intel Core i7-1365U with an average benchmark score of 18302 compared to 18177. That is a difference of only 125 points, making them effectively peers in overall performance.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core rendering workloads?

A: The Core 3 305 dominates heavily in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 13123 versus 8946 for the Core i7-1365U, a 46.7% advantage. However, in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core i7-1365U wins with 1466.5 points against 1322, a 9.9% lead.

Q: Which processor is better for single-threaded tasks?

A: The results are mixed. The Core 3 305 wins PassMark single-thread with 3977 points versus 3411 (16.6% lead) and Cinebench R20 single-core with 777 versus 689 (12.8% lead). The Core i7-1365U wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 265.5 versus 186 (29.9% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core with 1887 versus 1852 (1.9% lead).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Core i7-1365U has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer threads, the Core 3 305 still wins the PassMark multithread test with 15439 points versus 14045.

Q: Do these processors use the same manufacturing process?

A: No. The Core 3 305 is built on a 3 nm process node, while the Core i7-1365U uses a 10 nm node. The Core 3 305 also has a much larger shared L3 cache at 6 MB, though the Core i7-1365U offers 12 MB of shared L3.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1365U has a higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz compared to the Core 3 305's 4.30 GHz. The Core 3 305 has a lower base clock of 1.50 GHz versus the Core i7-1365U's 1800.00 MHz.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 3 305 is the clear winner for sustained multi-threaded compute and math-heavy workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13123 is 46.7% higher than the Core i7-1365U's 8946, and it also leads in Cinebench R20 multi-core by 12.9%. The PassMark results reinforce this pattern: the Core 3 305 wins floating point math (42284 vs 33689, up 25.5%), extended instructions (13543 vs 8321, up 62.8%), find prime numbers (115 vs 58, up 98.3%), and physics (1233 vs 966, up 27.6%). It also handles data encryption better, scoring 11019 versus 9531 (15.6% ahead), and wins PassMark multithread (15439 vs 14045, 9.9% ahead). For single-threaded performance, the Core 3 305 also takes PassMark single-thread (3977 vs 3411, 16.6% ahead) and Cinebench R20 single-core (777 vs 689, 12.8% ahead).

The Intel Core i7-1365U wins where raw thread count and high clocks matter. It leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (1466.5 vs 1322, 9.9% ahead) and Cinebench R15 single-core (265.5 vs 186, 29.9% ahead). Its most significant victory is in PassMark integer math, where it scores 50881 versus 32295, a 36.5% advantage. It also wins data compression (149585 vs 146857, just 1.8% ahead) and narrowly takes Cinebench R23 single-core (1887 vs 1852, 1.9% ahead). This makes the Core i7-1365U the better choice for integer-heavy code and certain legacy or clock-sensitive workloads, but it trails in most modern multi-threaded benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 3 305 is built on Intel's 3 nm process and uses the Wildcat Lake codename, representing a newer generation design. It features 6 cores and 6 threads with a shared 6 MB L3 cache. Its integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. The chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory but operates on a single-channel memory bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. It has PCIe Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only).

The Intel Core i7-1365U uses the older Raptor Lake architecture (Raptor Lake-U codename) on a 10 nm process. It has 10 cores and 12 threads, with a larger shared 12 MB L3 cache. Its integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units. The Core i7-1365U supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, though no memory bandwidth figure is listed. It has PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The Core i7-1365U also has per-core L1 cache of 80 KB and per-core L2 cache of 1.25 MB, whereas the Core 3 305 lists aggregate L1 of 192 KB and L2 of 2.5 MB.

Specification Differences

• Cores: 6 (Core 3 305) vs 10 (Core i7-1365U)
• Threads: 6 vs 12
• Base Clock: 1.50 GHz vs 1800.00 MHz
• Boost Clock: 4.30 GHz vs 5.20 GHz
• Process Node: 3 nm vs 10 nm
• Codename: Wildcat Lake vs Raptor Lake-U
• Generation: Core 3 (Wildcat Lake) vs Core i7 (Raptor Lake-U)
• L1 Cache: 192 KB (total) vs 80 KB (per core)
• L2 Cache: 2.5 MB (total) vs 1.25 MB (per core)
• L3 Cache: 6 MB (shared) vs 12 MB (shared)
• Memory Support: DDR5, LPDDR5X vs DDR4, DDR5
• Memory Bus: Single-channel vs Dual-channel
• Memory Bandwidth: 59.7 GB/s vs (not listed)
• PCIe: Gen 4, 6 Lanes vs Gen 4, 8 Lanes
• Integrated Graphics: Intel Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) vs Iris Xe Graphics 96EU
• Socket: Intel BGA 1516 vs Intel BGA 1744
• Release Date: 2026-04-15 vs 2023-01-03
• Part Number: SAE3L vs SRMM0

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest single win for the Intel Core 3 305 comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 13123 against 8946 for the Core i7-1365U, a 46.7% margin. This is a massive gap for two processors with similar average scores. PassMark extended instructions shows an even larger relative difference: 13543 versus 8321, a 62.8% lead. The Core 3 305 also nearly doubles the Core i7-1365U in PassMark find prime numbers (115 vs 58, up 98.3%). In floating point math, the Core 3 305 leads 42284 to 33689 (25.5% ahead), and in physics it wins 1233 to 966 (27.6% ahead). Data encryption goes to the Core 3 305 with 11019 versus 9531 (15.6% ahead), and PassMark single-thread favors the Core 3 305 with 3977 versus 3411 (16.6% ahead). Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core also go to the Core 3 305 with 5511 versus 4882 (12.9%) and 777 versus 689 (12.8%), respectively.

The Intel Core i7-1365U's most decisive win is PassMark integer math, where it scores 50881 versus 32295, a 36.5% advantage that highlights its different execution strengths. It also wins Cinebench R15 single-core by a wide 29.9% margin (265.5 vs 186), and Cinebench R15 multi-core by 9.9% (1466.5 vs 1322). The Core i7-1365U edges out the Core 3 305 in PassMark data compression (149585 vs 146857, just 1.8% ahead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (1887 vs 1852, 1.9% ahead). The Core 3 305 also wins PassMark random string sorting (17623 vs 16977, 3.8% ahead) and PassMark multithread (15439 vs 14045, 9.9% ahead). Overall, the Core 3 305 wins 12 of 17 tests, but the Core i7-1365U's wins in integer math and Cinebench R15 show it is not obsolete, just more specialized.