Core 3 N355 vs Core i9-8950HK

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

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1440 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-8950HK across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core i9-8950HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i9-8950HK

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,373 vs 10,502).
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on BGA1440 with DDR4, while Core 3 N355 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Core 3 N355

2025

Core i9-8950HK

2018

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1440 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-8950HK across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core i9-8950HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,373 vs 10,502).
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on BGA1440 with DDR4, while Core 3 N355 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 3 N355 better than Core i9-8950HK?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-8950HK is ahead with a 33.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 3 N355 pulls ahead with 1.2% better PassMark. Core i9-8950HK also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 3 N355 is the better fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core 3 N355 is the smarter buy today. Core 3 N355 is at an unclear MSRP at $300 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 1.2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-8950HK is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 33.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (35.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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 2018), a healthier platform with FCBGA1264 and DDR5 instead of BGA1440, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. 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

Core i9-8950HK Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 3 N355	Core i9-8950HK
1080p
low	177 FPS	259 FPS
medium	142 FPS	246 FPS
high	114 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	239 FPS
medium	115 FPS	194 FPS
high	91 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	167 FPS
medium	57 FPS	138 FPS
high	46 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Core i9-8950HK

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 3 N355	Core i9-8950HK
1080p
low	157 FPS	259 FPS
medium	135 FPS	259 FPS
high	122 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	259 FPS
medium	118 FPS	259 FPS
high	108 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	259 FPS
medium	97 FPS	259 FPS
high	89 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	200 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Core i9-8950HK

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 3 N355	Core i9-8950HK
1080p
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Core i9-8950HK

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 3 N355	Core i9-8950HK
1080p
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	263 FPS	259 FPS
medium	263 FPS	259 FPS
high	263 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core 3 N355 Open Core i9-8950HK

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 3 N355 and Core i9-8950HK

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.

Core i9-8950HK

The Core i9-8950HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,373 points. Launch price was $583.

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Processing Power

The Core 3 N355 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i9-8950HK offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 3 N355 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core 3 N355 versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-8950HK — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-8950HK (base: 0.1 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core 3 N355 uses the Twin Lake (2024−2025) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-8950HK uses Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 3 N355 scores 10,502 against the Core i9-8950HK's 10,373 — a 1.2% lead for the Core 3 N355. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core 3 N355 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i9-8950HK.

Feature	Core 3 N355	Core i9-8950HK
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.8 GHz+23%
Base Clock	0.1 GHz	2.9 GHz+2800%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	12 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB (total)+700%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Twin Lake (2024−2025)	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)
PassMark	10,502+1%	10,373

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Memory & Platform

The Core 3 N355 uses the FCBGA1264 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i9-8950HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.