AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X vs Intel Core 3 N355 Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare between the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X and the Intel Core 3 N355?

A: Both processors have 8 cores, but the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X supports 16 threads while the Intel Core 3 N355 supports 8 threads. This means the AMD processor can handle twice as many concurrent threads.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Intel Core 3 N355 has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz.

Q: Which processor has a higher thermal design power (TDP)?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Intel Core 3 N355 has a TDP of 15 watts. The Intel part is designed for much lower power consumption.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus. The Intel Core 3 N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 memory, but uses a single-channel bus.

Q: What is the difference in PCIe capabilities?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X provides PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes (CPU only). The Intel Core 3 N355 provides PCIe Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only).

Q: Which processor has a higher benchmark percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 has a percentile rank of 68 among all CPUs, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has a percentile rank of 50. However, the AMD processor has no recorded benchmark scores in the database.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the codename Granite Ridge, part of the 9000 series. It uses a 4 nm process node manufactured by TSMC, with 8,315 million transistors on a 70.6 mm² die. The Intel Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake architecture, listed under the Alder Lake-N generation, with a 10 nm process node from Intel's own foundry. The manufacturing process difference is substantial, with AMD using a significantly more advanced node.

Cache configurations differ markedly between the two. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core 3 N355 has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of shared L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD processor's larger L3 cache provides a considerable advantage for workloads that benefit from a large shared pool of rapid-access memory.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X targets the desktop market segment and uses AMD Socket AM5, while the Intel Core 3 N355 targets the mobile segment and uses Intel BGA 1264, a soldered package. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, whereas the Intel Core 3 N355 has a locked multiplier. The AMD part includes Radeon Graphics as its integrated graphics solution, while the Intel part includes UHD Graphics 770.

Memory support also differs in scope. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X supports DDR5 only, with a dual-channel memory bus and 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Intel Core 3 N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5, but with a single-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The AMD processor also supports ECC memory, which the Intel processor does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains recorded benchmark scores for the Intel Core 3 N355, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has no recorded benchmark scores. This makes a direct head-to-head comparison on common tests impossible, but the available data for the Intel part still provides useful context.

The Intel Core 3 N355 delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 5262 and a single-core score of 1039. In Cinebench R20, it scores 3612 multi-core and 509 single-core. In the older Cinebench R15 test, it scores 822 multi-core and 168 single-core. These results show a typical scaling pattern where multi-core performance grows much faster than single-core performance as thread count increases.

PassMark results for the Intel Core 3 N355 show a multi-thread score of 10174 and a single-thread score of 2153. The integer math score is 33894, while floating point math scores 22695. Data compression scores 117435, data encryption scores 8121, and extended instructions score 5968. The processor finds prime numbers at a rate of 27, performs random string sorting at 14706, and achieves a physics score of 625.

The average benchmark score for the Intel Core 3 N355 is 13492. Its nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i3-12100F with an average score of 13494 and a delta percentage of 0, the Intel Core i5-9500 with an average score of 13452 and a delta percentage of 0.3, the Intel Core 5 120UL with an average score of 13594 and a delta percentage of -0.8, and the Intel Core i7-1250U with an average score of 13351 and a delta percentage of 1.1. These delta percentages are all within a very narrow range, indicating that the Intel Core 3 N355 performs essentially on par with its closest competitors in aggregate benchmark scores.

Specification Differences

Cores: Both have 8 cores.

Threads: AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X has 16 threads, Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 threads.

Base clock: AMD 3.80 GHz, Intel 1.90 GHz.

Boost clock: AMD 5.50 GHz, Intel 3.90 GHz.

TDP: AMD 65 W, Intel 15 W.

Socket: AMD Socket AM5, Intel BGA 1264.

Codename: Granite Ridge, Twin Lake.

Generation: Ryzen Embedded (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)), Core 3 (Alder Lake-N).

Process node: AMD 4 nm, Intel 10 nm.

Foundry: TSMC, Intel.

Transistors: AMD 8,315 million, Intel not listed.

Die size: AMD 70.6 mm², Intel not listed.

L1 cache: AMD 80 KB per core, Intel 96 KB per core.

L2 cache: AMD 1 MB per core, Intel 2 MB shared.

L3 cache: AMD 32 MB shared, Intel 6 MB shared.

Memory support: AMD DDR5, Intel DDR4, DDR5, LPDDR5.

Memory bus: AMD dual-channel, Intel single-channel.

Memory bandwidth: AMD 89.6 GB/s, Intel 38.4 GB/s.

ECC memory: AMD yes, Intel no.

PCIe: AMD Gen 5, 24 lanes, Intel Gen 3, 9 lanes.

Integrated graphics: Radeon Graphics, UHD Graphics 770.

Market segment: Desktop, Mobile.

Release date: AMD 2025-10-06, Intel 2025-01-06.

Multiplier unlocked: AMD yes, Intel no.

Part number: 100-000001404E, SRPNT.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X wins on raw processing capability. It has double the thread count, a substantially higher boost clock of 5.50 GHz versus 3.90 GHz, and a much larger L3 cache of 32 MB versus 6 MB. The dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth more than doubles the Intel processor's 38.4 GB/s. ECC memory support and PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes give it a clear advantage in data integrity and high-speed peripheral connectivity. The unlocked multiplier provides flexibility for performance tuning.

The Intel Core 3 N355 wins on power efficiency and platform flexibility. Its 15 W TDP is dramatically lower than the AMD processor's 65 W, making it suitable for passively cooled or fanless designs in compact mobile systems. The support for DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 memory gives system designers more options for memory selection. The smaller BGA 1264 package is soldered directly to the board, which simplifies integration in space-constrained devices. The Intel part also has a higher percentile ranking of 68 versus 50, and it has verified benchmark scores in the database.

The Verdict

The recorded data shows two processors aimed at different use cases despite sharing the same core count. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9700X is the higher-performance part on paper, with more threads, higher clocks, more cache, faster memory bandwidth, and newer PCIe connectivity. It suits workloads that need maximum compute throughput in an embedded desktop form factor. The Intel Core 3 N355 is the lower-power alternative with a 15 W TDP, a 68th percentile ranking, and an average benchmark score of 13492, placing it alongside capable desktop processors like the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Core i5-9500. The AMD part has no recorded benchmarks, so its real-world performance relative to the Intel part cannot be quantified from the database. The decision between them rests on whether the priority is high-end compute and expansion capability or minimal power draw and flexible memory support.