AMD Ryzen 3 3100U vs Intel Core 3 N355 Comparison

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core 3 N355 outperforms the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U across every single recorded workload. The database shows the Intel part winning all 11 head-to-head comparisons, with the largest margins appearing in compute-intensive tasks. The Ryzen 3 3100U does not claim a single victory in any measured category, making the performance hierarchy clear from the outset.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive wins for the Intel Core 3 N355 come in mathematical and encryption workloads. In floating point math, the Intel chip scores 22695 against 5854 for the AMD part, a delta of -74.2% from the AMD perspective, meaning the Intel processor delivers roughly four times the throughput. Integer math shows a similar pattern: 33894 versus 8873, a -73.8% gap. Data encryption is even more lopsided, with the Intel part scoring 8121 compared to 1972, a -75.7% difference, the largest margin in the entire comparison.

Memory and data manipulation tasks also favor Intel heavily. Data compression scores 117435 for the Intel Core 3 N355 versus 38455 for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U, a -67.3% delta. Random string sorting shows 14706 against 4666, a -68.3% gap. Extended instructions, which reflect SIMD and specialized workload performance, favor Intel at 5968 versus 2116, a -64.5% difference.

Multithreaded performance is a strong point for the Intel chip. The passmark multithread score stands at 10174 for Intel versus 3348 for AMD, a -67.1% delta. Physics simulation follows the same trend: 625 for Intel against 232 for AMD, a -62.9% gap. Prime number finding, a test sensitive to integer throughput and core count, shows 27 for Intel and 18 for AMD, a -33.3% delta, the smallest relative margin in the set.

Single-threaded performance is the closest contest, but Intel still leads clearly. The passmark single thread score is 2153 for the Intel Core 3 N355 against 1592 for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U, a -26.1% delta. This indicates that the Intel architecture is not only stronger in parallel workloads but also delivers superior per-core performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U uses the Picasso codename, part of the Ryzen 3 generation built on the Zen+ microarchitecture. It is fabricated on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 210 mm² and 4,940 million transistors. The Intel Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake codename, listed under the Core 3 generation with an Alder Lake-N architecture designation. It is built on a 10 nm process at Intel, though the database does not record its transistor count or die size.

Core configuration differs sharply. The AMD part has 2 cores and 2 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Intel part has 8 cores and 8 threads, also without multithreading but with four times the physical core count. This explains the large multithread benchmark gap. Both CPUs have the same base clock of 1.90 GHz, but the Intel chip boosts to 3.90 GHz while the AMD chip reaches only 3.20 GHz, a 0.70 GHz advantage for Intel.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. Both parts have 96 KB of L1 cache per core. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U provides 512 KB of L2 per core and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core 3 N355 instead uses 2 MB of shared L2 and 6 MB of shared L3. The larger shared L3 on the Intel side, combined with more cores, supports its higher throughput in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory support is another point of separation. The AMD part supports DDR4 only, over a dual-channel memory bus. The Intel part supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5, but uses a single-channel memory bus. Despite this channel difference, both parts record the same memory bandwidth figure of 38.4 GB/s in the database. Neither processor supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity is Gen 3 for both, with the Intel chip specifying 9 lanes from the CPU.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U includes Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Intel Core 3 N355 includes UHD Graphics 770. The database does not provide comparative graphics benchmarks, so the relative GPU performance cannot be assessed from this data.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 3 N355 wins every benchmark category recorded, so the use-case split is heavily one-sided. The data supports Intel for workloads involving parallel computation, encryption, compression, and floating point math. The -75.7% encryption delta and -74.2% floating point delta indicate that the Intel part is the appropriate choice for security-related processing or scientific calculations that rely on FPU throughput.

The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U does not win any category, but its relative positioning is less unfavorable in prime number finding, where the delta is only -33.3%, and single-threaded tasks, where the delta is -26.1%. For workloads that depend primarily on single-core responsiveness, the AMD part is closer to the Intel chip, though it still trails.

The average benchmark score reinforces the overall gap. The Intel Core 3 N355 records an average score of 13492, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U records 6247. The Intel processor sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database, compared to the 62nd percentile for the AMD part. The nearest rivals for the Intel chip include the Intel Core i3-12100F with a matching 0% delta, the Intel Core i5-9500 at 0.3% ahead, the Intel Core 5 120UL at -0.8%, and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 1.1% behind. The AMD part's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X at 0.3%, the AMD EPYC 7272 at 1%, the Intel Core i9-10920X at -1.6%, and the Intel Core i9-7940X at 1.6%, indicating that its average score lands in a different performance class entirely.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across several specification fields, with only a few shared values. Both have the same base clock of 1.90 GHz, the same 15 W TDP, the same 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, the same 96 KB L1 cache per core, no ECC memory support, Gen 3 PCIe, no unlocked multiplier, and a mobile market segment. Both are listed as Active in production.

The differences are substantial. Core count is 2 for AMD versus 8 for Intel. Thread count is 2 versus 8. Boost clock is 3.20 GHz versus 3.90 GHz. The process node is 12 nm for AMD versus 10 nm for Intel. The foundry is GlobalFoundries for AMD versus Intel for the Intel part. The AMD die size is 210 mm² with 4,940 million transistors; the Intel die size and transistor count are not recorded.

Cache configuration differs beyond L1. AMD uses 512 KB of L2 per core and 4 MB of shared L3. Intel uses 2 MB of shared L2 and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR4 only for AMD, versus DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 for Intel. The memory bus is dual-channel for AMD and single-channel for Intel. Sockets differ: AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel BGA 1264. The codenames are Picasso for AMD and Twin Lake for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8 for AMD and UHD Graphics 770 for Intel. The part numbers are YM3100C4T2OFG for AMD and SRPNT for Intel.

Release dates differ notably. The Intel Core 3 N355 has a recorded release date of 2025-01-06, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has a later date of 2026-05-31. Neither part has a launch MSRP recorded in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: How much faster is the Intel chip in single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 scores 2153 in the passmark single thread test versus 1592 for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U, a delta of -26.1% from the AMD perspective.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in data encryption, where the Intel Core 3 N355 scores 8121 against 1972 for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U, a -75.7% delta.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory bandwidth?

A: Yes, both record a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, despite the AMD part using a dual-channel bus and the Intel part using a single-channel bus.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U uses a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the Intel Core 3 N355 uses a 10 nm process at Intel.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 boosts to 3.90 GHz, compared to 3.20 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 3 3100U.

The Verdict

The recorded data directs a clear conclusion: the Intel Core 3 N355 is the stronger processor in every measured benchmark. Its 8 cores, higher boost clock of 3.90 GHz, larger shared L3 cache of 6 MB, and 10 nm process give it a decisive advantage over the 2-core AMD Ryzen 3 3100U, which tops out at 3.20 GHz and 4 MB of L3. The average benchmark score of 13492 for Intel against 6247 for AMD places the two chips in different performance tiers, confirmed by the percentile ranking of 68 versus 62.

For workloads that stress parallel execution, encryption, compression, or floating point math, the Intel Core 3 N355 is the only viable option based on this data. Its multithread score of 10174 dwarfs the AMD score of 3348, and its integer math score of 33894 is nearly four times the AMD result of 8873. Even in single-threaded tasks, where the gap is smallest, Intel leads by 26.1%. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100U does not offer a single benchmark category where it leads, so any selection between these two should default to the Intel Core 3 N355 unless other factors outside this database, such as platform compatibility or specific motherboard requirements, come into play. The data does not support choosing the AMD part on performance grounds.