Intel Core i3-N305 vs Intel Core i5-1240U

Processor comparisons   29-09-2022
   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i3-N305 vs Intel Core i5-1240U and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning, rendering. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, RealBench, WPrime, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, SuperPi, Blender, AIDA64, UserBenchmark, PCMark 10, 3DMark, Prime95, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, MATLAB, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-1240U 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%

Core i5-1240U

55%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-N305

52%

Core i5-1240U

53%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Metro Exodus, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Half-Life: Alyx, NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.1	94.7
Valorant	105.8	107.7
Cyberpunk 2077	59.3	60.3
Apex Legends	99.5	101.2
Call of Duty Warzone	79.4	80.7
Overwatch	85.7	87.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.0	74.3
DOOM Eternal	52.9	53.8
Warzone	82.5	84.0
Assassin's Creed	88.9	90.4
Valheim	87.8	89.4

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 computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-N305

501%

Core i5-1240U

440%

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 Core i5-1240U as it consumes less power: 7W vs. 9W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor turns on 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 check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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	Intel Core i5-1240U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	225	218
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1627	1607
Cinbench 20 Single-core	535	527
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3691	3649
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1250	1233
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	12158	12029

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

	Intel Core i3-N305	Intel Core i5-1240U
Single-Core	2918	2885
Multi-Core	17887	16840

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

	Intel Core i3-N305	Intel Core i5-1240U
Single-Core	1054	1189
Multi-Core	5026	6604

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-N305	Intel Core i5-1240U
Announcement date	January 26, 2023	January 07, 2022
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1264	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake-N	Alder Lake-U
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	13	12
Turbo Frequency	3.8 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	1.8 MHz	1 MHz
Cores	8	10
Threads	8	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	10 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	7 W	9 W
Memory type	DDR4 3200 MT/s DDR5 4800 MT/s LPDDR5 4800 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s
Max. Memory	16 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache	384KB
L2 cache	2MB
L3 cache	6 MB	24 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-N305 is 44% better than Core i5-1240U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-1240U has 2 more core than Core i3-N305. 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: 16
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-1240U is better: 17
However, it should be realized that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i3-N305 and Intel Core i5-1240U before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

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.

Intel Core i5-1240U - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-1240U specs and review.