Core 3 N355 vs Ryzen 3 7330U

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core 3 N355

2025

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 7330U across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,502 vs 10,645).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 7330U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 3 7330U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core 3 N355 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Core 3 N355

2025

Ryzen 3 7330U

2023

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 3 7330U across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,502 vs 10,645).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 7330U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core 3 N355 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 7330U better than Core 3 N355?

Yes. Ryzen 3 7330U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 3 7330U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.7% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 7330U is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 3 7330U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Ryzen 3 7330U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core 3 N355 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 11.7% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 3 N355 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1264 and DDR5 instead of FP6. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core 3 N355 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 3 7330U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 N355	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	177 FPS	170 FPS
medium	142 FPS	144 FPS
high	114 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	146 FPS
medium	115 FPS	122 FPS
high	91 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	78 FPS
medium	57 FPS	70 FPS
high	46 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 N355	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	157 FPS	266 FPS
medium	135 FPS	233 FPS
high	122 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	233 FPS
medium	118 FPS	205 FPS
high	108 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	161 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	181 FPS
medium	97 FPS	164 FPS
high	89 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	116 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 N355	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	191 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Ryzen 3 7330U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 N355	Ryzen 3 7330U
1080p
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	266 FPS
medium	263 FPS	266 FPS
high	263 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Ryzen 3 7330U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 N355 and Ryzen 3 7330U

Core 3 N355

The Core 3 N355 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Twin Lake (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,502 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 3 7330U

The Ryzen 3 7330U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 10,645 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core 3 N355 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 3 7330U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core 3 N355 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core 3 N355 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 3 7330U — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 7330U (base: 0.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake (2024−2025) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 3 7330U uses Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 N355 scores 10,502 against the Ryzen 3 7330U's 10,645 — a 1.4% lead for the Ryzen 3 7330U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core 3 N355 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 7330U.

Feature	Core 3 N355	Ryzen 3 7330U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.3 GHz+10%
Base Clock	0.1 GHz	2.3 GHz+2200%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (total)+300%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Twin Lake (2024−2025)	Barcelo (Zen 3) (2022−2023)
PassMark	10,502	10,645+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Core 3 N355 uses the FCBGA1264 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 3 7330U uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.