Intel Pentium Silver N6000

The Intel Pentium Silver N6000 is a 4-core, 4-thread mobile processor from Intel, built on the Tremont architecture and the Jasper Lake codename. It combines a base clock of 1100 with a boost clock of 3.30, a 6 TDP, and an integrated UHD Graphics 32EU solution. Benchmark data places it at the 23rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 875, putting it in a tightly contested cluster of older and low-power processors.

Benchmark Performance

The N6000’s Cinebench results are consistent with a low-power, entry-level mobile chip. In Cinebench R23, it scores 2544 in the multi-core test and 359 in the single-core test. The R20 results show 1068 multi-core and 150 single-core, while the R15 multi-core score is 256. These numbers indicate that the processor scales reasonably across its four threads, but absolute performance remains modest.

The average benchmark score of 875 places the N6000 almost exactly in the middle of its nearest rivals. It is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i3-5157U, which scores 877. It is 0.4% ahead of the AMD Athlon PRO 3045B, which scores 872. The Intel Core i7-930 also scores 871, and the N6000 is 0.4% ahead of that part as well. Against the AMD PRO A12-8870E, the N6000 is 0.6% behind, with the rival posting an average score of 880. In practical terms, these deltas are so small that the N6000 and all four rivals are effectively in the same performance class for aggregate workloads.

The Cinebench R20 single-core score of 150 is far lower than the multi-core score of 1068, showing that the CPU’s strength is in handling multiple threads at once, not in rapid single-thread bursts. The R23 single-core score of 359 reinforces this; lightly threaded applications will not see the same headroom as threaded workloads.

Power and Thermals

The N6000 carries a TDP of 6, which is very low for a processor with four cores. This places it in the ultra-low-power category and means cooling requirements are minimal. A modest mobile cooling solution is sufficient to manage thermals; the platform does not require the sort of large coolers associated with high-TDP desktop chips. The 10 nm process node from Intel contributes to this efficiency profile, and the die size is 63.8 mm², which is compact for a quad-core design. The low TDP also makes the processor well suited to thin-and-light mobile chassis where heat dissipation is limited.

Because the chip is marked as end-of-life in production status, it is no longer an active platform for new designs. However, its efficiency characteristics still define what kind of cooling it needs in existing products: a capable air cooler or a low-profile mobile thermal solution is enough to handle the 6 TDP output.

How It Compares

Against the Intel Core i3-5157U, the N6000 is effectively tied. The Core i3-5157U has an average benchmark score of 877, while the N6000 scores 875, a delta of -0.2%. In aggregate performance, there is no meaningful winner; workloads that favor one may not favor the other by a noticeable margin.

Against the AMD Athlon PRO 3045B, the N6000 is 0.4% ahead. The Athlon PRO 3045B scores 872 on average, while the N6000 scores 875. This is a narrow lead, but it places the N6000 slightly above the AMD part in the average benchmark measure.

Against the Intel Core i7-930, the N6000 is also 0.4% ahead. The Core i7-930 scores 871, just 4 points lower than the N6000 in average benchmark score. Despite the N6000 being a newer low-power architecture, the aggregate result shows that the older desktop Core i7 remains very close in raw benchmark output.

Against the AMD PRO A12-8870E, the N6000 trails by 0.6%. The PRO A12-8870E scores 880, which is the highest average score among the four rivals listed. The N6000 is just 5 points behind, so the gap is minor in absolute terms.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Pentium Silver N6000 use?

A: The N6000 uses the Intel BGA 1338 socket.

Q: Does the N6000 support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory support is false. The memory support is DDR4 and LPDDR4 over a dual-channel bus.

Q: How many cores and threads does the N6000 have?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 1100 and a boost clock of 3.30.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplierUnlocked field is false, so the processor is not unlocked for overclocking.

Q: What is the production status of the N6000?

A: The production status is end-of-life.

Q: How much cache does the N6000 have?

A: It has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.5 MB of shared L2 cache, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Who Should Consider It

The N6000 is best suited to basic productivity and light multitasking. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2544 and R20 multi-core score of 1068 show that it can handle threaded background tasks, but the single-core scores of 359 and 150 in those same tests indicate limited headroom for demanding single-threaded applications. Office-style workloads, web browsing, and document editing are reasonable targets for this processor.

This is not a processor for heavy content creation. The low multi-core scores and 4-thread design mean video rendering, large code compilations, and complex 3D work would be slow. The integrated UHD Graphics 32EU provides display output, but there are no gaming benchmark scores in the data to suggest it is a gaming-oriented part. Users who need faster creation or gaming performance should look at processors with higher average benchmark scores.

The 6 TDP makes the N6000 attractive for fanless or ultraportable designs where low power draw and minimal heat are priorities. For those workloads, the 23rd percentile position is an acceptable trade-off.

Platform and Compatibility

The N6000 is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 1338 socket. It supports DDR4 and LPDDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. For expansion, the CPU provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU only, which limits the number of high-speed devices attached directly to the processor.

The integrated graphics solution is UHD Graphics with 32 execution units. This is part of the processor package, so the platform does not require a separate graphics card for basic display output. The processor is based on the Tremont architecture and is manufactured on Intel’s 10 nm process, with a die size of 63.8 mm².

Upgrade path is constrained by the BGA 1338 socket. The processor is mounted directly to the board, so there is no conventional socket swap path to a different CPU. The end-of-life production status further limits long-term platform growth. The memory bus is dual-channel, and the total L3 cache is 4 MB shared, with 1.5 MB of shared L2 and 64 KB of L1 per core.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The N6000’s benchmark results show a clear split between single-thread and multi-thread performance. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 2544, while the single-core score is 359. In R20, the multi-core score is 1068, and the single-core score is 150. The multi-core numbers are substantially higher, which is expected for a processor with 4 cores and 4 threads working in parallel.

This behavior means the N6000 performs best when workloads are spread across all cores. Video playback, file compression, and background multitasking can take advantage of the multi-core capability. For single-threaded tasks, the lower R20 and R23 single-core scores indicate more limited responsiveness. Applications that rely on one primary thread will not scale with the processor’s multi-thread resources.

The 4-thread ceiling is a key limitation. With only 4 threads, heavy multitasking can saturate the CPU quickly, and simultaneous foreground and background tasks will compete for the same execution resources. The benchmark data does not show any large single-thread advantage, so the N6000 should be viewed primarily as a multi-thread-efficient low-power processor rather than a high-frequency single-thread performer.