Intel Core i7-8665UE vs Intel Pentium Silver N6005 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a surprisingly consistent picture: the Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the database against the Intel Core i7-8665UE. This is a clean sweep, with the N6005 taking all six recorded tests and the i7-8665UE winning none.

Looking at the multi-core results, the N6005 leads in Cinebench R15 with a score of 447 against 415, a delta of 7.7%. The margin holds steady in Cinebench R20, where the N6005 scores 1866 versus 1732, again 7.7% ahead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the N6005 posts 4444 while the i7-8665UE manages 4124, a 7.8% advantage. These are not isolated flukes; the consistency across three generations of the Cinebench test suggests a structural advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the N6005 scores 63 against 58, an 8.6% lead, the largest margin recorded in any test between these two processors. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 263 versus 244, a 7.8% gap, and Cinebench R23 single-core shows 627 versus 582, a 7.7% difference. The N6005 also holds the edge in Geekbench, with a multi-core score of 1469 and a single-core score of 564, though the i7-8665UE does not have corresponding Geekbench entries in the head-to-head data.

The overall average benchmark scores reflect this narrow but consistent gap. The N6005 carries an average benchmark score of 1218, while the i7-8665UE sits at 1193. That places the N6005 in the 34th percentile of all CPUs tracked in the database, with the i7-8665UE just behind at the 33rd percentile. The N6005's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i7-3632QM at an average score of 1219 (a delta of -0.1%) and the Intel Core i5-2500 at 1220 (a delta of -0.2%), while the i7-8665UE sits level with the Intel Core i3-4170 and the AMD Athlon PRO 300U, both at 1193 with a delta of 0%.

What is striking is that the N6005 achieves these wins despite being a Pentium Silver part, a lower-tier product line, against a Core i7 from Intel's Whiskey Lake generation. The margins are consistent across every workload, which points toward a fundamental efficiency difference in how these two chips execute instructions. The data does not show a single test where the i7-8665UE pulls ahead, nor even a test where it closes the gap to within a couple of percent.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the benchmark results, the N6005 wins in every category measured, but the nature of those wins suggests different use-case implications. The N6005's advantage in single-core tests, ranging from 7.7% to 8.6% depending on the Cinebench version, indicates that lightly threaded applications such as everyday desktop tasks, web browsing, and office productivity would favor the N6005. The consistency of the single-core margin across R15, R20, and R23 reinforces this interpretation.

For multi-threaded workloads, the N6005 also leads, though the i7-8665UE has twice the threads (8 versus 4). The N6005's multi-core scores are 7.7% to 7.8% higher across the Cinebench suite. This is notable because the i7-8665UE's additional threads do not translate into a win in any multi-core test. The N6005's 4-core, 4-thread configuration outperforms the i7-8665UE's 4-core, 8-thread configuration in every recorded multi-core benchmark. The database shows no scenario where the i7-8665UE's hyper-threading advantage overcomes the N6005's per-core performance.

The Geekbench results, where the N6005 scores 1469 multi-core and 564 single-core, exist only for the N6005 in this comparison, so they cannot be directly weighed against the i7-8665UE. However, they do provide context for where the N6005 sits in the broader database landscape. The N6005's average benchmark score of 1218 places it just below the Intel Core i7-3632QM and Intel Core i5-2500, both at roughly 1219 to 1220, and just above the Intel Xeon E5-1607 v3 at 1212 and the Intel Core i3-7300T at 1211. The i7-8665UE, meanwhile, sits at 1193, level with the Core i3-4170 and Athlon PRO 300U.

The practical implication is that for any workload the database measures, the N6005 is the faster processor. The i7-8665UE's strengths, if any, would have to lie outside the tested benchmarks, such as in features not captured by Cinebench or Geekbench, but the recorded data offers no evidence of such an advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and are built on different process nodes. The N6005 uses the Tremont architecture, part of the Jasper Lake codename family, and is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. The i7-8665UE uses the Whiskey Lake architecture, specifically Whiskey Lake-U, and is built on Intel's 14 nm process. This process gap likely explains much of the performance difference: the newer 10 nm node gives the N6005 an efficiency and per-clock advantage that shows up consistently across all benchmarks.

Both processors have 4 physical cores, but the i7-8665UE doubles the thread count with 8 threads versus the N6005's 4. Despite this, the N6005 still wins every multi-threaded test, which suggests the Tremont cores are substantially more efficient per thread than the Whiskey Lake cores. The base clocks differ, with the N6005 running at 2000 MHz and the i7-8665UE at 1700 MHz, but the i7-8665UE has a significantly higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus the N6005's 3.30 GHz. The boost clock advantage does not translate into benchmark wins, indicating the i7-8665UE likely cannot sustain those high clocks under load, or the architectural efficiency gap is simply too large.

Cache configurations differ notably. The N6005 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-8665UE also has 64 KB of L1 per core, but 256 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-8665UE's larger L3 cache does not help it overcome the N6005's performance lead in any recorded test.

Memory support also differs. The N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The i7-8665UE supports DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, but with a lower bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The N6005's higher memory bandwidth may contribute to its multi-core wins, particularly in memory-sensitive workloads.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The N6005 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-8665UE offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i7-8665UE has more PCIe lanes, which could matter for expandability, but this does not show up in CPU benchmark scores. The integrated graphics also differ: the N6005 uses UHD Graphics 32EU, while the i7-8665UE uses UHD Graphics 620. The database does not include graphics benchmarks for these processors, so no direct comparison can be made on that front.

The i7-8665UE has a launch MSRP of $409, while the N6005 has no recorded launch MSRP. The i7-8665UE was released on 2018-09-30, and both processors are marked as end-of-life in their production status. The i7-8665UE uses the Intel BGA 1528 socket, while the N6005 uses Intel BGA 1338. Both are mobile market segments, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The N6005 has a die size of 63.8 mm², while the i7-8665UE has no recorded die size. The part numbers are SRKGU for the N6005 and SRF9W for the i7-8665UE.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver N6005 wins every multi-core test. It scores 4444 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 4124 for the i7-8665UE, a 7.8% lead. It also leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (447 versus 415) and Cinebench R20 multi-core (1866 versus 1732), both by 7.7%.

Q: Does the i7-8665UE's higher boost clock help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. Despite a boost clock of 4.40 GHz compared to the N6005's 3.30 GHz, the i7-8665UE loses every benchmark in the database. The N6005 wins all six head-to-head tests.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The N6005 has an average benchmark score of 1218, which places it in the 34th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-8665UE has an average score of 1193, placing it in the 33rd percentile.

Q: The i7-8665UE has 8 threads while the N6005 has 4. Why does the N6005 still win multi-core tests?

A: The N6005 leads in all multi-core Cinebench tests by 7.7% to 7.8%, despite having only 4 threads. The i7-8665UE's additional threads do not translate into a win in any recorded multi-core benchmark.

Q: What are the nearest rivals to each processor in the database?

A: The N6005's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-3632QM (average score 1219, delta -0.1%) and the Intel Core i5-2500 (average score 1220, delta -0.2%). The i7-8665UE's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i3-4170 and AMD Athlon PRO 300U, both with an average score of 1193 and a delta of 0%.

Q: What memory bandwidth does each processor support?

A: The N6005 supports up to 46.9 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR4 or LPDDR4 bus. The i7-8665UE supports up to 38.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR3 or DDR4 bus.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The N6005 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-8665UE has 4 cores and 8 threads. The N6005 has a base clock of 2000 MHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, while the i7-8665UE has a base clock of 1700 MHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The N6005 has a TDP of 10 watts, while the i7-8665UE has a TDP of 15 watts.

The N6005 uses the Intel BGA 1338 socket, while the i7-8665UE uses the Intel BGA 1528 socket. The N6005 is built on the Tremont architecture with the Jasper Lake codename, while the i7-8665UE uses the Whiskey Lake architecture with the Whiskey Lake-U codename. The N6005 uses a 10 nm process node, while the i7-8665UE uses a 14 nm process node.

Cache configurations differ: the N6005 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2, and 4 MB of shared L3. The i7-8665UE has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. Memory support differs: the N6005 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 with 46.9 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-8665UE supports DDR3 and DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe also differs: the N6005 has Gen 3 with 8 lanes, while the i7-8665UE has Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 32EU for the N6005 and UHD Graphics 620 for the i7-8665UE. The N6005 has a die size of 63.8 mm², while the i7-8665UE has no recorded die size. The i7-8665UE has a launch MSRP of $409 and a release date of 2018-09-30, while the N6005 has neither recorded. Both are end-of-life mobile processors with no unlocked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data points decisively toward the Intel Pentium Silver N6005. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, with margins ranging from 7.7% to 8.6% across the Cinebench suite. Its average benchmark score of 1218 exceeds the i7-8665UE's 1193, and it sits one percentile higher in the database ranking. The N6005 achieves this with a lower TDP of 10 watts versus 15 watts, a smaller process node of 10 nm versus 14 nm, and fewer threads (4 versus 8), which makes its consistent victory all the more notable.

For users prioritizing raw CPU performance in the workloads measured by Cinebench and Geekbench, the N6005 is the clear choice. It delivers higher single-core and multi-core scores across every recorded test, and it does so at a lower thermal envelope. The i7-8665UE does offer more PCIe lanes (16 versus 8) and a larger L3 cache (8 MB versus 4 MB), but these features do not manifest as any advantage in the benchmark data.

The i7-8665UE is not without its distinctions: it has a higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz, a larger L3 cache, and double the threads. But the recorded data shows none of these translate into a single benchmark win. The N6005's architectural efficiency, built on the newer Tremont cores and 10 nm process, overcomes all of those theoretical advantages. The verdict from the database is unambiguous: for benchmark-measured CPU performance, the Pentium Silver N6005 is the superior part.