CPU Comparison

The Intel Core 3 N350 and Intel Core i7-3770 occupy opposite ends of the hardware timeline, yet their benchmark scores place them in the same performance bracket. The newer N350, a 2025 mobile part, and the 2012 desktop i7-3770 both land at the 66th percentile of all CPUs, with average benchmark scores of 9903 and 9706 respectively. The data reveals a generational shift where a low-power, 8-core design matches the overall output of an older high-TDP quad-core, but the distribution of wins across workloads tells a more nuanced story. The N350 takes 10 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the i7-3770 claims 7, yet the older chip’s victories are often by larger margins in its strongest areas.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the Intel Core 3 N350 comes in data encryption, where it scores 5693 against the i7-3770’s 1866, a staggering 205.1% advantage. This is not a marginal improvement but a fundamental leap in cryptographic throughput, likely reflecting modern instruction set extensions. Similarly, in floating-point math, the N350 posts 17781 versus 11628, a 52.9% lead that demonstrates its superior mathematical processing capability. The integer math test also favors the newer chip, with a score of 27669 compared to 22945, a 20.6% advantage.

Across the Cinebench suite, the N350 is consistently ahead by roughly 15%. For example, in Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 6274 against 5450, a 15.1% delta, and the single-core result is nearly identical at 885 versus 769, also 15.1%. This uniformity across rendering workloads indicates a balanced architectural improvement rather than a niche advantage. The PassMark multi-thread test confirms this trend, with the N350 at 7382 and the i7-3770 at 6414, another 15.1% margin.

However, the i7-3770 fights back in several specific workloads. The largest win for the older chip is in data compression, where it scores 105424 versus the N350’s 80444, a 23.7% deficit for the newer part. Random string sorting also heavily favors the i7-3770, at 14060 versus 10102, a 28.2% gap. The 2012 processor also wins the find prime numbers test, scoring 29 versus 20, a 31% difference, and the extended instructions test, 4476 versus 3981, an 11.1% lead. In single-threaded PassMark tests, the i7-3770 edges out the N350 at 2073 versus 1974, a 4.8% advantage, and it also wins the physics test narrowly, 458 versus 446, a 2.6% margin.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 3 N350 is the clear winner for modern, compute-heavy tasks that leverage contemporary instruction sets. Its dominance in data encryption and floating-point math points to workloads like cryptography, scientific simulation, and financial modeling where the newer architecture’s efficiency shines. The consistent 15% lead across all Cinebench versions indicates that rendering and 3D modeling software will see tangible improvements on the N350. For multi-threaded productivity, the N350’s 15.1% advantage in PassMark multi-thread and 20.6% in integer math suggests it handles compilation, video encoding, and general office multitasking with more headroom.

The Intel Core i7-3770, despite its age, retains superiority in tasks that depend on raw memory bandwidth and certain legacy instruction paths. Its 23.7% win in data compression and 28.2% in random string sorting point to workloads like file archiving, database operations, and text processing where the dual-channel DDR3 memory subsystem provides an unexpected edge. The 31% lead in prime number finding is characteristic of single-threaded integer loops, and the 4.8% margin in PassMark single-thread shows the older chip’s higher base clock of 3.40 GHz still matters for latency-sensitive applications. For users running legacy software compiled for older x86 extensions, the i7-3770’s 11.1% win in extended instructions is relevant.

The real-world split is clear: the N350 is built for the future, excelling in encryption and floating-point workloads, while the i7-3770 wins in compression, sorting, and single-threaded legacy tasks. For general desktop use, the N350’s 20.6% integer math lead suggests better responsiveness in everyday computing, but the i7-3770’s single-thread advantage means it is not obsolete for older applications.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divergence lies in process node and transistor design. The Intel Core 3 N350 is fabricated on a 10 nm process using the Twin Lake architecture, specifically from the Core 3 (Alder Lake-N) generation. In contrast, the i7-3770 uses the Ivy Bridge architecture on a 22 nm process. This node difference explains the dramatic TDP disparity: the N350 consumes 7 watts while the i7-3770 draws 77 watts, yet the N350 still outperforms in most tests. The newer chip packs 8 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-3770 has 4 cores and 8 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach parity in thread count.

Cache hierarchies also differ significantly. The N350 has 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of shared L2 cache, with 6 MB of shared L3. The i7-3770 features 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 8 MB of shared L3. The i7-3770’s larger L3 cache and per-core L2 likely contribute to its wins in data compression and sorting, where larger working sets fit in cache. The N350’s smaller but more efficient cache layout, combined with the newer process, favors its floating-point and encryption performance. The i7-3770 also includes 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, while the N350’s transistor count and die size are not listed.

Memory support is another stark difference. The N350 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 memory over a single-channel bus with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i7-3770 is limited to DDR3, albeit on a dual-channel bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. Despite the N350’s higher theoretical bandwidth, the i7-3770’s dual-channel configuration appears to benefit latency-sensitive and memory-heavy workloads, as evidenced by its compression and sorting wins. Both chips lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on nearly every core specification. The N350 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-3770 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The base clock is dramatically different: the N350 runs at a nominal 0.10 GHz, whereas the i7-3770 has a 3.40 GHz base. However, both boost to a maximum of 3.90 GHz, making peak single-thread performance similar, though the i7-3770 wins that specific test by 4.8%. The TDP is 7 watts for the N350 versus 77 watts for the i7-3770, a 70-watt gap that highlights the N350’s efficiency.

The socket and market segment also differ: the N350 uses Intel BGA 1264 and targets the mobile segment, while the i7-3770 uses Intel Socket 1155 for desktops. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 on the N350 versus Intel HD 4000 on the i7-3770. PCIe support shows the N350 has 9 CPU-only lanes on Gen 3, while the i7-3770 has 16 lanes on Gen 3. Memory support is DDR4/DDR5/LPDDR5 for the N350 versus DDR3 exclusively for the i7-3770. The production status is active for the N350 and end-of-life for the i7-3770. The release dates are January 6, 2025, and April 28, 2012, respectively. The i7-3770 has a launch MSRP of $278, while the N350 has no listed MSRP. The part numbers are SRPNS for the N350 and SR0PK for the i7-3770.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster overall?

A: The Intel Core 3 N350 has a higher average benchmark score of 9903 versus 9706 for the i7-3770, and it wins 10 of the 17 head-to-head tests. The average score difference is 2% in favor of the N350.

Q: Why does the i7-3770 win in data compression?

A: The i7-3770 scores 105424 in PassMark data compression versus 80444 for the N350, a 23.7% advantage. This is likely due to its larger 8 MB L3 cache and dual-channel memory configuration, which benefit working sets that fit in cache.

Q: How much better is the N350 in encryption?

A: The N350 scores 5693 in PassMark data encryption against 1866 for the i7-3770, representing a 205.1% improvement. This suggests modern AES-NI or similar instruction support is vastly superior on the newer chip.

Q: Are the single-core performances comparable?

A: They are close, but the i7-3770 wins PassMark single-thread with 2073 versus 1974, a 4.8% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the N350 wins with 885 versus 769, a 15.1% lead, indicating version-dependent results.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The N350 has a TDP of 7 watts, while the i7-3770 has a TDP of 77 watts. This is a 70-watt difference, making the N350 far more power-efficient for mobile use.

Q: Which chip has better multi-threaded performance?

A: The N350 leads in multi-threaded tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 6274 versus 5450, a 15.1% advantage. In PassMark multi-thread, it scores 7382 versus 6414, also a 15.1% lead.