CPU
GPU
Core i5-1235U
Ryzen 5 5500U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-1235U is positioned at rank 171 and the Ryzen 5 5500U is on rank 73, so the Ryzen 5 5500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-1235U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5500U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-1235U | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-1235U | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1235U and Ryzen 5 5500U
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.
Ryzen 5 5500U
The Ryzen 5 5500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 12,736 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i5-1235U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5500U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-1235U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1235U versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-1235U (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-1235U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1235U scores 12,740 against the Ryzen 5 5500U's 12,736 — a 0% lead for the Core i5-1235U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,095 vs 1,100, a 62.3% lead for the Core i5-1235U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1235U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5500U.
| Feature | Core i5-1235U | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 12+67% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+10% | 4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.3 GHz | 2.1 GHz+62% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm | 7 nm |
| Architecture | Alder Lake-U (2022) | Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) |
| PassMark | 12,740 | 12,736 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 6,900 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 2,095+90% | 1,100 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,200 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-1235U uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5-5200 on the Core i5-1235U versus DDR4 3200 MHz on the Ryzen 5 5500U — the Ryzen 5 5500U supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-1235U) vs 12 (Ryzen 5 5500U) — the Core i5-1235U offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Core i5-1235U | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1744 | FP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5-5200+25% | DDR4 3200 MHz |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 20+67% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1235U) vs true (Ryzen 5 5500U). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 80EU (Core i5-1235U) and AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) (Ryzen 5 5500U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1235U targets Mainstream Laptop, Ryzen 5 5500U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-1235U rivals Ryzen 5 6600U.
| Feature | Core i5-1235U | Ryzen 5 5500U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega 7) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | true |
| Target Use | Mainstream Laptop | Mobile |
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