Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Comparison
Intel Core 3 305
Core Ultra 7 256V
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The recorded data shows a decisive split between these two mobile processors. Across the 17 paired benchmark results in the database, the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V takes 16 wins while the Intel Core 3 305 manages a single victory. The margin of that lone win, however, is substantial enough to warrant close inspection.
The Core 3 305's sole triumph comes in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 13123 against the Ultra 7 256V's 10399. That is a 26.2% advantage, the largest delta in either direction across the entire comparison. This result is curious given that the Ultra 7 256V wins the older Cinebench R15 multicore test by 16.5% (1583.5 versus 1322) and the R20 multicore test by 20.8% (6958 versus 5511). The R23 result indicates that the Core 3 305's workload scaling behaves differently under that specific rendering test, delivering a level of multicore throughput that the other two Cinebench versions do not reproduce.
Single-core performance favors the Ultra 7 256V consistently, but the margins narrow with newer test versions. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, the Ultra 7 256V leads by 34.9% (285.5 versus 186). In R20 singlecore, the lead is 20.9% (982 versus 777). By R23 singlecore, the gap shrinks to just 1.4% (1877.5 versus 1852). The PassMark single-thread results echo this tightness: the Ultra 7 256V scores 4029 versus 3977, a 1.3% edge. This pattern suggests that the Core 3 305's single-core efficiency improves substantially under more recent instruction workloads, nearly erasing the Ultra 7 256V's advantage in the newest Cinebench iteration.
The Ultra 7 256V dominates the PassMark suite across the board. The largest single gap appears in find prime numbers, where the Ultra 7 256V scores 192 against 115, a 40.1% advantage. Floating point math shows a 27.8% lead (58576 versus 42284), while integer math trails at 25.5% (43358 versus 32295). Data compression favors the Ultra 7 256V by 20.6% (184985 versus 146857), and data encryption by 21.3% (13998 versus 11019). Extended instructions show a 13.4% lead (15643 versus 13543), while random string sorting comes in at 21.6% (22481 versus 17623). The multithread PassMark score sits at 19530 versus 15439, a 20.9% advantage, and physics shows 1595 versus 1233, a 22.7% edge.
The average benchmark scores reinforce the overall positioning. The Core 3 305 averages 18302 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Ultra 7 256V averages 21112, good for the 75th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Core 3 305 are tightly clustered: the Intel Core i3-14100 sits 0.1% ahead at 18318, the Intel Core 5 330 is 0.2% ahead at 18345, the Intel Core 7 360 is 0.4% ahead at 18374, and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E trails by 0.4% at 18230. The Ultra 7 256V's rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U at 21133 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G at 21088 (0.1% behind), the Intel Core i3-1220P at 21066 (0.2% behind), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U at 21174 (0.3% ahead). Neither processor escapes its immediate competitive cluster by more than a fraction of a percent, which places both firmly within well-populated performance bands.
The Verdict
The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V is the faster processor in nearly every measured workload. Its 16-1 win record, combined with a 15.3% higher average benchmark score (21112 versus 18302), makes the overall performance hierarchy unambiguous. The Ultra 7 256V also claims a higher percentile ranking at 75 versus 72, and the delta between average scores is not marginal: the Core 3 305 would need roughly 15% more performance to match the Ultra 7 256V's aggregate output.
The Core 3 305's single Cinebench R23 multicore win, while large at 26.2%, does not offset the breadth of losses elsewhere. The Ultra 7 256V leads in every other multicore test, including R15 by 16.5%, R20 by 20.8%, and PassMark multithread by 20.9%. The only area where the Core 3 305 approaches parity is single-core performance under recent test versions, where the 1.4% R23 gap and 1.3% PassMark single-thread gap fall within a range that could be attributed to test variance rather than a meaningful architectural advantage.
For workloads that depend on the specific rendering path exercised by Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core 3 305 demonstrates a real edge. For everything else in the recorded benchmark suite, the Ultra 7 256V provides the higher score. The average benchmark score, the percentile placement, and the head-to-head win count all point in the same direction: the Ultra 7 256V is the stronger all-around performer.
Where Each One Wins
The Intel Core 3 305 wins in exactly one recorded scenario: Cinebench R23 multicore rendering. The 26.2% margin there is the largest single delta in the entire comparison, which suggests that the Core 3 305's cache hierarchy and core configuration respond particularly well to the R23 workload's specific mix of rendering, shading, and physics calculations. Anyone running that exact benchmark, or workloads that share its characteristics, would see meaningfully higher throughput from the Core 3 305.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V wins in every other category. Its advantages span compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number calculation, floating point math, integer math, general multithreading, physics simulation, and random string sorting. The margins range from 1.3% in single-thread tests to 40.1% in prime number finding. The Ultra 7 256V also holds the edge in the two older Cinebench multicore versions, which means the Core 3 305's R23 advantage does not extend backward or forward consistently across the Cinebench family.
The single-core picture deserves attention. While the Ultra 7 256V wins all four single-thread comparisons, the margins shrink dramatically in newer tests. The R15 gap of 34.9% contracts to 1.4% in R23, and the PassMark single-thread delta is just 1.3%. This indicates that the Core 3 305's single-core performance improves relative to the Ultra 7 256V as test methodologies modernize, even though it never fully catches up.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?
A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V averages 21112 across all recorded tests, while the Intel Core 3 305 averages 18302. That is a 15.3% difference in favor of the Ultra 7 256V.
Q: Does the Intel Core 3 305 beat the Ultra 7 256V in any test?
A: Yes, in Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core 3 305 scores 13123 against the Ultra 7 256V's 10399, a 26.2% advantage. That is the only head-to-head win for the Core 3 305 out of 17 recorded comparisons.
Q: How do the single-core results compare?
A: The Ultra 7 256V wins all four single-thread tests: Cinebench R15 by 34.9%, R20 by 20.9%, R23 by 1.4%, and PassMark single-thread by 1.3%. The newer the test, the smaller the gap.
Q: What are the closest rivals for each processor?
A: For the Core 3 305, the Intel Core i3-14100 is 0.1% ahead at 18318, and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600E is 0.4% behind at 18230. For the Ultra 7 256V, the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U is 0.1% ahead at 21133, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is 0.1% behind at 21088.
Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?
A: The Ultra 7 256V has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Neither processor supports hyperthreading, so core count equals thread count for both.
Q: What are the boost clock speeds?
A: The Ultra 7 256V boosts to 4.80 GHz, while the Core 3 305 boosts to 4.30 GHz. The base clocks are 2.20 GHz and 1.50 GHz respectively.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from different Intel design lineages. The Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake codename and belongs to the Core 3 generation. The Ultra 7 256V uses the Lunar Lake architecture and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2. Both are built on a 3 nm process node, but the foundries differ: Intel fabricates the Core 3 305, while TSMC fabricates the Ultra 7 256V.
The core counts differ, with the Ultra 7 256V carrying 8 cores and 8 threads against the Core 3 305's 6 cores and 6 threads. Neither part enables multithreading, so the thread count mirrors the core count exactly. Cache configurations show a structural divergence. The Core 3 305 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 7 256V lists 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The per-core designations in the Ultra 7 256V mean its L2 cache scales with the core count, giving it a larger total L2 footprint than the Core 3 305's flat 2.5 MB allocation.
Memory support also differs. The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory over a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The Ultra 7 256V's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, with a dual-channel bus and no recorded bandwidth figure. The PCIe configurations diverge as well: the Core 3 305 uses Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while the Ultra 7 256V uses Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes.
The integrated graphics follow different product lines. The Core 3 305 pairs with Intel Xe3 Graphics featuring 1 Xe core, while the Ultra 7 256V uses the Arc 140V. The sockets are not interchangeable: the Core 3 305 mounts on Intel BGA 1516, and the Ultra 7 256V mounts on Intel BGA 2833.
The release timeline places the Core 3 305 later, with a listed launch date of April 2026, while the Ultra 7 256V arrived in September 2024. The Ultra 7 256V has no recorded launch MSRP, while the Core 3 305 carries a launch MSRP of $309. Both processors are listed as active production and have locked multipliers.
Specification Differences
The recorded specifications show several points of divergence between the two processors.
The core and thread counts differ: the Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Ultra 7 256V has 8 cores and 8 threads.
Clock speeds differ on both ends. The Core 3 305 runs a 1.50 GHz base clock and a 4.30 GHz boost clock. The Ultra 7 256V runs a 2.20 GHz base clock and a 4.80 GHz boost clock.
Thermal design power differs slightly: the Core 3 305 is rated at 15 W, and the Ultra 7 256V at 17 W.
The sockets are different: Intel BGA 1516 for the Core 3 305 and Intel BGA 2833 for the Ultra 7 256V.
Cache totals differ. The Core 3 305 has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The Ultra 7 256V has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3.
Memory specifications differ: the Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ultra 7 256V's memory support depends on the motherboard, uses a dual-channel bus, and has no recorded bandwidth.
PCIe capabilities differ: Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes for the Core 3 305, Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes for the Ultra 7 256V.
Integrated graphics differ: Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe core for the Core 3 305, Arc 140V for the Ultra 7 256V.
The production process differs by foundry: Intel for the Core 3 305, TSMC for the Ultra 7 256V, both on a 3 nm node.
Release dates differ: April 2026 for the Core 3 305, September 2024 for the Ultra 7 256V. The Core 3 305 has a launch MSRP of $309, while the Ultra 7 256V has no recorded launch MSRP.