Intel Core i3-N305 vs Apple M1

Processor comparisons 02-02-2023

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i3-N305 vs Apple M1 and decide which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, video editing, streaming, programming, rendering. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like PassMark, Blender, Gears 5, Furmark, MATLAB, WPrime, Handbrake, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, 3DMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 7zip, AIDA64, RealBench, Blender, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Prime95, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Grand Theft Auto V
Overwatch
Apex Legends
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Rainbow Six Siege
DOOM: Eternal
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Fortnite
Borderlands 3
Watch Dogs Legion
Red Dead Redemption 2
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Death Stranding
Fallout 76
Valorant
Last Man Standing
Valheim
Halo Infinite
Cyberpunk 2077

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Apple M1 or Intel Core i3-N305.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i3-N305

55%

56%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, M1 is 1% better than Core i3-N305. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-N305

52%

54%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Control, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), NBA 2K20, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.1	95.8
Valorant	105.8	108.9
Cyberpunk 2077	59.3	61.0
Apex Legends	99.5	102.4
Call of Duty Warzone	79.4	81.7
Overwatch	85.7	88.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.0	75.1
DOOM Eternal	52.9	54.5
Warzone	82.5	84.9
Assassin's Creed	88.9	91.5
Valheim	87.8	90.4

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-N305

501%

388%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i3-N305 is more energy efficient than the M1 as it consumes less power: 7W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-N305	Apple M1
Cinbench 15 Single-core	225	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1627	1163
Cinbench 20 Single-core	535	402
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3691	1987
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1250	1512
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12158	7782

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-N305	Apple M1
Single-Core	2918	3413
Multi-Core	17887	22028

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-N305	Apple M1
Single-Core	1054	1746
Multi-Core	5026	7683

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i3-N305	Apple M1
Announcement date	January 26, 2023	October 01, 2020
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1264	M1
Core name	Alder Lake-N	4x Firestorm;4x Icestorm
Architecture	x86	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Generation	13	1
Turbo Frequency	3.8 MHz
Frequency	1.8 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	8	8
Threads	8	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	5 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	16000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	7 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4 3200 MT/s DDR5 4800 MT/s LPDDR5 4800 MT/s	LPDDR4 - Up to 4266MHz
Max. Memory	16 Gb
Memory Frequency		4266
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache	384KB	2MB
L2 cache	2MB	16MB
L3 cache	6 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options	APL1102

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here M1 is 43% better than Core i3-N305 in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-N305 is better: 15
The number of parameters for which Apple M1 is better: 21
Although it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i3-N305 and Apple M1 before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-N305 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-N305 specs and review.

• Apple M1 specs and review.