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Intel Core i3-10305

Intel Core i3-10305: Budget Processor of 2025 - Is It Worth It?

Key Features: Architecture and Performance

The Intel Core i3-10305, released in 2020, remains a popular choice for budget PCs. Its codename is Comet Lake, and it is built on a 14nm process, which is already considered outdated compared to modern 7-10nm chips. However, this does not prevent it from handling basic tasks thanks to its 4 cores and 8 threads (Hyper-Threading). The base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with a turbo mode reaching up to 4.5 GHz, which provides single-threaded performance of 1447 points in Geekbench 6. For multi-threaded tasks, the results are more modest at 4389 points.

Key Features:

- Integrated graphics UHD Graphics 630 – suitable for video playback and low-demand gaming.

- Supports DDR4-2666 memory.

- TDP of 65W – low power consumption for office PCs.

Practical example: In 2025, this processor is commonly used in offices for document work and video conferencing. For instance, in a build with 8 GB of RAM and an SSD, it runs Windows 11 smoothly.

Compatible Motherboards

The processor uses the LGA 1200 socket, limiting the choice of motherboards to chipsets H410, B460, H470, Z490. For most users, the B460 chipset is optimal as it supports up to 64GB of RAM and has basic features like USB 3.2 Gen 1.

Examples of Motherboards:

- ASUS Prime B460M-A ($75–$90 in 2025): Basic model with 4 DDR4 slots.

- MSI H410M Pro ($60–$70): Budget option for compact builds.

Important: Some motherboards may require a BIOS update to work with the i3-10305. Check compatibility before purchasing. Z490 chipsets are overkill—this processor does not support overclocking.

Supported Memory Types

The i3-10305 works only with DDR4-2666 memory (up to 128GB). In 2025, DDR4 remains relevant for budget systems, while DDR5 is already dominant in mid-range and high-end segments.

Recommendations:

- For office tasks, 8GB (2x4GB) is sufficient.

- For multitasking (browser + applications), it’s better to have 16GB (2x8GB). For example, Kingston Fury Beast DDR4-2666 16GB costs about $45.

Memory with speeds above 2666 MHz will operate at reduced speeds—don’t overspend on it.

Power Supplies: Power Calculation

With a TDP of 65W, the processor does not require a powerful PSU. For a system without a discrete graphics card, a power supply of 300–400W is sufficient. If you plan to install a GPU (such as a GTX 1650), choose a PSU rated 500–550W.

Examples:

- EVGA 500 BR ($45): A reliable option for builds with a graphics card.

- Corsair CX450 ($55): Suitable for energy-efficient PCs.

Tip: Don’t skimp on the PSU. Even in a budget build, it’s better to choose a model with an 80+ Bronze certification.

Pros and Cons of the i3-10305

Pros:

- Price: In 2025, the processor costs $90–$110 (new), which is cheaper than the Ryzen 3 5300G ($130).

- Energy Efficiency: Suitable for compact cases without powerful cooling.

- UHD 630 Graphics: Can run CS:GO on low settings (40–50 FPS).

Cons:

- 14nm process: Higher heat output and less upgrade potential.

- Limited multi-threading: Lags behind Ryzen in rendering.

- No PCIe 4.0: Discrete SSDs and graphics cards won’t reach their full potential.

Use Cases

1. Office and Study: Working with Excel, Zoom, and a browser with several tabs.

2. Multimedia: Streaming video in 4K (with hardware decoding), basic editing in Shotcut.

3. Casual Gaming: Dota 2, Minecraft, indie projects at medium settings.

4. Home Server: Low-power NAS or media centers based on Plex.

Example: In 2025, this processor is often installed in mini PCs for digital signage or terminals.

Comparison with Competitors

- AMD Ryzen 3 3300X ($100–$120): Better in multi-threading (6 cores) but lacks integrated graphics.

- AMD Ryzen 5 3400G ($130–$150): Vega 11 is faster than UHD 630 but more expensive.

- Intel Core i5-10400 ($140–$160): 6 cores, but the price is 40% higher.

Conclusion: The i3-10305 only wins if the entire budget is tightly constrained to $300.

Practical Assembly Tips

1. Motherboard: Choose a B460 with M.2 for NVMe SSD (e.g., WD Blue SN570 500GB for $40).

2. Cooling: The stock cooler is sufficient, but replace it with a Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 ($20) for quieter operation.

3. Upgrade: The LGA 1200 platform is dead—future upgrades will require changing both the CPU and motherboard.

4. Optimization: Disable unnecessary Windows services to reduce load on the cores.

Final Conclusion: Who is the i3-10305 For?

This processor is ideal for those who:

- Are building a PC for text work, internet use, and video playback.

- Seek a temporary solution until an upgrade.

- Are constructing a compact system with minimal power consumption.

Why is it still relevant in 2025? Its low price, adequate performance for basic tasks, and availability of motherboards. However, for gaming or professional tasks, it’s better to add a discrete graphics card or choose a more modern processor.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

March 2021

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i3-10305

Code Name

Comet Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

3.80 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.50 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

4.50 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.

L3 Cache

8 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1200

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

65 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2666

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

41.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.15 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2160@30Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

8 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1447

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

4389

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1080

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

3613

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2815

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

9291

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 5 4500

1555 +7.5%

Ryzen 5 PRO 4650GE

1499 +3.6%

Core i3-10305

1447

Xeon Gold 6230

1393 -3.7%

Core i9-9900X X-series

1361 -5.9%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-11300H

4931 +12.3%

Ryzen 5 4600U

4625 +5.4%

Core i3-10305

4389

Core i7-7820HK

4136 -5.8%

Core i7-4771

3905 -11%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i7-7820X

1120 +3.7%

Core i7-10850H

1106 +2.4%

Core i3-10305

1080

Xeon E3-1535M v6

1061 -1.8%

Pentium Gold G5620

1037 -4%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i5-8400T

3941 +9.1%

Xeon E3-1240 v3

3776 +4.5%

Core i3-10305

3613

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400GE with Radeon Vega 11 Graphics

3487 -3.5%

Xeon Silver 4112

3368 -6.8%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Xeon E-2324G

2953 +4.9%

Core i7-9700KF

2892 +2.7%

Core i3-10305

2815

Core i5-9600

2754 -2.2%

Ryzen 9 4900H

2716 -3.5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-8700T

10234 +10.1%

Xeon E-2324G

9771 +5.2%

Core i3-10305

9291

Core i7-6700K

8937 -3.8%

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400G with Radeon Vega 11 Graphics

8472 -8.8%