Intel Graphics 1 Xe-Core (Wildcat Lake): What a Single Xe3 Core Can Do

Intel Graphics 1 Xe-Core is Wildcat Lake’s simplest integrated graphics configuration. It is based on Xe3 with one Xe-core and 128 shader blocks. This configuration is used in the Intel Core 3 304 and Core 3 305. One Xe-core is not enough for demanding games, but in some tests the Core 3 304 outperforms the Intel N100 by more than two times in graphics performance.

128 Shader Blocks and 0.59 TFLOPS

Graphics 1 Xe-Core has one active Xe-core with 128 shader blocks. Its maximum frequency reaches 2.3 GHz, while its theoretical FP32 performance is 0.5888 TFLOPS.

Graphics 2 Xe-Cores doubles the number of shader blocks to 256 and raises the maximum frequency to 2.6 GHz. Its theoretical performance reaches 1.3312 TFLOPS.

Doubling the number of Xe-cores is accompanied by an increase in maximum frequency from 2.3 to 2.6 GHz. As a result, theoretical FP32 performance more than doubles.

Wildcat Lake has a single-channel memory controller. The processors support DDR5-6400 and LPDDR5X-7467, but their memory bandwidth is lower than with the familiar dual-channel configuration. This is especially noticeable in workloads where the GPU makes heavy use of system memory.

Intel Graphics 1 Xe-Core Benchmarks

In testing, Graphics 1 Xe-Core falls noticeably behind the version with two Xe-cores.

In Time Spy Graphics, the version with two Xe-cores is approximately 86% faster; in Vulkan, 90% faster; and in OpenCL, 114% faster.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the version with two Xe-cores is more than twice as fast. In GTA 5, the difference is about 81%.

Even the 15.3 FPS result in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p shows that Wildcat Lake with two Xe-cores is not intended for demanding games at Full HD resolution.

Real-World Devices: CHUWI, Beelink, and Dell

Intel Graphics 1 Xe-Core is already used in production laptops and mini PCs. One such laptop is the CHUWI UniBook with a Core 3 304.

In a Golem test, the CHUWI UniBook was compared with a system based on the Intel N100:

The CHUWI was 2.3 times faster than the Intel N100 system in Time Spy and 2.4 times faster in Steel Nomad Light.

Absolute performance remains modest, but the difference versus the N100 exceeds two times in both tests.

In Notebookcheck, the CHUWI UniBook scored 858 points in Time Spy and 753 points in Graphics Score. The Dell XPS 13 with a Core 5 320 and two Xe-cores scored 1,513 and 1,343 points, respectively.

Using the same methodology, Graphics 2 Xe-Cores leads Graphics 1 Xe-Core by approximately 76% in the overall Time Spy Score and by 78% in Graphics Score.

What You Can Play

Gaming tests of the Beelink EQi 304 with a Core 3 304 provide a clearer picture of what one Xe-core can do.

Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 28-33 FPS without frame generation, even at 720p with XeSS Ultra Performance. With Frame Generation, the test reaches 50-70 FPS, but the base frame rate remains low.

Skyrim Special Edition is noticeably more comfortable to play, delivering 40-60 FPS at 720p without upscaling.

The CHUWI UniBook also achieved 90.5 FPS in GTA 5 at 1024x768 with minimum settings, and 71.4 FPS at 1366x768 with medium settings.

Older and less demanding games are the best fit for this graphics solution. Modern demanding games require 720p, low settings, and upscaling.

Media Engine and Display Connectivity

The cut-down Xe3 configuration retains Wildcat Lake’s modern graphics and multimedia capabilities. It supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, OpenCL 3.0, hardware AV1 encoding and decoding, and Intel Quick Sync Video.

Up to three displays can be connected. DisplayPort supports resolutions of up to 3840 x 2160 at 60 Hz; DisplayPort 2.1 HBR3 and eDP 1.5 are also supported.

For an office laptop, video and external-display support may be more important than gaming performance.

Up to 9 TOPS is specified for INT8 calculations.

Should You Choose a Processor with One Xe-Core?

Graphics 1 Xe-Core is sufficient for office work, browsing, and video playback.

If gaming is part of the intended use case, a Core 5 with two Xe-cores is clearly preferable. In the same Time Spy Graphics test, the difference between the CHUWI UniBook and Dell XPS 13 reaches approximately 78%.

Two Xe-cores do not turn Wildcat Lake into a gaming platform, but they provide noticeably more performance headroom.

Conclusion

Graphics 1 Xe-Core is the minimum Xe3 configuration in the Wildcat Lake family: one Xe-core and 128 shader blocks. That is not enough for modern games at Full HD, while demanding titles have to be run at 720p with low settings and upscaling.

The difference compared with the Intel N100 is much more substantial. In the Golem test, the Core 3 304 system scored 864 points in Time Spy versus 372 for the N100, and 589 versus 246 in Steel Nomad Light.

A single Xe3 core is more than twice as fast as the older UHD graphics in these tests. For gaming, Wildcat Lake with two Xe-cores is the better choice, but even the entry-level configuration provides a noticeable improvement over the N100.