Core i3-N305
VS
Xeon D-1718T

Core i3-N305 vs Xeon D-1718T

Intel

Core i3-N305

8 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2023
VS
Intel

Xeon D-1718T

4 Cores8 Thrd46 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i3-N305 is positioned at rank 681 and the Xeon D-1718T is on rank 451, so the Xeon D-1718T offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-N305

#669
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
944%
#670
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
930%
#671
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
854%
#672
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
850%
#673
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
843%
#675
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
814%
#676
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
780%
#677
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
779%
#678
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
758%
#681
Core i3-N305
MSRP: $309|Avg: $309
100%
#695
Processor N95
MSRP: $160|Avg: $80
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon D-1718T

#1
Xeon Platinum 8454H
MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A
6488%
#6
Xeon Gold 6240R
MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A
1225%
#10
Xeon 6337P
MSRP: $60|Avg: $5
1088%
#15
EPYC 9174F
MSRP: $194|Avg: $30
841%
#290
Xeon Gold 5420+
MSRP: $1848|Avg: $1848
98%
#292
Xeon w7-2575X
MSRP: $1689|Avg: $1860
98%
#294
Xeon Gold 6444Y
MSRP: $3622|Avg: N/A
97%
#295
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX
MSRP: $2649|Avg: $2782
97%
#296
Xeon Platinum 8380
MSRP: $2010|Avg: $965
97%
#451
Xeon D-1718T
MSRP: $302|Avg: $302
100%
#452
Xeon D-1622
MSRP: $195|Avg: $170
99%
#453
Xeon E3-1290 v2
MSRP: $885|Avg: $125
99%
#454
Xeon E5-2420 v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $112
99%
#455
Xeon E3-1285 v6
MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A
99%
#456
Xeon E3-1268L v5
MSRP: $377|Avg: $93
99%
#460
Xeon E5-1428L V2
MSRP: $494|Avg: $83
98%
#461
Xeon E5-1428L
MSRP: $480|Avg: N/A
98%
#463
Xeon E5-2620 v2
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $54
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($302) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon D-1718T is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($309)
More affordable ($302)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-N (2023) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Legacy / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i3-N305 ($309), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($7 less, 2% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+3%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($309)
More affordable ($302)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-N305 and Xeon D-1718T

Intel

Core i3-N305

The Core i3-N305 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per module). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 9,600 points. Launch price was $309.

Intel

Xeon D-1718T

The Xeon D-1718T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2227. Thermal design power (TDP): 46 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,674 points. Launch price was $800.

Processing Power

The Core i3-N305 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon D-1718T offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i3-N305 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i3-N305 versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon D-1718T — a 8.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-N305 (base: 0.1 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i3-N305 is built on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i3-N305 scores 9,600 against the Xeon D-1718T's 9,674 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon D-1718T. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-N305 vs 10 MB on the Xeon D-1718T.

FeatureCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
Cores / Threads
8 / 8+100%
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.8 GHz+9%
3.5 GHz
Base Clock
0.1 GHz
2.6 GHz+2500%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
10 MB+67%
L2 Cache
2 MB (per module)
Process
Intel 7 nm-30%
10 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-N (2023)
PassMark
9,600
9,674
Geekbench 6 Single
900
Geekbench 6 Multi
3,500
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-N305 uses the FCBGA1264 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon D-1718T uses FCBGA2227 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
Socket
FCBGA1264
FCBGA2227
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity
256 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-N305) / VT-x, VT-d (Xeon D-1718T). Primary use case: Xeon D-1718T targets Server/Edge.

FeatureCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server/Edge
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-N305 launched at $309 MSRP, while the Xeon D-1718T debuted at $302. At current prices ($309 vs $302), the Xeon D-1718T is $7 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-N305 delivers 31.1 pts/$ vs 32.0 pts/$ for the Xeon D-1718T — making the Xeon D-1718T the 3.1% better value option.

FeatureCore i3-N305Xeon D-1718T
MSRP
$309
$302-2%
Avg Price (30d)
$309
$302-2%
Performance per Dollar
31.1
32.0+3%
Release Date
2023
2022