Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155HL Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core 3 305 and Intel Core Ultra 7 155HL occupy different segments of the mobile and desktop computing spectrum. The Core 3 305 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor built on Intel's 3 nm process with a 15 W TDP, while the Core Ultra 7 155HL is a 16-core, 22-thread part on a 7 nm node with a 45 W TDP. The benchmark database currently holds a complete set of measurements for the Core 3 305, but the Core Ultra 7 155HL has no recorded scores, no average benchmark score, and no nearest rivals. This absence of test data means the Core Ultra 7 155HL cannot be directly compared on measured performance at this time.

The Core 3 305 sits at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 18302. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18318 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core 5 330 at 18345 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core 7 360 at 18374 (0.4% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E at 18230 (0.4% behind). These deltas are tiny, meaning the Core 3 305 delivers performance essentially on par with those established parts. The Core Ultra 7 155HL, by contrast, has a 50th percentile ranking, but with no average score, that percentile cannot be interpreted as a measured performance level.

For users choosing between these two, the data supports a clear split. The Core 3 305 is the only chip with verified benchmark results, so any workload analysis must rely on its recorded scores. The Core Ultra 7 155HL is a desktop-market part with more cores, more threads, a higher boost clock, larger caches, and dual-channel memory, but the database contains no empirical confirmation of how those specifications translate into application performance. A user requiring measured results today should select the Core 3 305. A user prioritizing the architectural headroom of a 16-core, 22-thread processor with a 4.80 GHz boost clock would look to the Core Ultra 7 155HL, but without benchmark validation.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 3 305 wins in every category where data exists, simply because it is the only one of the two with recorded benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 13123 and single-core score of 1852 indicate strong throughput for a 15 W mobile part. The Passmark suite shows a single-thread score of 3977, a multithread score of 15439, and an integer math score of 32295. The floating point math result of 42284 and extended instructions score of 13543 further demonstrate balanced computational capability. Data compression reaches 146857, while encryption scores 11019. Random string sorting hits 17623, and prime number finding scores 115. Physics processing records 1233.

The Core Ultra 7 155HL wins on specification-driven advantages, though not on measured scores. It has 16 cores and 22 threads versus 6 cores and 6 threads on the Core 3 305. Its boost clock is 4.80 GHz versus 4.30 GHz. The shared L3 cache is 24 MB versus 6 MB, and the L2 cache is 2 MB per core versus 2.5 MB total. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s with dual-channel support, compared to 59.7 GB/s on a single-channel bus. The Core Ultra 7 155HL also provides 8 PCIe Gen 4 lanes versus 6, and its integrated Arc Xe-LPG 128EU graphics unit is larger than the Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. These differences suggest the Core Ultra 7 155HL is designed for heavier workloads, but the database has no benchmark evidence to confirm that expectation.

The Core 3 305 is a mobile processor, while the Core Ultra 7 155HL is classified as a desktop processor. The Core 3 305 uses the Intel BGA 1516 socket, whereas the Core Ultra 7 155HL uses Intel Socket 1851. The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory, while the Core Ultra 7 155HL supports DDR5 with capacity depending on the motherboard. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The Core 3 305 is built on Wildcat Lake, a Core 3 generation part manufactured on a 3 nm process at Intel. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no hyper-threading, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The thermal design power is 15 W. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support covers DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The PCIe implementation is Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core. The part number is SAE3L, and the release date is recorded as 2026-04-15. The launch MSRP is $309.

The Core Ultra 7 155HL belongs to the Core Ultra Series 1 and uses the Meteor Lake architecture, specifically the Meteor Lake-PS codename. It is manufactured on a 7 nm process. The chip has 16 cores and 22 threads, which indicates a hybrid arrangement of performance and efficiency cores, with a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The TDP is 45 W. The L1 cache is 112 KB per core, L2 is 2 MB per core, and L3 is 24 MB shared. Memory support is DDR5 with capacity dependent on the motherboard, over a dual-channel bus delivering 89.6 GB/s. The PCIe interface is Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG with 128 execution units. The part number is SRN2Z, and the release date is 2024-04-07. The launch MSRP is $438.

The process node difference is notable: 3 nm for the Core 3 305 versus 7 nm for the Core Ultra 7 155HL. The Core 3 305 achieves its 15 W TDP on the smaller node, while the Core Ultra 7 155HL draws 45 W on the larger one. The Core 3 305 has a higher base clock (1.50 GHz versus 1.40 GHz), but the Core Ultra 7 155HL has a higher boost clock (4.80 GHz versus 4.30 GHz). The memory bus width differs as well, with single-channel on the Core 3 305 and dual-channel on the Core Ultra 7 155HL, which explains the bandwidth gap of 59.7 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s.

The market segments differ: the Core 3 305 is mobile, the Core Ultra 7 155HL is desktop. The socket difference, BGA 1516 versus Socket 1851, reflects that distinction. The integrated graphics solutions are from different Intel graphics generations, with the Core 3 305 using Xe3 Graphics (1 Xe) and the Core Ultra 7 155HL using Arc Xe-LPG 128EU. Both processors are active in production, both lack ECC support, and both have locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155HL has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the Intel Core 3 305 boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: How does the Core 3 305 compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The Core 3 305 has an average benchmark score of 18302. The Intel Core i3-14100 scores 18318 (0.1% higher), the Intel Core 5 330 scores 18345 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core 7 360 scores 18374 (0.4% higher), and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E scores 18230 (0.4% lower).

Q: Does the Core Ultra 7 155HL have any recorded benchmark scores?

A: No. The database lists zero benchmarks, an average benchmark score of 0, and no nearest rivals for the Core Ultra 7 155HL.

Q: What are the cache sizes on these two processors?

A: The Core 3 305 has 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Core Ultra 7 155HL has 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The Core 3 305 supports 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel bus. The Core Ultra 7 155HL supports 89.6 GB/s over a dual-channel bus.

Q: Which processor has more PCIe lanes?

A: The Core Ultra 7 155HL has 8 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, while the Core 3 305 has 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

There are no head-to-head benchmark entries in the database for these two processors, and the Core Ultra 7 155HL has no individual benchmark scores. The comparison therefore rests entirely on the Core 3 305's recorded results and the architectural specifications of both parts.

The Core 3 305 delivers a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 1322 and a single-core score of 186. In Cinebench R20, it scores 5511 multicore and 777 single-core. The R23 run produces 13123 multicore and 1852 single-core. These numbers establish a performance baseline for a 6-thread processor at 15 W. The single-core R23 score of 1852, reached with a 4.30 GHz boost, shows strong per-thread efficiency on the 3 nm node.

In the Passmark suite, the Core 3 305 records a multithread score of 15439 and a single-thread score of 3977. Integer math scores 32295, floating point math scores 42284, and extended instructions score 13543. Data compression reaches 146857, data encryption scores 11019, and random string sorting scores 17623. Prime number finding scores 115, and physics scores 1233. The gap between multithread (15439) and single-thread (3977) reflects the 6-core, 6-thread configuration, which lacks simultaneous multithreading.

The Core Ultra 7 155HL cannot be placed against these numbers directly because no measured scores exist. Its specifications, however, indicate a different performance envelope. With 22 threads versus 6, a 4.80 GHz boost clock versus 4.30 GHz, 24 MB of L3 versus 6 MB, and 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 59.7 GB/s, the Core Ultra 7 155HL is configured for substantially higher multicore throughput. The 45 W TDP compared to 15 W suggests sustained heavy workloads are within its design intent.

The nearest-rival comparisons for the Core 3 305 show how tightly clustered its performance is around comparable parts. The average score of 18302 is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E, which sits below it, and within 0.4% of the Intel Core 7 360, which sits above it. The Intel Core i3-14100 and Core 5 330 are effectively tied with the Core 3 305, at 0.1% and 0.2% higher respectively. This clustering means the Core 3 305 delivers performance indistinguishable from those parts in aggregate benchmark terms.

For the Core Ultra 7 155HL, the absence of an average benchmark score means its 50th percentile ranking is not backed by measured data in the database. The Core 3 305, at the 72nd percentile, has a verified position among all CPUs. Any conclusion about the Core Ultra 7 155HL's standing must wait until benchmark results are recorded. The data currently available shows one fully characterized processor and one with specifications only.