Core i7-1260U
VS
Ryzen 9 5900H

Core i7-1260U vs Ryzen 9 5900H

Intel

Core i7-1260U

10 Cores12 Thrd9.5 WWMax: 4.7 GHz2022
VS
AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

8 Cores16 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2021

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.

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 i7-1260U

#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
120%
#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
116%
#185
Ryzen 7 5825C
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
114%
#187
Core Ultra 9 288V
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
106%
#188
Core i7-10870H
MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A
106%
#194
Core i7-1260U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-1260U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Ryzen 9 5900H in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i7-1260URyzen 9 5900H
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 (Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i7-1260URyzen 9 5900H
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-1260U and Ryzen 9 5900H

Intel

Core i7-1260U

The Core i7-1260U 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: 13,614 points. Launch price was $149.

AMD

Ryzen 9 5900H

The Ryzen 9 5900H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 13,510 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Core i7-1260U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-1260U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1260U versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-1260U (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-1260U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900H uses Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-1260U scores 13,614 against the Ryzen 9 5900H's 13,510 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-1260U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-1260U vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900H.

FeatureCore i7-1260URyzen 9 5900H
Cores / Threads
10 / 12+25%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
4.7 GHz+2%
4.6 GHz
Base Clock
1.1 GHz
3.3 GHz+200%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
16 MB+33%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)
4 MB+220%
Process
Intel 7 nm
7 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-U (2022)
Cezanne U (Zen 3) (2021−2022)
PassMark
13,614
13,510
Cinebench R23 Multi
8,381
Geekbench 6 Single
2,294
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,140
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-1260U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900H uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-1260URyzen 9 5900H
Socket
FCBGA1781
FP6
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
14
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-1260U) / not specified (Ryzen 9 5900H). The Core i7-1260U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU)), while the Ryzen 9 5900H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-1260U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i7-1260U rivals Core i7-1165G7.

FeatureCore i7-1260URyzen 9 5900H
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Productivity