Core i5-10210U vs Core i7-8550U

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.

Core i5-10210U vs Core i7-8550U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-10210U vs Core i7-8550U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-10210U

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,071 vs 6,118).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 25W vs 15W.

Core i7-8550U

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 25W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-8550U better than Core i5-10210U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-10210U is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-8550U pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. Core i7-8550U 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 i7-8550U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

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

Core i7-8550U still makes the most sense overall. Core i7-8550U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-10210U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i5-10210U vs Core i7-8550U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-10210U

The Core i5-10210U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,071 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-8550U

The Core i7-8550U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,118 points. Launch price was $409.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10210U and Core i7-8550U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-10210U versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-8550U — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-10210U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-10210U uses the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-8550U uses Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10210U scores 6,071 against the Core i7-8550U's 6,118 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-8550U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-10210U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-8550U.

Feature	Core i5-10210U	Core i7-8550U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+5%	4 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)
PassMark	6,071	6,118

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10210U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-8550U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.