Core i5-12450HX vs Core Ultra 7 265U

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 i5-12450HX

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics for 12th Gen, while Core Ultra 7 265U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 265U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌292.9% higher power demand at 55W vs 14W.

Core Ultra 7 265U

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 14W instead of 55W, a 41W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,900 vs 18,064).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12450HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12450HX

2022

Core Ultra 7 265U

2025

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics for 12th Gen, while Core Ultra 7 265U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 14W instead of 55W, a 41W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 265U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌292.9% higher power demand at 55W vs 14W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,900 vs 18,064).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12450HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 265U better than Core i5-12450HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 7 265U is ahead with a 18.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12450HX pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12450HX is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core Ultra 7 265U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 7 265U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 18.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core Ultra 7 265U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i5-12450HX Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 7 265U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
1080p
low	169 FPS	278 FPS
medium	151 FPS	249 FPS
high	123 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	105 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	142 FPS	231 FPS
medium	122 FPS	186 FPS
high	98 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	161 FPS
medium	74 FPS	131 FPS
high	59 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12450HX Open Core Ultra 7 265U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
1080p
low	335 FPS	448 FPS
medium	285 FPS	372 FPS
high	261 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	287 FPS
1440p
low	294 FPS	415 FPS
medium	256 FPS	344 FPS
high	239 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	208 FPS	256 FPS
4K
low	233 FPS	310 FPS
medium	208 FPS	268 FPS
high	196 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	169 FPS	211 FPS

Open Core i5-12450HX Open Core Ultra 7 265U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
1080p
low	452 FPS	448 FPS
medium	452 FPS	448 FPS
high	450 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	452 FPS	448 FPS
medium	452 FPS	448 FPS
high	405 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	359 FPS	448 FPS
4K
low	410 FPS	448 FPS
medium	340 FPS	448 FPS
high	298 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	348 FPS

Open Core i5-12450HX Open Core Ultra 7 265U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
1080p
low	452 FPS	448 FPS
medium	452 FPS	448 FPS
high	452 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	452 FPS	448 FPS
medium	452 FPS	448 FPS
high	452 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	448 FPS
4K
low	452 FPS	448 FPS
medium	432 FPS	448 FPS
high	381 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	333 FPS	414 FPS

Open Core i5-12450HX Open Core Ultra 7 265U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12450HX and Core Ultra 7 265U

Core i5-12450HX

The Core i5-12450HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 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: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,064 points. Launch price was $299.

Core Ultra 7 265U

The Core Ultra 7 265U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,900 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12450HX packs 8 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 265U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 7 265U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12450HX versus 5.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265U — a 18.6% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12450HX uses the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 265U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12450HX scores 18,064 against the Core Ultra 7 265U's 17,900 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-12450HX. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-12450HX vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 7 265U.

Feature	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
Cores / Threads	8 / 12	12 / 14+50%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-HX (2022)	Arrow Lake-U (2025)
PassMark	18,064	17,900
Geekbench 6 Single	2,150	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12450HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 265U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
Socket	FCBGA1964	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	48	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12450HX) / not specified (Core Ultra 7 265U). The Core i5-12450HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics for 12th Gen), while the Core Ultra 7 265U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12450HX targets Workstation/Enthusiast Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12450HX rivals Ryzen 5 7645HX.

Feature	Core i5-12450HX	Core Ultra 7 265U
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics for 12th Gen	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Workstation/Enthusiast Laptop	—