Intel Core 3 N350 vs Intel Core i5-10300H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor shows a higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 3 N350 has a higher average benchmark score of 9903 compared to the Intel Core i5-10300H's 9243. The Core 3 N350 also sits at the 66th percentile among all CPUs, slightly above the i5-10300H's 65th percentile.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10300H wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core with a score of 6950 versus 6274 for the Core 3 N350, a 9.7% advantage. The single-core test shows a similar gap, with the i5-10300H scoring 981 versus 885.

Q: Are there any workloads where the Core 3 N350 outperforms the i5-10300H?

A: Yes, the Core 3 N350 wins in three recorded benchmarks: data encryption (5693 vs 2770, a 105.5% advantage), floating point math (17781 vs 17076, 4.1% ahead), and integer math (27669 vs 27046, 2.3% ahead).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 3 N350 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-10300H has 4 cores and 8 threads. Both support 8 threads total, but the Core 3 N350 achieves this with physical cores while the i5-10300H uses hyper-threading on four cores.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-10300H has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which is higher than the Core 3 N350's 3.90 GHz. The i5-10300H also has a much higher base clock at 2.50 GHz versus 0.10 GHz.

Q: How does the thermal design power differ between these two mobile processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-10300H is rated at 45 W TDP, while the Intel Core 3 N350 is rated at just 7 W TDP. This is a substantial difference in power envelope, which affects cooling requirements and battery life in mobile designs.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 3 N350 and Intel Core i5-10300H represent two distinctly different approaches to mobile processor design. The Core 3 N350 is built on the Twin Lake architecture, part of the Core 3 generation derived from Alder Lake-N, and manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. The i5-10300H uses the older Comet Lake architecture, specifically Comet Lake-H, on Intel's 14 nm process. This generational difference explains much of the efficiency gap between the two.

The core configurations tell an interesting story. The Core 3 N350 packs 8 physical cores with 8 threads, while the i5-10300H has only 4 physical cores but reaches 8 threads through hyper-threading. For workloads that scale with physical cores, the N350's design could offer an advantage, though the benchmark data shows the i5-10300H generally wins multi-threaded tests anyway due to its much higher clock speeds.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The Core 3 N350 has 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of shared L2 cache. The i5-10300H has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, which across 4 cores totals roughly the same 2 MB. Both chips share 6 MB of L3 cache, so the total cache picture is broadly similar, but the distribution differs.

Memory support diverges considerably. The Core 3 N350 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 memory, but only through a single-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-10300H supports DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth. The dual-channel configuration of the i5-10300H provides higher memory bandwidth, which likely contributes to its performance lead in many workloads.

The process node difference is substantial: 10 nm for the N350 versus 14 nm for the i5-10300H. Combined with the 7 W TDP of the N350 against the 45 W TDP of the i5-10300H, this explains why the N350 can offer competitive performance in select workloads while consuming far less power.

The integrated graphics also differ. The Core 3 N350 includes UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-10300H has a more generic UHD Graphics solution. The N350 also uses a different socket (Intel BGA 1264) compared to the i5-10300H's Intel BGA 1440, meaning these are not interchangeable in system designs.

PCIe support is another differentiating factor. The Core 3 N350 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 9 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-10300H supports PCIe Gen 3 without a specified lane count in the database. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data reveals a clear pattern: the Intel Core i5-10300H dominates in most tests, but the Core 3 N350 scores notable wins in a few specific areas. Across 17 recorded benchmark comparisons, the i5-10300H wins 14 while the Core 3 N350 wins 3.

Starting with the Cinebench suite, the i5-10300H takes every test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 700 against 632 for the N350, a 9.7% advantage. The single-core test shows 98 versus 89, a 9.2% gap. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i5-10300H scores 2919 multi-core versus 2635, again a 9.7% lead, and 412 versus 371 in single-core, a 10% advantage. Cinebench R23 follows the same trend: 6950 versus 6274 in multi-core (9.7%) and 981 versus 885 in single-core (9.8%).

PassMark tests paint a more varied picture. The i5-10300H wins data compression by a wide margin, scoring 117306 versus 80444, a 31.4% lead. Extended instructions also favor the i5-10300H heavily, with 7449 versus 3981, a 46.6% advantage. Random string sorting goes to the i5-10300H at 14956 versus 10102, a 32.5% gap. Prime number finding favors the i5-10300H by 25.9% (27 versus 20), and the multithread test shows an 8262 to 7382 result, a 10.7% lead. Physics simulation goes to the i5-10300H at 514 versus 446, a 13.2% edge. Single-thread performance strongly favors the i5-10300H at 2537 versus 1974, a 22.2% difference.

The Core 3 N350's wins are concentrated in three areas. Data encryption is its biggest victory: 5693 versus 2770, a massive 105.5% advantage. This suggests the N350's architecture includes more efficient cryptographic instruction handling. Floating point math goes to the N350 at 17781 versus 17076, a modest 4.1% lead. Integer math also favors the N350, 27669 versus 27046, a 2.3% edge.

These results indicate that while the i5-10300H generally provides stronger performance, the N350's newer architecture delivers meaningful advantages in encryption-heavy and some math workloads. The 105.5% encryption win is particularly striking and suggests real-world benefits for tasks involving data security or compression with encryption.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The most obvious difference is core count: the Core 3 N350 has 8 cores against 4 cores for the i5-10300H, though both have 8 threads. Clock speeds strongly favor the i5-10300H, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 0.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 3.90 GHz.

Thermal design power differs by a factor of over six: the N350 is rated at 7 W while the i5-10300H is rated at 45 W. This makes the N350 far better suited for fanless or ultra-light designs, whereas the i5-10300H requires more substantial cooling.

The socket types differ: the N350 uses Intel BGA 1264, and the i5-10300H uses Intel BGA 1440. These are not interchangeable. The process node also differs, with the N350 on 10 nm and the i5-10300H on 14 nm.

Cache configurations show subtle differences. The N350 has 96 KB L1 per core and 2 MB shared L2, while the i5-10300H has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core. Both share 6 MB of L3 cache.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The N350 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 over a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-10300H supports DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-10300H has higher memory bandwidth and dual-channel capability.

The integrated graphics differ: the N350 includes UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-10300H has a generic UHD Graphics solution. PCIe support shows the N350 with Gen 3 and 9 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-10300H lists only Gen 3 without a lane count.

Release dates place the N350 in 2025-01-06 and the i5-10300H in 2020-09-16, reflecting the N350's much newer design. Both processors remain in active production, both have locked multipliers, and neither supports ECC memory.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a fairly straightforward choice for most users. The Intel Core i5-10300H wins 14 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, including all Cinebench tests and the majority of PassMark workloads. Its advantages range from 9.2% in Cinebench single-core to 46.6% in extended instructions and 31.4% in data compression. For general productivity, content creation, and most everyday tasks, the i5-10300H is the stronger performer.

However, the Core 3 N350 should not be dismissed. Its 105.5% lead in data encryption is exceptional, and it also edges out the i5-10300H in floating point and integer math. Its 7 W TDP versus 45 W represents a massive efficiency advantage, which matters for battery life and thermal management in thin-and-light laptops. The N350 also supports newer memory types including DDR5 and LPDDR5, which could offer platform-level benefits.

The choice ultimately depends on priorities. Users who need maximum performance in compression, sorting, physics, and single-threaded applications should select the i5-10300H. Users who prioritize encryption performance, math throughput, power efficiency, and modern memory support should consider the Core 3 N350.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-10300H is the clear choice for tasks that benefit from high clock speeds and strong single-thread performance. Its 22.2% lead in single-thread tests makes it better for everyday responsiveness, office applications, and lightly threaded software. The 31.4% advantage in data compression suits archiving tools and file management. The 46.6% lead in extended instructions benefits media encoding and scientific workloads that use SIMD instructions. The 32.5% edge in random string sorting helps database and text-processing applications. Physics simulation, with a 13.2% lead, makes it the better option for gaming and 3D applications that rely on physics calculations. The i5-10300H also wins the multithread test by 10.7%, so even heavily threaded workloads generally run faster on this chip despite its lower core count.

The Intel Core 3 N350 wins in three specific areas. Data encryption is its standout category, with a 105.5% advantage that makes it the obvious pick for VPN traffic, encrypted storage, secure communications, and any workload involving cryptography. Floating point math shows a 4.1% lead, which could translate to small gains in scientific calculations and 3D rendering that rely heavily on FPU throughput. Integer math also favors the N350 by 2.3%, benefiting general arithmetic-heavy applications. Beyond raw performance, the N350's 7 W TDP makes it the appropriate choice for fanless designs, ultra-portable devices, and systems where battery life takes priority over peak performance. Its support for DDR5 and LPDDR5 memory gives it a modern platform advantage, while the i5-10300H is limited to DDR3 and DDR4.