CPU Comparison
Intel Core Ultra 5 336H vs Intel Core Ultra 7 355
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H is a 12-core, 12-thread mobile SoC from Intel’s Panther Lake-H family, built on the Intel 18A process and designed for mainstream laptops with strong CPU performance, integrated Xe3 graphics, and dedicated AI acceleration via NPU 5 and IPU 7.5.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Gaming
Virtualization
Efficiency
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- NPU 5 provides 47 INT8 TOPS for sustained AI inference.
- Well‑suited for Windows Studio Effects, local AI assistants, and small LLMs.
- OpenVINO, WindowsML, DirectML, and ONNX RT are supported for easy software integration.
- Dedicated 50 TOPS NPU for efficient AI inference
- Accelerates Windows Studio Effects (background blur, eye contact)
- Supports local AI assistant and small model execution
- Not designed for training large AI models
Content Creation
Gaming
- 4 Xe3 cores deliver a big step up over older Intel UHD/iGPUs but are still behind the 12 Xe3 Arc iGPUs on X‑series SKUs.
- Older or esports titles (CS2, Valorant, LoL) are very playable at 1080p medium/high.
- Demanding AAA games at 1080p high often require lower settings or upscaling (XeSS).
- Dependent on integrated Xe3 Graphics (512 shading units)
- Suitable for e-sports (CS2, Valorant) and casual titles at 1080p
- Not intended for high-refresh-rate AAA gaming
- Ray tracing is not supported
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Modern Intel 18A process on the CPU tile for better efficiency.
- 12 CPU cores (4P + 4E + 4LP‑E) provide strong mainstream multi‑threaded performance.
- Intel Graphics 4 Xe3 iGPU with ray tracing and AV1 encode is a big upgrade over older UHD/iGPUs.
- Dedicated NPU 5 (47 TOPS) for AI workloads and Windows Studio Effects.
- Supports DDR5‑7200 and LPDDR5X‑8533 with up to 128 GB RAM.
- vPro and embedded options suit business and edge devices.
Cons
- No Hyper‑Threading; only 12 threads vs 12 cores.
- 4 Xe3 iGPU cores are slower than 12 Xe3 Arc iGPUs on X‑series Panther Lake parts.
- Not intended for heavy AAA gaming or high‑end content creation without a discrete GPU.
- Maximum turbo power (65 W) may be high for very thin fanless designs under sustained load.
- Limited overclocking due to locked multiplier.
Pros
- Excellent performance per watt from 2nm process
- Strong integrated Xe3 graphics for an iGPU
- Dedicated NPU accelerates AI tasks efficiently
- Good single-core and multi-threaded responsiveness for everyday use
- Supports fast LPDDR5X memory for high bandwidth
- Configurable TDP suits various laptop designs
Cons
- Not intended for CPU-intensive gaming or heavy workloads
- Only 8 threads limit extreme multi-tasking capability
- Locked multiplier prevents enthusiast overclocking
- Soldered BGA socket means no CPU upgrades
- Limited PCIe lanes compared to desktop platforms
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core Ultra 5 336H
- Compare head-to-headAMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440Rival
Mainstream Mobile AI PC
- AMD Ryzen 7 8840HSRival
Performance Thin-and-Light
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 7 355Rival
Higher-End Mainstream Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 5 338HRival
Same Platform, Slightly Faster SKU
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 7 365Rival
Higher-End Panther Lake-H
Intel Core Ultra 7 355
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 350Rival
Thin & Light Laptop
- Apple M5 (10-Core)Rival
Premium Laptop
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 EliteRival
Always-Connected PC
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 7 365Rival
Thin & Light Laptop
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255HRival
Thin & Light Laptop (Previous Gen)
- Intel Core Ultra 7 355HAlt
Higher-wattage 'H' variant with better sustained multi-core performance for creator laptops.
- Intel Core Ultra 5 325HAlt
Lower-cost option with similar architecture but fewer cores, suitable for less demanding tasks.
Our Verdict on Each
A well-balanced mainstream mobile SoC that finally brings Intel’s 18A process, Xe3 graphics, and serious NPU AI acceleration to the volume laptop segment, though gaming and heavy creator workloads still lean more toward higher-SKU or discrete-GPU designs.
Best for: Mainstream laptops where you want modern CPU features, good efficiency, and AI capabilities without paying for a high‑end gaming or creator SKU.
Read the full reviewA capable and efficient mobile processor with a strong feature set for its segment, including integrated Xe3 graphics and an NPU. Its 8-core design offers good multi-threaded responsiveness, though it's not intended for high-end gaming or extreme workstation loads.
Best for: Purchasing a premium thin-and-light laptop (e.g., Dell XPS 14, ASUS Zenbook) where you need strong everyday performance, light creator capability, and excellent battery life in a portable form factor.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core Ultra 5 336H or Intel Core Ultra 7 355?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H comes out ahead with a score of 8.2/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core Ultra 5 336H or Intel Core Ultra 7 355?
For gaming, the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H leads with a gaming performance score of 78/100 among Intel Core Ultra 5 336H and Intel Core Ultra 7 355.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core Ultra 5 336H (25 W).
Do Intel Core Ultra 5 336H and Intel Core Ultra 7 355 use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the FCBGA2540 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core Ultra 5 336H (12 cores), Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (8 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (636). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.