Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-8557U

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 i5-8260U is positioned at rank 239 and the Core i7-8557U is on rank 802, so the Core i5-8260U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U

#64

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#227

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

401%

#228

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

395%

#229

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

363%

#230

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

361%

#231

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

358%

#233

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

346%

#234

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

331%

#235

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

331%

#236

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

322%

#239

Core i5-8260U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8557U

#790

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1212%

#791

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1195%

#792

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1097%

#793

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1092%

#794

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1082%

#796

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1045%

#797

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1002%

#798

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1000%

#799

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

973%

#802

Core i7-8557U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#803

Core i7-1365UE

MSRP: $429|Avg: $429

100%

#805

3020e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

99%

#809

Athlon II M320

MSRP: $75|Avg: $15

99%

#810

Celeron B800

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

99%

#811

Celeron B710

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#813

Athlon II Neo K345

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-8557U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-8260U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-8557U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-8557U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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 i5-8260U Benchmark Check

Core i7-8557U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8260U and Core i7-8557U

Core i5-8260U

The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.

Core i7-8557U

The Core i7-8557U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,309 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8260U and Core i7-8557U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-8557U — a 14.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8557U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i5-8260U uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-8557U uses Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8260U scores 7,316 against the Core i7-8557U's 7,309 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-8260U. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U vs 8 MB on the Core i7-8557U.

Feature	Core i5-8260U	Core i7-8557U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.5 GHz+15%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.7 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	6 MB	8 MB+33%
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	7,316	7,309