Core i7-8650U vs Core i5-8250U

CPU

GPU

Core i7-8650U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2017

Core i5-8250U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2017

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-8650U

4 / 8

6,194

+0.6%

6,158

0.0%

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 i7-8650U is positioned at rank 904 and the Core i5-8250U is on rank 860, so the Core i5-8250U 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 i7-8650U

#891

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1563%

#892

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1540%

#893

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1414%

#894

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1408%

#895

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1395%

#897

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1347%

#898

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1291%

#899

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1289%

#900

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1255%

#903

Core i7-8809G

MSRP: $450|Avg: $450

100%

#904

Core i7-8650U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#910

Core i7-6820HK

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#911

Athlon II Neo K325

MSRP: $60|Avg: $25

99%

#918

Core i5-8365UE

MSRP: $297|Avg: $297

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8250U

#848

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1415%

#849

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1395%

#850

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1280%

#851

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1274%

#852

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1263%

#854

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1219%

#855

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1169%

#856

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1167%

#857

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1136%

#860

Core i5-8250U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#863

Pentium Dual Core T2390

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

99%

#867

Core i7-1160G7

MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A

99%

#873

Celeron M 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-8650U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-8250U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-8650U	Core i5-8250U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-8650U	Core i5-8250U
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 i7-8650U Benchmark Check

Core i5-8250U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-8650U and Core i5-8250U

Core i7-8650U

The Core i7-8650U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,194 points. Launch price was $409.

Core i5-8250U

The Core i5-8250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 6,158 points. Launch price was $297.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-8650U and Core i5-8250U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i7-8650U versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-8250U — a 21.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-8650U (base: 1.9 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). Both are built on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i7-8650U scores 6,194 against the Core i5-8250U's 6,158 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-8650U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-8650U vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8250U.

Feature	Core i7-8650U	Core i5-8250U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+24%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz+19%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+33%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)
PassMark	6,194	6,158
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,127

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1356 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i7-8650U	Core i5-8250U
Socket	BGA1356	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-8650U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-8250U). The Core i5-8250U includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 620), while the Core i7-8650U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8250U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-8250U rivals Ryzen 5 2500U.