Core i5-1240U vs Core i7-1265U

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 i5-1240U

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 10W instead of 15W, a 6W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (14 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Core i7-1265U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1265U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i7-1265U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,282 vs 13,387).
❌57.9% higher power demand at 15W vs 9.5W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1240U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-1240U

2022

Core i7-1265U

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 10W instead of 15W, a 6W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (14 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while Core i7-1265U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1265U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,282 vs 13,387).
❌57.9% higher power demand at 15W vs 9.5W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1240U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-1240U better than Core i7-1265U?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-1265U is ahead with a 3.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1240U pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1240U is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-1240U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core i5-1240U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.8% better PassMark.

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

Core i5-1240U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 12 threads instead of 10/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-1240U Benchmark Check

Core i7-1265U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
1080p
low	186 FPS	280 FPS
medium	153 FPS	250 FPS
high	127 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	234 FPS
medium	119 FPS	188 FPS
high	97 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	84 FPS	164 FPS
medium	72 FPS	133 FPS
high	58 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Core i7-1265U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
1080p
low	208 FPS	224 FPS
medium	172 FPS	185 FPS
high	158 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	147 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	190 FPS
medium	156 FPS	162 FPS
high	146 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	125 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	148 FPS	148 FPS
medium	130 FPS	130 FPS
high	124 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Core i7-1265U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
1080p
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	332 FPS
1440p
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	332 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	332 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Core i7-1265U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
1080p
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	332 FPS
1440p
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	332 FPS
4K
low	335 FPS	332 FPS
medium	335 FPS	332 FPS
high	335 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	335 FPS	332 FPS

Open Core i5-1240U Open Core i7-1265U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1240U and Core i7-1265U

Core i5-1240U

The Core i5-1240U 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 1.1 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: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,387 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-1265U

The Core i7-1265U 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 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: 13,282 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-1240U and Core i7-1265U share an identical 10-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1240U versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-1265U — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-1265U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). Both are built on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-1240U scores 13,387 against the Core i7-1265U's 13,282 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-1240U. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
Cores / Threads	10 / 12	10 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	1.8 GHz+64%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-U (2022)	Alder Lake-U (2022)
PassMark	13,387	13,282
Geekbench 6 Single	1,650	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1240U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-1265U uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-1240U	Core i7-1265U
Socket	FCBGA1781	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	14	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1240U) / not specified (Core i7-1265U). The Core i5-1240U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Core i7-1265U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1240U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1240U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.