CPU Comparison
Intel Core 3 N355
Core i5-8500
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 3 N355 vs Intel Core i5-8500
The Intel Core 3 N355 and Intel Core i5-8500 are both 68th-percentile processors, but they achieve that status through entirely different means. The data shows a near-even split of benchmark wins (8 for the N355, 9 for the i5-8500), yet the margins are lopsided in opposite directions. The N355 dominates in encryption and integer workloads, while the i5-8500 counters with massive leads in extended instructions and multi-core rendering under Cinebench R23. Choosing between them means choosing which workload profile matters more, as neither part is a universal winner.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The N355’s most dramatic victory is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 8121 against the i5-8500’s 3027. That is a 168.3% advantage, the largest delta in the entire comparison. This result alone signals a major architectural strength in cryptographic workloads. The N355 also wins PassMark integer math by a solid 27.7% (33894 vs 26551), and it edges out the i5-8500 in PassMark multithread (10174 vs 9532, a 6.7% lead). In Cinebench R20, the N355 takes both multi-core (3612 vs 3393, +6.5%) and single-core (509 vs 478, +6.5%). The single-core gap is even more pronounced in Cinebench R15, where the N355 scores 168 versus 114, a 47.4% blowout. The N355 also wins PassMark floating point math, though narrowly, at 22695 vs 22489 (+0.9%).
The i5-8500 counters with its own set of decisive wins. The biggest is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 8079 against the N355’s 5262, a 34.9% lead. That is a stark reversal from R20, where the N355 held the advantage. The i5-8500 also wins PassMark extended instructions by a wide margin (11480 vs 5968, a 48% lead), indicating superior SIMD or AVX throughput. In PassMark data compression, the i5-8500 leads by 12.8% (134673 vs 117435). Single-threaded PassMark scores favor the i5-8500 at 2441 vs 2153 (-11.8% for the N355), and the same delta appears in PassMark singlethread. The i5-8500 also wins PassMark find prime numbers (36 vs 27, a 25% lead), PassMark random string sorting (16294 vs 14706, +9.7%), and PassMark physics by a hair (628 vs 625, +0.5%). In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-8500 takes a modest 8.9% lead (1140 vs 1039).
Architecture Differences
The underlying designs could hardly be more different. The N355 is built on Intel’s Twin Lake architecture, a 10 nm process, while the i5-8500 uses Coffee Lake on a 14 nm node. The N355 is a mobile part (Intel BGA 1264 socket) with a 15 W TDP, whereas the i5-8500 is a desktop chip (Intel Socket 1151) with a 65 W TDP. The N355 packs 8 cores and 8 threads, but the i5-8500 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Despite fewer cores, the i5-8500 has a larger L3 cache at 9 MB shared versus the N355’s 6 MB shared. Per-core L1 and L2 caches also differ: the N355 has 96 KB L1 per core and 2 MB shared L2, while the i5-8500 has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core.
Memory support diverges significantly. The N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5, but only on a single-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-8500 is limited to DDR4 but runs dual-channel with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe connectivity also differs: the N355 offers Gen 3 with 9 lanes, while the i5-8500 provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The i5-8500 has a larger die at 154 mm², while the N355’s die size is not listed. Integrated graphics differ as well: the N355 uses UHD Graphics 770, and the i5-8500 uses UHD Graphics 630. The i5-8500 is marked end-of-life and was released in 2018, while the N355 is active and launched in 2025. The i5-8500 had a launch MSRP of $192; the N355 has no listed launch MSRP.
Where Each One Wins
The N355 is the clear choice for encryption-heavy tasks. Its 168.3% lead in PassMark data encryption is not a marginal edge; it is a dominant category win. It also excels in integer math, where the 27.7% advantage suggests strong ALU performance for general arithmetic. The N355 wins Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests, so it holds its own in older rendering benchmarks. Single-core performance in Cinebench R15 is another bright spot, with a 47.4% lead that shows the Twin Lake core is exceptionally strong in that specific legacy test. For floating point math, the N355’s 0.9% win is narrow but still a victory, making it suitable for scientific or simulation workloads that rely on FP arithmetic.
The i5-8500 is the better part for modern multi-threaded rendering. Its 34.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the single largest performance gap in the comparison, and it suggests that Coffee Lake’s larger L3 cache and higher TDP allow sustained performance under long rendering loads. The i5-8500 also dominates extended instructions, with a 48% lead that makes it the choice for AVX-heavy applications like video encoding or scientific computing. Data compression is another strong suit, with a 12.8% lead. For single-threaded PassMark tasks, the i5-8500 is ahead by 11.8%, and it also wins in prime number finding (25% lead), random string sorting (9.7% lead), and physics (0.5% lead). The i5-8500’s Cinebench R23 single-core lead (8.9%) is more modest but still consistent.
Specification Differences
The core counts differ: 8 cores for the N355 versus 6 for the i5-8500. Base clocks are 1.90 GHz for the N355 and 3.00 GHz for the i5-8500, while boost clocks are 3.90 GHz and 4.10 GHz, respectively. The TDP is a major differentiator: 15 W versus 65 W. Socket types are incompatible: Intel BGA 1264 versus Intel Socket 1151. Cache hierarchies are different: L1 is 96 KB per core on the N355 versus 64 KB per core on the i5-8500; L2 is 2 MB shared versus 256 KB per core; L3 is 6 MB shared versus 9 MB shared. Memory support: the N355 accepts DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 with single-channel 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-8500 accepts only DDR4 with dual-channel 42.7 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe lanes are 9 (Gen 3) on the N355 versus 16 (Gen 3) on the i5-8500. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 versus UHD Graphics 630. The process node is 10 nm versus 14 nm. The i5-8500 has a die size of 154 mm²; the N355’s is not listed. Production status: Active versus End-of-life. Release dates are 2025 for the N355 and 2018 for the i5-8500. The i5-8500 has a launch MSRP of $192; the N355 has none listed. Part numbers are SRPNT and SR3XE, respectively.
FAQ
Q: Which CPU has more cores?
A: The Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-8500 has 6 cores and 6 threads.
Q: How big is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?
A: The i5-8500 wins by 34.9%, scoring 8079 versus the N355’s 5262.
Q: Which processor is better for data encryption?
A: The N355 dominates, scoring 8121 in PassMark data encryption compared to the i5-8500’s 3027, a 168.3% lead.
Q: What are the TDP differences?
A: The N355 has a 15 W TDP, while the i5-8500 has a 65 W TDP.
Q: Which CPU supports more memory types?
A: The N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5, while the i5-8500 supports only DDR4.
Q: How do their single-thread PassMark scores compare?
A: The i5-8500 leads with 2441 versus the N355’s 2153, an 11.8% advantage for the i5-8500.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear split: pick the Intel Core 3 N355 if your workloads are encryption-heavy, integer-math-focused, or rely on older Cinebench versions. Its 168.3% encryption lead and 27.7% integer math advantage are decisive, and it wins the R15 and R20 multi-core tests. The N355 is also the only viable option for mobile or low-power designs, given its 15 W TDP versus the i5-8500’s 65 W.
Pick the Intel Core i5-8500 if you need modern multi-threaded rendering performance or heavy use of extended instructions. Its 34.9% Cinebench R23 multi-core lead and 48% extended instructions advantage are too large to ignore for content creation or scientific workloads. The i5-8500 also wins all single-threaded PassMark tests and data compression, making it the more versatile desktop part despite being end-of-life. The overall win count is nearly tied (9 for the i5-8500, 8 for the N355), but the i5-8500’s wins come in more demanding, sustained workloads, while the N355’s wins are concentrated in specific niches. For a balanced desktop role, the i5-8500 is the safer choice; for specialized encryption or low-power tasks, the N355 is superior.