Intel Core 3 305 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus wins all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core 3 305, with no wins recorded for the Core 3 305. The margins vary substantially across workloads, but the pattern is consistent: the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus leads in every measured category.

The largest single-core gap appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus scores 3453 against the Core 3 305's 777, a delta of 77.5%. That same delta percentage repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, with scores of 24461 versus 5511. The single-core advantage narrows considerably in Cinebench R23, where the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus posts 2439 against 1852, a delta of 24.1%. PassMark single-thread results show a similar gap, with 5068 versus 3977, a delta of 21.5%.

Multi-core and throughput-oriented tests produce the largest deltas. PassMark random string sorting shows the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus at 96945 against 17623, a delta of 81.8%. Data compression follows closely, with 804322 versus 146857, a delta of 81.7%. Floating point math and integer math both show 81.6% deltas, with scores of 229491 versus 42284 and 175986 versus 32295 respectively. Data encryption records 59097 against 11019, a delta of 81.4%. Extended instructions show 63506 versus 13543, a delta of 78.7%. Prime number finding posts 615 versus 115, a delta of 81.3%.

Cinebench multi-core results are also heavily lopsided. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 6656 against 1322, a delta of 80.1%. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 44253 against 13123, a delta of 70.3%. PassMark multithread shows 68574 against 15439, a delta of 77.5%. PassMark physics shows 4064 against 1233, a delta of 69.7%.

The narrowest gaps are all in single-threaded workloads. Beyond the 21.5% and 24.1% deltas noted above, Cinebench R15 single-core shows 354 versus 186, a delta of 47.5%. The data indicates that the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus holds a strong single-thread lead, but its multi-thread advantage is roughly three to four times larger in percentage terms.

Average benchmark scores place the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus at 93785, while the Core 3 305 averages 18302. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core 3 305 sits in the 72nd percentile. The nearest rival for the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is the Intel Xeon 6520P with an average score of 93786 and a delta of 0%, while the Core 3 305's nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18318, a delta of 0.1%.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus outperforms the Intel Core 3 305 across every test in the database. The average score gap is roughly fivefold, and the percentile ranking gap is 24 points. For any workload that benefits from multi-threading, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus delivers results that are 70% to 82% ahead in the measured tests. Even in single-threaded tests, where the Core 3 305 is relatively strongest, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus still leads by 21.5% to 47.5%.

The Core 3 305 does not win any comparison in the head-to-head set. Its only relative advantage is the narrower gap in single-thread tests, which indicates that its architecture is comparatively more competitive in lightly threaded scenarios. The data does not support selecting the Core 3 305 for performance reasons in any measured category.

The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is the choice when the priority is maximum performance in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. Its 24 cores and 24 threads, combined with a 5.50 GHz boost clock, place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The Core 3 305, with 6 cores and 6 threads and a 4.30 GHz boost clock, sits in the 72nd percentile. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus also supports ECC memory, while the Core 3 305 does not. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an unlocked multiplier, while the Core 3 305 does not.

The Core 3 305 is a mobile segment part with a 15 W TDP, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a desktop part with a 125 W TDP. The data shows that the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus trades substantially higher power draw for a large performance advantage. The Core 3 305 may be more appropriate in scenarios where power consumption is the primary constraint, but the recorded benchmarks do not show any performance category where it leads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel lines with distinct codenames. The Core 3 305 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses the Arrow Lake Refresh codename. Both are built on a 3 nm process node, but the foundries differ. The Core 3 305 is manufactured by Intel, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is manufactured by TSMC.

The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus provides transistor and die size data: 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Core 3 305 has no recorded transistor count or die size. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 and the Ultra 7 (Arrow Lake) generation. The Core 3 305 belongs to the Core 3 (Wildcat Lake) generation.

The cache hierarchy differs substantially. The Core 3 305 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus therefore provides significantly more L3 capacity, which aligns with its higher core count.

Integrated graphics also differ. The Core 3 305 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 1 Xe unit. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus also supports ECC memory, while the Core 3 305 does not.

Memory support differs in type and width. The Core 3 305 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel memory bus, with 59.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus supports DDR5 over a dual-channel memory bus, with 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has roughly double the memory bandwidth of the Core 3 305.

PCIe support differs by generation and lane count. The Core 3 305 uses Gen 4 with 6 CPU-only lanes. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses Gen 5 with 20 CPU-only lanes. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus offers newer PCIe generation and more lanes.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ significantly. The Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads. Neither processor uses simultaneous multithreading, as thread counts equal core counts in both cases.

Clock speeds differ across the range. The Core 3 305 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has a 2.20 GHz higher base clock and a 1.20 GHz higher boost clock.

Power specifications differ by a wide margin. The Core 3 305 has a TDP of 15 W, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has a TDP of 125 W. Sockets differ: the Core 3 305 uses Intel BGA 1516, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses Intel Socket 1851. The market segments differ: the Core 3 305 is Mobile, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is Desktop.

The multiplier is unlocked on the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, but locked on the Core 3 305. Release dates differ by roughly one month: the Core 3 305 released on 2026-04-15, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus released on 2026-03-10. Launch MSRP values are $309 for the Core 3 305 and $299 for the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. Part numbers are SAE3L for the Core 3 305 and SA4V6 for the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. Both processors have Active production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core 3 305 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus leads by 80.1% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 77.5% in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 70.3% in Cinebench R23 multi-core. PassMark multithread shows a 77.5% delta.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus boosts to 5.50 GHz. The Core 3 305 boosts to 4.30 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus supports ECC memory. The Core 3 305 does not.

Q: Which processor has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has 115.2 GB/s over a dual-channel bus. The Core 3 305 has 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel bus.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus averages 93785, while the Core 3 305 averages 18302. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 3 305 sits in the 72nd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus wins every benchmark category in the head-to-head data. Its strongest margins are in data compression, data encryption, floating point math, integer math, and random string sorting, all of which show deltas above 81%. These are throughput-intensive workloads that scale with core count and memory bandwidth. Its 24 cores, 36 MB of shared L3 cache, and 115.2 GB/s dual-channel memory bandwidth support these results.

The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus also wins single-threaded tests, though by smaller margins. PassMark single-thread shows a 21.5% delta, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 24.1% delta. These results indicate that its architecture delivers a meaningful single-thread advantage as well, driven by its 5.50 GHz boost clock.

The Intel Core 3 305 does not win any category in the recorded head-to-head benchmarks. Its relative position is strongest in single-threaded tests, where the deltas are 21.5% to 47.5%, compared to multi-threaded tests where deltas are 69.7% to 81.8%. The data suggests the Core 3 305 is best suited for lightly threaded workloads where its lower power envelope of 15 W may matter, but even in those scenarios it trails the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus.

The Core 3 305 uses a 3 nm process from Intel, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus uses a 3 nm process from TSMC. Both are current generation parts, but the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus delivers higher clock speeds, more cores, more cache, higher memory bandwidth, and a higher PCIe specification. The Core 3 305 is a mobile part with a BGA socket, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a desktop part with an LGA socket and an unlocked multiplier.

The data supports a clear split: the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus for desktop workloads that demand maximum multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, and the Core 3 305 for mobile systems where the 15 W TDP and integrated Xe3 Graphics may be more relevant. The Core 3 305 does not outperform the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in any measured benchmark, so the selection between them depends on platform and power constraints rather than performance.