Intel Core 3 N355 vs Intel Xeon 6756E Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon 6756E dominates multi-threaded and server-oriented workloads, taking 12 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks. Its largest victories come in tasks that scale with core count and raw throughput. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Xeon scores 9728 against 5262 for the Core 3 N355, a decisive 84.9% advantage. That gap reflects the Xeon's 128 cores versus 8 cores, and it carries over to data compression (123443 vs 117435, 5.1% ahead), encryption (8409 vs 8121, 3.5% ahead), and extended instruction workloads (6596 vs 5968, 10.5% ahead). The most extreme outlier is prime number finding, where the Xeon scores 133 versus just 27, a 392.6% margin that suggests the server chip's architecture is far better suited to integer-heavy algorithmic loops.

Physics simulation also strongly favors the Xeon, with a score of 1463 versus 625, a 134.1% lead. Random string sorting goes to the Xeon by 7.8% (15847 vs 14706), and the multi-threaded PassMark score shows a 12.5% edge (11445 vs 10174). Even in Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Xeon leads by 13.1% (4085 vs 3612), and in R15 multi-core by 19.2% (980 vs 822). Notably, the Xeon also wins single-core Cinebench R20 and R23, despite the Core 3 N355 having a much higher boost clock, which we will address shortly.

The Intel Core 3 N355 takes the remaining 5 wins, all in single-threaded or lightly-threaded workloads. Its PassMark single-thread score is 2153 versus 1646, a 23.5% advantage. It also wins floating-point math (22695 vs 22451, 1.1% ahead) and integer math (33894 vs 30806, 9.1% ahead). In Cinebench R15 single-core, the N355 posts 168 versus 138, a 17.9% edge. These wins indicate that for latency-sensitive, single-threaded applications, the mobile chip's higher clocks matter more than the Xeon's massive core count. The N355 also has a higher base clock (1.90 GHz vs 1.80 GHz) and boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 2.60 GHz), which explains its single-thread dominance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different Intel design families. The Xeon 6756E is built on the Sierra Forest architecture, a 5 nm process node, and is a server/workstation part in the Xeon 6 generation. It features 128 cores and 128 threads, with a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 2.60 GHz. Cache is organized with 96 KB L1 per core, 4 MB L2 per module, and a shared 96 MB L3 cache. The die measures 578 mm². Memory support is DDR5 over an eight-channel bus, yielding 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported. PCIe is Gen 5 with 88 lanes (CPU only). There is no integrated graphics.

The Core 3 N355 is a Twin Lake architecture part on a 10 nm node, designed for the mobile segment. It has 8 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 1.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. Cache is much smaller: 96 KB L1 per core, 2 MB shared L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The memory controller supports DDR4, DDR5, and LPDDR5 over a single-channel bus, capping bandwidth at 38.4 GB/s, roughly one-tenth of the Xeon's. ECC is not supported, PCIe is Gen 3 with 9 lanes, and the chip includes UHD Graphics 770. It is built for low-power mobile devices with a 15 W TDP, versus the Xeon's 225 W TDP.

The socket also differs fundamentally: the Xeon uses Intel Socket 4710, while the N355 uses Intel BGA 1264, meaning the two are not interchangeable in any platform. The Xeon's launch MSRP is $8428; the N355 has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E has 128 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core 3 N355 has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, compared to the Xeon 6756E's 2.60 GHz.

Q: Which chip supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E supports ECC memory; the Intel Core 3 N355 does not.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E has 96 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 3 N355 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The Intel Xeon 6756E wins with a score of 9728, an 84.9% advantage over the Core 3 N355's 5262.

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread PassMark score?

A: The Intel Core 3 N355 scores 2153, which is 23.5% higher than the Xeon 6756E's 1646.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two processors differ.

| Specification | Intel Xeon 6756E | Intel Core 3 N355 |

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

| Cores | 128 | 8 |

| Threads | 128 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1.80 GHz | 1.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 225 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 4710 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| Architecture | Sierra Forest | Twin Lake |

| Generation | Xeon 6 (Sierra Forest-SP) | Core 3 (Alder Lake-N) |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | 578 mm² | (not recorded) |

| L2 Cache | 4 MB (per module) | 2 MB (shared) |

| L3 Cache | 96 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

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

| Memory Bus | Eight-channel | Single-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 409.6 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 88 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 9 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | N/A | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Mobile |

| Launch MSRP | $8428 | (not recorded) |

| Part Number | SRPFX | SRPNT |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal a clear pattern: the Xeon 6756E wins workloads that exploit parallelism, while the Core 3 N355 wins those that favor clock speed and single-thread efficiency.

The Xeon's most significant wins are in Cinebench R23 multi-core (9728 vs 5262, 84.9% ahead) and the prime number finding test (133 vs 27, 392.6% ahead). Physics simulation also shows a massive gap, with the Xeon at 1463 versus 625, a 134.1% lead. These results align with the Xeon's server positioning, where sustained multi-threaded throughput is the priority.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon leads 980 to 822, a 19.2% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a 13.1% edge (4085 vs 3612). The PassMark multi-thread test goes to the Xeon at 11445 versus 10174, a 12.5% advantage. Data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting all favor the Xeon by single-digit to low-double-digit percentages: 5.1%, 3.5%, 10.5%, and 7.8%, respectively.

The Core 3 N355 wins the single-thread tests. PassMark single-thread shows 2153 versus 1646, a 23.5% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core goes to the N355 at 168 versus 138, a 17.9% margin. In integer math, the N355 leads 33894 to 30806, a 9.1% gap. Floating-point math is closer, with the N355 ahead 22695 to 22451, only 1.1%. Notably, the Xeon wins Cinebench R20 single-core (576 vs 509, 13.2% ahead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (1373 vs 1039, 32.1% ahead), which suggests that the Xeon's newer architecture compensates for its lower clocks in some single-threaded rendering tasks.

Overall, the data shows a processor for scale-out server workloads in the Xeon 6756E, and a low-power mobile chip that punches above its weight in single-threaded and math-heavy tasks in the Core 3 N355. The Xeon's 12 wins versus 5 for the N355, combined with its much higher thread count, memory bandwidth, and cache capacity, make it the clear choice for multi-threaded throughput. The N355's wins in single-thread and integer/floating-point math, plus its dramatically lower TDP, suit it for fanless or battery-powered designs where per-core speed and efficiency matter more than core count.