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 i5-1235U

2022

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700E across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i7-9700E

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,575 vs 12,740).
❌Launch MSRP is still $259 MSRP, while Core i5-1235U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-1235U moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i5-1235U

2022

Core i7-9700E

2019

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9700E across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,575 vs 12,740).
❌Launch MSRP is still $259 MSRP, while Core i5-1235U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-1235U moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-1235U better than Core i7-9700E?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-9700E is ahead with a 13.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1235U pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1235U is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-1235U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-9700E makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-1235U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $259 MSRP, and it gives you 1.3% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-9700E is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 13.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-9700E is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (48.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-1235U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/8. 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 i5-1235U Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	186 FPS	171 FPS
medium	153 FPS	146 FPS
high	127 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	145 FPS
medium	119 FPS	122 FPS
high	97 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	79 FPS
medium	72 FPS	72 FPS
high	58 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-1235U Open Core i7-9700E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	208 FPS	309 FPS
medium	172 FPS	267 FPS
high	158 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	278 FPS
medium	156 FPS	246 FPS
high	146 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	148 FPS	222 FPS
medium	130 FPS	200 FPS
high	124 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	165 FPS

Open Core i5-1235U Open Core i7-9700E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	314 FPS
1440p
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	314 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i5-1235U Open Core i7-9700E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
1080p
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	314 FPS
1440p
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	314 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	314 FPS
medium	318 FPS	314 FPS
high	318 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i5-1235U Open Core i7-9700E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1235U and Core i7-9700E

Core i5-1235U

The Core i5-1235U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 12,740 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-9700E

The Core i7-9700E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 12,575 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-1235U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-9700E offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-1235U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1235U versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i7-9700E — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-1235U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-9700E uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1235U scores 12,740 against the Core i7-9700E's 12,575 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i5-1235U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,095 vs 1,172, a 56.5% lead for the Core i5-1235U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.6 GHz+100%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-U (2022)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	12,740+1%	12,575
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	6,800
Geekbench 6 Single	2,095+79%	1,172
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,802

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1235U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-9700E uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5200 on the Core i5-1235U versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700E — the Core i5-1235U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700E supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-1235U) vs 16 (Core i7-9700E) — the Core i5-1235U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1235U) vs Yes (Core i7-9700E). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 80EU (Core i5-1235U) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1235U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1235U rivals Ryzen 5 6600U.

Feature	Core i5-1235U	Core i7-9700E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics 80EU	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	Yes
Target Use	Mainstream Laptop	—