diff --git a/zz_ntt_matched_bench_test.go b/zz_ntt_matched_bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31fa035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zz_ntt_matched_bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2025-2026, Lux Industries Inc
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+//
+// TEMPORARY matched-workload benchmark (C++ metal_bench.mm parity).
+// Same modulus Q=998244353 (119*2^23+1), same N set, same operation:
+// single-polynomial forward NTT. Delete after measuring.
+
+package fhe
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// Q identical to luxcpp/fhe metal_bench.mm CPU-vs-Metal reference.
+const matchedQ = uint64(998244353)
+
+var matchedNs = []uint32{1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384}
+
+// BenchmarkMatchedForwardNTT measures single-poly forward NTT (CPU subring),
+// the exact operation metal_bench.mm times as its "CPU (µs)" B=1 column.
+func BenchmarkMatchedForwardNTT(b *testing.B) {
+	for _, N := range matchedNs {
+		eng, err := NewNTTEngine(N, matchedQ)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("NewNTTEngine(N=%d, Q=%d): %v", N, matchedQ, err)
+		}
+		work := make([]uint64, N)
+		for i := range work {
+			work[i] = uint64(i+1) % matchedQ
+		}
+		// Match metal_bench.mm exactly: repeatedly transform the SAME
+		// buffer with no per-iteration reset (values stay reduced mod Q).
+		b.Run(sizeName(N), func(b *testing.B) {
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				eng.NTTInPlace(work)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func sizeName(N uint32) string {
+	switch N {
+	case 1024:
+		return "N1024"
+	case 2048:
+		return "N2048"
+	case 4096:
+		return "N4096"
+	case 8192:
+		return "N8192"
+	case 16384:
+		return "N16384"
+	}
+	return "N?"
+}