Intel Core 3 N355 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark data presents an unusually one-sided picture. Across all 17 recorded comparisons, the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H takes the win. The Intel Core 3 N355 does not register a single victory in any measured test. This is not a case of one chip edging out the other in a few specialized workloads; the Ultra 5 336H dominates every category, from single-threaded tasks to heavily parallel multi-core rendering.

The Core 3 N355 is positioned as a low-power mobile processor, and its benchmark profile reflects that role. Its best relative showing comes in PassMark integer math, where it trails by 45.4%, the narrowest margin in the entire comparison. Single-thread performance also shows a relatively smaller gap at 46.3%, suggesting the N355’s architecture is not completely outclassed in lightly threaded work, but still substantially behind.

The Core Ultra 5 336H, by contrast, delivers its largest advantages in workloads that stress parallel execution and complex instruction throughput. The widest margin appears in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Ultra 5 336H leads by 91%. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a 78.1% advantage, and PassMark extended instructions shows a 75.7% lead. These results point to a processor with far greater raw compute capacity, particularly when all cores are engaged.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families and manufacturing nodes. The Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, while the Core Ultra 5 336H uses Panther Lake on a 3 nm node. Both are produced by Intel, but the process gap is significant and helps explain the performance disparity.

Core counts differ sharply. The N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Ultra 5 336H doubles that to 16 cores and 16 threads. Neither chip uses simultaneous multithreading, so thread counts equal core counts. The Ultra 5 336H also boosts higher, reaching 4.60 GHz versus 3.90 GHz for the N355, while both share the same 1.90 GHz base clock.

Cache hierarchies are very different. The N355 provides 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 336H offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The L2 allocation is particularly notable: per-core L2 on the Ultra 5 336H exceeds the N355’s total shared L2.

Memory support also separates the two. The N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 over a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Ultra 5 336H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s, exactly three times the bandwidth. PCIe connectivity differs as well, with Gen 3 and 9 lanes on the N355 versus Gen 5 and 12 lanes on the Ultra 5 336H.

Integrated graphics differ: the N355 uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 5 336H uses Intel Xe3 Graphics. The Ultra 5 336H also carries a higher 25 W TDP compared to 15 W for the N355. Sockets are incompatible, with the N355 on Intel BGA 1264 and the Ultra 5 336H on Intel BGA 2540.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Core 3 N355 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 336H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the boost clock difference between the two?

A: The Core 3 N355 boosts to 3.90 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 336H boosts to 4.60 GHz. Both have a base clock of 1.90 GHz.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Core Ultra 5 336H has 115.2 GB/s over a dual-channel bus. The Core 3 N355 has 38.4 GB/s over a single-channel bus.

Q: Do either of these processors support ECC memory?

A: Neither processor supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the manufacturing process for each chip?

A: The Core 3 N355 is built on a 10 nm process. The Core Ultra 5 336H is built on a 3 nm process.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake architecture with 8 cores, while the Core Ultra 5 336H uses Panther Lake with 16 cores. Base clocks match at 1.90 GHz, but boost clocks diverge: 3.90 GHz for the N355 versus 4.60 GHz for the Ultra 5 336H.

TDP ratings place the N355 at 15 W and the Ultra 5 336H at 25 W. The N355 uses socket Intel BGA 1264, while the Ultra 5 336H uses Intel BGA 2540. Process nodes differ at 10 nm versus 3 nm, both fabricated by Intel.

Cache configurations show the largest structural gap. The N355 has 96 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of shared L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 336H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The per-core L2 allocation on the Ultra 5 336H is particularly significant, totaling far more L2 across all cores.

Memory support differs in both type and width. The N355 supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 over a single-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s. The Ultra 5 336H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 115.2 GB/s. PCIe generations also separate them: Gen 3 with 9 lanes for the N355, Gen 5 with 12 lanes for the Ultra 5 336H.

Integrated graphics are not shared. The N355 includes UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 5 336H includes Intel Xe3 Graphics. Both processors are unlocked in terms of multiplier, neither supports ECC memory, and both are currently active in production. Release dates differ, with the N355 appearing in January 2025 and the Ultra 5 336H in January 2026.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the comparison belongs to PassMark find prime numbers. The Core Ultra 5 336H scores 299 against 27 for the Core 3 N355, a 91% advantage. This workload is highly sensitive to integer throughput and memory latency, and the Ultra 5 336H’s combination of more cores, larger caches, and faster memory clearly pays off.

Cinebench R23 multi-core delivers the second-largest gap. The Ultra 5 336H scores 23991, while the N355 scores 5262, a 78.1% difference. This test scales with core count and sustained power delivery, both areas where the Ultra 5 336H holds structural advantages. The N355’s 15 W TDP and 8 cores cannot match the 16-core, 25 W part in an extended render workload.

PassMark extended instructions shows a 75.7% lead for the Ultra 5 336H, with scores of 24542 versus 5968. This test exercises SIMD and specialized instruction paths, where the newer Panther Lake architecture and 3 nm process provide clear benefits. PassMark physics follows at 76.7% behind, with scores of 2682 versus 625.

Cinebench R20 multi-core and PassMark floating point math show similar patterns. The Ultra 5 336H leads by 64.2% in R20 multi-core, scoring 10076 against 3612. Floating point math shows a 72.5% gap, with 82415 versus 22695. Both tests reward raw compute throughput, and the Ultra 5 336H’s doubled core count and higher boost clock drive the results.

The narrowest margins appear in integer math and single-thread tests. PassMark integer math shows the Ultra 5 336H ahead by 45.4%, scoring 62070 versus 33894. PassMark single-thread shows a 46.3% lead, with 4013 versus 2153. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 50.7% gap, with 341 versus 168. Even in these lighter workloads, the N355 cannot close the gap to a competitive level.

Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 64.2% lead for the Ultra 5 336H, scoring 1422 against 509. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 66% difference, with 2418 versus 822. PassMark data encryption shows a 61.9% gap, with 21291 versus 8121. PassMark multithread shows a 64.4% difference, with 28545 versus 10174. PassMark data compression shows a 58.1% lead, with 280340 versus 117435. PassMark random string sorting shows a 57.3% gap, with 34402 versus 14706.

The Core Ultra 5 336H ranks at the 84th percentile among all CPUs, while the Core 3 N355 sits at the 68th percentile. The average benchmark scores reinforce the spread: 34485 for the Ultra 5 336H versus 13492 for the N355. The nearest rivals for the Ultra 5 336H include the Intel Core i7-13700HX at 0.2% behind, the Intel Core i5-13450HX at 0.4% ahead, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X at 0.7% ahead, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 at 0.8% ahead. The N355’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-12100F at parity, the Intel Core i5-9500 at 0.3% ahead, the Intel Core 5 120UL at 0.8% behind, and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 1.1% ahead.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H is the stronger processor in every measured category. Its 16 cores, 4.60 GHz boost clock, 18 MB of L3 cache, dual-channel memory, and 3 nm process combine to deliver performance that the Core 3 N355 cannot approach. The 84th percentile ranking versus 68th percentile confirms the broader competitive positioning.

The Core 3 N355 remains a functional mobile processor for light workloads, but its benchmark profile places it near chips like the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Core i5-9500, not in the same class as the Ultra 5 336H. The 15 W TDP and single-channel memory limit its ceiling in everything from rendering to data compression.

For workloads that demand multi-core throughput, the choice is unambiguous. The Ultra 5 336H delivers 78.1% more Cinebench R23 multi-core performance and 91% more in find prime numbers. Even in single-thread tasks, where the N355 should theoretically be less disadvantaged, the Ultra 5 336H maintains a 46.3% lead. The recorded data shows a processor generation gap that no software optimization can bridge.