Intel Core 3 N350 vs Intel Core 5 221E Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E records an average benchmark score of 40144, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 3 N350 scores 9903 on average, which places it in the 66th percentile.

Q: How does the Core 5 221E's single-thread performance compare?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core 5 221E scores 3661 versus 885 for the Core 3 N350, a delta of -75.8%. In PassMark single-thread, the Core 5 221E delivers 4147 points, which is 52.4% ahead of the Core 3 N350's 1974 points.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 3 N350 does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Core 5 221E uses a dual-channel memory bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Core 3 N350 uses a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Are there any benchmark categories where the Core 3 N350 wins?

A: No. Across all 17 recorded head-to-head benchmark tests, the Intel Core 5 221E wins every single category. The Core 3 N350 records zero wins.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each chip based on average score?

A: The Core 3 N350 sits within 2.3% of the Intel Core i5-1035G1 and 2% of the Intel Core i7-3770, while trailing the AMD EPYC 7F52 by 2.5% and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8280 by 3.2%. The Core 5 221E is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (0.2% ahead), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.2% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 9 270 (0.3% behind), and the Intel Core i9-13905H (0.4% behind).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families with distinct design goals. The Intel Core 3 N350 belongs to the Twin Lake architecture, listed under the Core 3 (Alder Lake-N) generation, built on a 10 nm process. The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename, also on a 10 nm process, but with a notably larger die size of 257 mm².

Core counts differ substantially. The Core 3 N350 has 8 cores and 8 threads, with no hyper-threading. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads, a configuration that provides both more physical cores and additional thread capacity. This thread advantage directly translates into the multicore performance gap observed in benchmarks.

Cache hierarchies diverge sharply. The Core 3 N350 allocates 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Core 5 221E uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L2 allocation and the quadrupled L3 capacity give the Core 5 221E a significant data residency advantage for workloads that repeatedly access the same working set.

Clock speeds also separate the two. The Core 3 N350 has a base clock of 0.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The Core 5 221E starts at 2.70 GHz base and boosts to 5.20 GHz. The higher base clock alone indicates that the Core 5 221E maintains much higher sustained throughput without relying on boost behavior.

Memory support differs as well. The Core 3 N350 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5, while the Core 5 221E supports DDR4 and DDR5. The Core 3 N350 uses a single-channel memory bus, whereas the Core 5 221E uses dual-channel. PCIe capability also differs: the Core 3 N350 provides Gen 3 with 9 lanes, while the Core 5 221E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ too. The Core 3 N350 carries UHD Graphics 770, while the Core 5 221E carries UHD Graphics 730. The Core 3 N350 is classified as a Mobile segment part, while the Core 5 221E is a Desktop part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete sweep. The Intel Core 5 221E wins all 17 head-to-head tests, with no categories going to the Core 3 N350. The margins vary from 52.4% to 88.4%, but every single test lands in the same direction.

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core 5 221E scores 2613 versus 632, a 75.8% gap. Single-core R15 shows 368 versus 89, also 75.8%. The R20 tests repeat the pattern: multicore 10891 versus 2635, single-core 1537 versus 371, both at roughly 75.8% and 75.9% deltas. R23 multicore delivers 25933 against 6274, and R23 single-core delivers 3661 against 885, again a 75.8% difference.

The PassMark suite reveals where the gap is widest. The test for finding prime numbers shows the largest disparity: the Core 5 221E scores 173 versus 20, a delta of 88.4%. This suggests that the Core 5 221E has substantially stronger integer and branch-heavy compute throughput. Extended instructions show a 78.1% gap (18216 versus 3981), and floating-point math shows a 77.5% gap (79028 versus 17781).

The narrowest margin appears in single-thread tests. PassMark single-thread and singlethread both record 4147 for the Core 5 221E versus 1974 for the Core 3 N350, a 52.4% delta. While still a decisive win, this smaller gap indicates that raw per-core efficiency is closer than the multicore results suggest.

Data compression shows a 75.2% delta (324285 versus 80444), data encryption shows 70.4% (19205 versus 5693), integer math shows 76.5% (117813 versus 27669), random string sorting shows 73.2% (37686 versus 10102), physics shows 80% (2230 versus 446), and multithread shows 75.8% (30510 versus 7382).

The average benchmark scores reinforce the hierarchy. The Core 5 221E averages 40144, while the Core 3 N350 averages 9903. That places the Core 5 221E in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, against the 66th percentile for the Core 3 N350. The nearest rival data for the Core 5 221E includes the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, the AMD Ryzen 9 270, and the Intel Core i9-13905H, all within 0.4% of its average score. The Core 3 N350, by contrast, trades blows with the Intel Core i7-3770 and Intel Core i5-1035G1, both older mainstream parts.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates a straightforward hierarchy. The Intel Core 5 221E outperforms the Intel Core 3 N350 in every measured category, with margins that range from just over half to nearly nine-tenths. The Core 5 221E's average score of 40144 is roughly four times the Core 3 N350's 9903, and its 87th percentile placement versus the 66th percentile shows it operating in a different performance class entirely.

The Core 3 N350's closest rivals are the Intel Core i7-3770 and Intel Core i5-1035G1, both older or lower-tier parts. The Core 5 221E's closest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, AMD Ryzen 9 270, and Intel Core i9-13905H, all modern high-end processors. This places the Core 5 221E in competition with contemporary flagship mobile and desktop silicon, while the Core 3 N350 competes with legacy parts from earlier generations.

The Core 5 221E has a launch MSRP of $232. The Core 3 N350 has no launch MSRP listed in the database.

For users prioritizing raw compute, the choice is unambiguous. The Core 5 221E delivers vastly higher multicore throughput, far better single-core performance, and a much larger cache pool. The Core 3 N350 offers a lower thermal envelope at 7 W TDP versus 65 W, and it supports LPDDR5 memory, which the Core 5 221E does not. But in terms of benchmark results, there is no category where the Core 3 N350 pulls ahead.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 3 N350 | Intel Core 5 221E |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 8 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 0.10 GHz | 2.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.90 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| TDP | 7 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1264 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Codename | Twin Lake | Bartlett Lake |

| Generation | Core 3 (Alder Lake-N) | Core 5 (Bartlett Lake) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | Not listed | 257 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 96 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (shared) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5, LPDDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Single-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 9 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | UHD Graphics 730 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Part Number | SRPNS | SRQDVQ659 |

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 221E wins in every benchmark category recorded. Its strongest relative advantage appears in prime number finding (88.4% ahead), followed by physics (80%), extended instructions (78.1%), and floating-point math (77.5%). These results indicate workloads that stress heavy arithmetic, branch prediction, and SIMD-style instruction throughput will see the largest gains.

The Core 5 221E also wins decisively across all Cinebench versions, with multicore and single-core deltas hovering around 75.8%. This consistency across render tests, which scale with thread count and clock speed, points to a processor that is simply faster at every level of execution.

The Core 3 N350's smallest deficit appears in single-thread tests, where the Core 5 221E leads by 52.4%. Even there, the Core 3 N350 does not approach parity. Its only distinguishing features from the data are its 7 W TDP, its support for LPDDR5 memory, and its mobile socket. These characteristics make it suitable for low-power, fanless, or battery-operated designs where thermal constraints outweigh compute demands.

The Core 5 221E, with its dual-channel memory, 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, Gen 5 PCIe, ECC support, and 24 MB L3 cache, is positioned for desktop workloads that need sustained throughput, memory capacity, and expansion headroom. The data shows no scenario where the Core 3 N350 outperforms it in measured performance. The 14-core, 20-thread configuration, combined with a 5.20 GHz boost clock, gives the Core 5 221E a decisive edge in multithreaded applications, while its single-core scores show it also leads in lightly threaded tasks.