AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 vs Intel Core 3 N355 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows an unambiguous result: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins every single head-to-head benchmark against the Intel Core 3 N355, with a 15 to 0 sweep. The margins are substantial across both synthetic multi-core and single-core workloads, and the pattern holds for every category of PassMark test.

Starting with Cinebench, the AMD part delivers a R23 multi-core score of 11,333 against Intel's 5,262, a delta of 115.4%. The R15 multi-core test tells the same story: 1,686 versus 822, a 105.1% advantage. Single-core performance is also firmly in AMD's favor, with R23 single-core at 1,816 versus 1,039 (74.8% ahead) and R15 single-core at 260 versus 168 (54.8% ahead). These are not marginal wins; the Ryzen AI 5 435 roughly doubles the Intel part in multi-threaded rendering and maintains a strong lead in lightly threaded tasks.

PassMark results reinforce the pattern. The largest gap appears in extended instructions, where AMD scores 16,197 against Intel's 5,968, a 171.4% difference. This is the single biggest proportional victory in the dataset and suggests a major disparity in SIMD or specialized workload throughput. Integer math shows AMD at 61,026 versus 33,894, an 80% lead, while floating point math lands at 40,627 versus 22,695, a 79% gap. Prime number finding, often a strong indicator of raw integer execution efficiency, sees AMD at 58 versus 27, a 114.8% margin.

Data-oriented tasks follow the same trend. Data compression scores 225,374 for AMD versus 117,435 for Intel, a 91.9% advantage. Data encryption shows a narrower but still decisive 36.8% lead (11,110 versus 8,121). Random string sorting, a memory-latency sensitive test, favors AMD at 24,891 versus 14,706, a 69.3% margin. The PassMark multi-thread score is 19,000 versus 10,174, an 86.8% lead, while the physics test shows 1,075 versus 625, a 72% gap. Single-thread PassMark results put AMD at 3,734 versus 2,153, a 73.4% advantage.

The overall average benchmark score in the database is 28,128 for the AMD part against 13,492 for the Intel part. The AMD chip sits at the 80th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel chip sits at the 68th percentile. The nearest rivals to the AMD part are the Intel Core i5-13490F (average score 28,185, delta -0.2%), the Intel Core i5-14500T (28,065, delta 0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8500GE (28,054, delta 0.3%). The Intel Core 3 N355, by contrast, sits in company with the Intel Core i3-12100F (13,494, delta 0%) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13,452, delta 0.3%). In other words, the AMD chip performs in the class of mid-range desktop processors from a few generations back, while the Intel chip matches an older quad-core desktop i5.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 scores 11,333 versus the Intel Core 3 N355's 5,262, giving AMD a 115.4% advantage in the R23 multi-core test.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In PassMark single-thread testing, the AMD part scores 3,734 against Intel's 2,153, a 73.4% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a similar 74.8% gap (1,816 versus 1,039).

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmark category?

A: No. Across all 15 head-to-head benchmark entries, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 is the winner in every case, with deltas ranging from 36.8% (data encryption) to 171.4% (extended instructions).

Q: How do these processors compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The AMD part's average score of 28,128 places it within 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-13490F and Intel Core i5-14500T. The Intel Core 3 N355's average of 13,492 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i3-12100F (delta 0%) and within 1.1% of the Intel Core i7-1250U.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 supports dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Core 3 N355 uses single-channel memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 3 N355 does not.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins in every measurable category, so the use-case split is less about picking strengths and more about workload tolerance. For multi-threaded productivity, rendering, and content creation, the AMD part is the clear choice. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11,333 versus 5,262 means it can handle CPU rendering, video encoding, and compilation workloads roughly twice as fast as the Intel part. The PassMark multi-thread score of 19,000 versus 10,174 reinforces this: heavy parallel workloads will finish in roughly half the time on the AMD chip.

For single-threaded responsiveness, the AMD part again leads. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,816 versus 1,039 and the PassMark single-thread score of 3,734 versus 2,153 indicate snappier application launch, faster spreadsheet recalculations, and better performance in lightly threaded legacy software. The extended instructions gap of 171.4% suggests the AMD chip is particularly strong in workloads that use modern SIMD instruction sets, such as scientific computing, cryptography, or media processing.

The Intel Core 3 N355's only practical advantage in the recorded data is its 15 W TDP against AMD's 28 W TDP. For fanless or ultra-low-power designs where absolute performance is secondary to thermal budget, the Intel part draws less power. Its single-channel memory bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth will limit memory-intensive tasks, but for basic office work, web browsing, or lightweight embedded use, that limitation may not matter. The Intel chip also supports DDR4 alongside DDR5 and LPDDR5, which gives system designers more flexibility in memory selection, though the AMD part's dual-channel bus provides far more bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads. AMD's base clock is 2.00 GHz with a boost of 4.50 GHz; Intel's base is 1.90 GHz with a boost of 3.90 GHz. The AMD part has a 28 W TDP, the Intel part 15 W.

Cache configurations diverge significantly. AMD uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of L3. Intel uses 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD cache layout is per-core, favoring thread isolation, while Intel's shared L2 and L3 allow all cores to pool resources.

Memory support differs in both type and channel count. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 over a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on AMD but not on Intel. PCIe connectivity also differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics differ as well. AMD uses the Radeon 840M, Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The sockets are incompatible: AMD Socket FP8 for AMD, Intel BGA 1264 for Intel. Manufacturing is split between TSMC for AMD and Intel for Intel, with process nodes of 4 nm and 10 nm respectively.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 is built on Zen 5 architecture with the codename Gorgon Point, belonging to the Ryzen AI 400 generation that mixes Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 3 N355 uses Twin Lake architecture with the same codename, grouped under the Core 3 generation based on Alder Lake-N. Intel fabricates it on a 10 nm process at its own foundry.

The core count and threading model reflect different design philosophies. AMD offers 6 cores with simultaneous multithreading, yielding 12 threads. Intel offers 8 physical cores but no hyper-threading, yielding 8 threads. This means AMD has 50% more threads despite having fewer physical cores, which explains part of its multi-thread advantage in the benchmark data.

Cache design also reflects architectural intent. AMD's per-core L2 of 1 MB gives each thread pair a dedicated high-speed cache, while Intel's shared 2 MB L2 and 6 MB L3 pool resources across all 8 cores. The larger shared L3 on Intel (6 MB versus 4 MB) does not compensate for the overall performance gap in the recorded benchmarks.

The process node difference is notable: 4 nm versus 10 nm. This contributes to the AMD part achieving higher clock speeds (4.50 GHz boost versus 3.90 GHz) while still maintaining a reasonable TDP. The Intel part's lower 15 W TDP comes with significantly lower performance, as the benchmark data shows across every test.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 outperforms the Intel Core 3 N355 in every recorded test, with deltas ranging from 36.8% to 171.4%. The AMD part's average benchmark score of 28,128 places it in the 80th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part's 13,492 lands in the 68th percentile. The AMD chip competes with desktop-class processors like the Intel Core i5-13490F and Intel Core i5-14500T, whereas the Intel chip sits alongside the Intel Core i3-12100F.

For users who need multi-threaded performance, the choice is clear. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 delivers roughly double the multi-core performance of the Intel Core 3 N355 in Cinebench R23 and an 86.8% lead in PassMark multi-thread. For single-threaded tasks, the AMD part is ahead by 73.4% in PassMark. For any workload that benefits from modern instruction sets, the 171.4% lead in extended instructions makes the AMD part the only reasonable pick.

The Intel Core 3 N355 retains relevance only in scenarios where its 15 W TDP is a hard requirement, such as fanless designs or battery-critical portable devices. It also offers DDR4 support and a broader memory type selection, which may simplify some system designs. But the performance cost is severe: in every benchmark category recorded, the Intel part is at least a third slower, and often much more. The data indicates that anyone choosing the Intel Core 3 N355 is trading a massive performance deficit for a 13 W TDP reduction. For most workloads, that trade will not be worth it.