Intel N305 vs N100 for Proxmox: Which One Should You Buy?
Twice the cores for about the same idle power, with the same RAM ceiling. Here's when that trade is worth it.
By Brandon Sheley · Updated
Short answer: buy the N100 (or its refresh, the N150) for a node that runs a handful of containers and maybe one media server; buy the N305 (or N355) if it'll run several VMs or a firewall with intrusion detection. Both idle at roughly the same 9-14W from the wall and share the same single memory slot, so the decision is cores, not power.
Most comparisons for this search are forum threads and spec-sheet copies. The specs below are from Intel's own product pages, the power numbers are measured by named reviewers, and the prices come live from my own SFF price tracker, so they move as the market does.
N100 vs N305: The Spec Difference
| Spec (Intel) | N100 | i3-N305 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / threads | 4 / 4 | 8 / 8 |
| Max turbo | 3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| TDP | 6W | 15W (9W configurable) |
| Cache | 6MB | 6MB |
| iGPU | UHD Graphics, 24 EUs, 750 MHz | UHD Graphics, 32 EUs, 1.25 GHz |
| Memory | 1 channel, DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 / LPDDR5, 16GB listed max | Same |
| Virtualization | VT-x and VT-d | VT-x and VT-d |
Everything except the cores, clocks and GPU is shared. Both are Alder Lake-N chips with all efficiency cores, one memory channel and the same Quick Sync media engine (H.264, HEVC including 10-bit, and AV1 decode). Intel lists 9 PCIe 3.0 lanes for the N100, and those lanes are what limit how many NVMe drives and NICs a box can have, not the CPU. The newer N150 and 8-core N355 (sold as the Core 3 N355) are the same designs with slightly higher clocks; treat N150 like an N100 and N355 like an N305.
What They Cost Right Now
| Chip | Listings now | Lowest now | Typical now | Typical, logged history |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N100 / N150 (4 cores) | 1 | $240 | $240 | $240 |
| N305 / N355 (8 cores) | 0 | — | — | — |
Whole-box prices from current eBay listings on the SFF tracker, refreshed every few hours. "Typical" is the median. For-parts and as-is listings are left out, and RAM and SSD configs vary, so compare listings, not just these numbers.
Power Draw: Closer Than the TDP Suggests
The TDP gap (6W vs 15W) makes the N305 look much hungrier. At idle, where a homelab node spends most of its day, it isn't. Measured at the wall:
| Box | Idle | Under load | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beelink EQ12 (N100) | 12.1-14.3W | 26.5-28.9W | CNX Software |
| Beelink EQ12 Pro (i3-N305) | 9-12W | 34-36W peak, 24-26W sustained | ServeTheHome |
Different reviewers, different operating systems and power settings, so don't read the N305's lower idle number as "more efficient." The takeaway is that idle draw is about the same, and the N305 pulls roughly 8-10W more when it's working hard. Even running flat out around the clock, 10W is 88 kWh a year, about $16 at the U.S. average rate. Run your own numbers in the power cost calculator.
What Each One Can Run on Proxmox
N100 / N150: a small, quiet services box
- A handful of LXC containers: Pi-hole or AdGuard Home, a reverse proxy, Uptime Kuma, a few Docker apps.
- One or two light VMs, such as Home Assistant OS.
- Plex or Jellyfin in an LXC with Quick Sync transcoding (see LXC or VM for Plex).
- A basic pfSense or OPNsense firewall on a multi-NIC model, without heavy IDS rules.
N305 / N355: when you want VMs, not just containers
- Several VMs at once, since each can have its own cores instead of fighting over four.
- OPNsense or pfSense with Suricata or Snort intrusion detection, which uses CPU per packet and benefits from more cores.
- Heavier containers: game servers, CI runners, multiple transcodes at the same time.
On both, RAM runs out before CPU does. Most of these boxes have a single SO-DIMM slot and Intel lists 16GB as the maximum. Plenty of owners run a single 32GB stick, but it isn't guaranteed, so check reports for the exact model before you plan around it. If you need 64GB, you need a different machine, like the used business minis in my mini PC guide.
Which Should You Buy?
Buy an N100 or N150 if the node is for always-on services and containers, it might run one transcoding job, and you want the cheapest box that does it.
Buy an N305 or N355 if you plan to run more than one or two VMs, a firewall with intrusion detection, or anything that keeps the CPU busy. The price gap on the tracker is usually smaller than the performance gap.
Buy neither if you need more than 32GB of RAM, ECC memory, a real PCIe slot, or 10GbE. A used 8th-gen-or-newer OptiPlex Micro, EliteDesk Mini or ThinkCentre Tiny costs about the same, idles about the same, and takes two RAM sticks. I compare those directly in used OptiPlex vs mini PC.
Related Resources
Best Mini PC for Proxmox
Every tier, from N100 boxes to MS-01-class workstations, and what to check first.
SFF & Mini PC Price Tracker
Live N100, N305 and business mini PC listings, ranked by price.
Used OptiPlex vs Mini PC
The other cheap way into Proxmox, compared on price, RAM and power.
Mini PC Idle Power Table
Measured idle and load watts by model, with sources.
Lenovo M720q pfSense Build
A firewall box with a real PCIe slot, if an N-series multi-NIC box isn't enough.
Power Cost Calculator
What any of these costs to run 24/7 at your electricity rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the N305 worth it over the N100 for Proxmox?
If you'll run more than one or two VMs, yes. The N305 has eight cores to the N100's four and idles at about the same power, so it handles several VMs or a firewall with intrusion detection far better. For a box that only runs a few containers and a media server, the N100 is enough and costs less.
Does the Intel N100 support PCI passthrough on Proxmox?
The chip does: Intel lists both VT-x and VT-d (IOMMU) for the N100 and N305. Whether you can pass a specific device through also depends on the box's BIOS and how it groups devices, so check the IOMMU groups on the model you buy before planning around it.
How much RAM can an N100 mini PC use?
Intel lists 16GB as the maximum on one memory channel. Many N100 boxes run a single 32GB DDR4 or DDR5 stick without problems, but it isn't officially supported, so check owner reports for your exact model. There's no ECC support, and most boxes have only one slot.
What's the difference between the N100 and N150, or the N305 and N355?
The N150 and N355 are Intel's 2025 refresh of the same designs with slightly higher clocks (the N150 boosts to 3.6 GHz and the N355 to 3.9 GHz). Core counts, memory support and the media engine stay the same, so for Proxmox you can treat an N150 like an N100 and an N355 like an N305.