Core i7-1250U
VS
Core Ultra 5 115U

Core i7-1250U vs Core Ultra 5 115U

Intel

Core i7-1250U

10 Cores12 Thrd9.5 WWMax: 4.7 GHz2022
VS
Intel

Core Ultra 5 115U

8 Cores10 Thrd0 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2023

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 i7-1250U is positioned at rank 767 and the Core Ultra 5 115U is on rank 779, so the Core i7-1250U 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 i7-1250U

#755
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1106%
#756
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1089%
#757
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1000%
#758
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
995%
#759
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
986%
#761
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
953%
#762
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
913%
#763
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
912%
#764
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
887%
#767
Core i7-1250U
MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A
100%
#773
Core i7-9750HF
MSRP: $395|Avg: $395
99%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 115U

#767
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1146%
#768
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1129%
#769
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1037%
#770
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1032%
#771
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1023%
#773
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
988%
#774
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
947%
#775
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
945%
#776
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
920%
#779
Core Ultra 5 115U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#790
Athlon 64 TF-20
MSRP: $50|Avg: $10
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-1250U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core Ultra 5 115U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.9% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i7-1250UCore Ultra 5 115U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($426)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Meteor Lake (2023) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i7-1250UCore Ultra 5 115U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($426)
More affordable ($0)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-1250U and Core Ultra 5 115U

Intel

Core i7-1250U

The Core i7-1250U 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 4.7 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: 11,305 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core Ultra 5 115U

The Core Ultra 5 115U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 10 MB. Memory support: DDR5 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 11,518 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Core i7-1250U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 115U offers 8 cores / 10 threads — the Core i7-1250U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1250U versus 4.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 115U — a 11.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-1250U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Core i7-1250U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 115U uses Meteor Lake (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-1250U scores 11,305 against the Core Ultra 5 115U's 11,518 — a 1.9% lead for the Core Ultra 5 115U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-1250U vs 10 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 115U.

FeatureCore i7-1250UCore Ultra 5 115U
Cores / Threads
10 / 12+25%
8 / 10
Boost Clock
4.7 GHz+12%
4.2 GHz
Base Clock
1.1 GHz
1.5 GHz+36%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)+20%
10 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)
2 MB (per core)+60%
Process
Intel 7 nm
7 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-U (2022)
Meteor Lake (2023)
PassMark
11,305
11,518+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi
6,788
Geekbench 6 Single
1,600
Geekbench 6 Multi
6,500
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-1250U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 115U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-1250UCore Ultra 5 115U
Socket
FCBGA1781
FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-1250U) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 115U). The Core i7-1250U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)), while the Core Ultra 5 115U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-1250U targets Thin and Light Laptop.

FeatureCore i7-1250UCore Ultra 5 115U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Thin and Light Laptop