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 i3-N305

2023

Why buy it

✅+2% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $309 MSRP, while Core i5-1135G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1135G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-1135G7

2020

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU), while Core i3-N305 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,414 vs 9,600).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Core i3-N305 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Core i3-N305

2023

Core i5-1135G7

2020

Why buy it

✅+2% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU), while Core i3-N305 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $309 MSRP, while Core i5-1135G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1135G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (9,414 vs 9,600).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Core i3-N305 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-N305 better than Core i5-1135G7?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-1135G7 is ahead with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-N305 pulls ahead with 2% better PassMark. Core i5-1135G7 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-N305 is the better fit. You are getting 2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i3-N305 is the smarter buy today. Core i3-N305 is at an unclear MSRP at $309 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 2% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-1135G7 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (31.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i3-N305 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1264 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA1449, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. 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 i3-N305 Benchmark Check

Core i5-1135G7 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
1080p
low	177 FPS	168 FPS
medium	142 FPS	137 FPS
high	114 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	85 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	145 FPS
medium	115 FPS	118 FPS
high	91 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	68 FPS
medium	57 FPS	59 FPS
high	45 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i3-N305 Open Core i5-1135G7

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
1080p
low	157 FPS	153 FPS
medium	135 FPS	129 FPS
high	122 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	135 FPS
medium	118 FPS	115 FPS
high	108 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	92 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	106 FPS
medium	97 FPS	93 FPS
high	89 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	67 FPS

Open Core i3-N305 Open Core i5-1135G7

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
1080p
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS
4K
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS

Open Core i3-N305 Open Core i5-1135G7

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
1080p
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS
4K
low	240 FPS	235 FPS
medium	240 FPS	235 FPS
high	240 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	235 FPS

Open Core i3-N305 Open Core i5-1135G7

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-N305 and Core i5-1135G7

Core i3-N305

The Core i3-N305 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per module). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 9,600 points. Launch price was $309.

Core i5-1135G7

The Core i5-1135G7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,414 points. Launch price was $309.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-N305 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-1135G7 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i3-N305 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i3-N305 versus 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-1135G7 — a 10% clock advantage for the Core i5-1135G7 (base: 0.1 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Core i3-N305 uses the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-1135G7 uses Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i3-N305 scores 9,600 against the Core i5-1135G7's 9,414 — a 2% lead for the Core i3-N305. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-N305 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i5-1135G7.

Feature	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.2 GHz+11%
Base Clock	0.1 GHz	1.5 GHz+1400%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per module)+60%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm SuperFin
Architecture	Alder Lake-N (2023)	Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021)
PassMark	9,600+2%	9,414
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	5,183
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,592
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	4,495

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-N305 uses the FCBGA1264 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-1135G7 uses FCBGA1449 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-N305	Core i5-1135G7
Socket	FCBGA1264	FCBGA1449
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-N305) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1135G7). The Core i5-1135G7 includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU)), while the Core i3-N305 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1135G7 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-1135G7 rivals Ryzen 5 5500U.