Core Ultra 5 125U vs Core i5-13420H

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 Ultra 5 125U

#153

Core i7-1370P

MSRP: $438|Avg: $280

106%

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

104%

#161

Core Ultra 7 268V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

102%

#162

Core Ultra 7 256V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $350

101%

#165

Core Ultra 5 125U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

98%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

97%

#173

Core Ultra 5 238V

MSRP: $454|Avg: $454

94%

#176

Core i9-13900HK

MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A

91%

#178

Core i7-1360P

MSRP: $480|Avg: $280

90%

#179

Core i7-1260P

MSRP: $432|Avg: $432

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-13420H

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

108%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

106%

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

104%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

103%

#132

Core i5-13420H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#144

Core i7-12650H

MSRP: $457|Avg: N/A

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-13420H delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core Ultra 5 125U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i5-13420H
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i5-13420H
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 Ultra 5 125U Benchmark Check

Core i5-13420H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 125U and Core i5-13420H

Core Ultra 5 125U

The Core Ultra 5 125U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,152 points. Launch price was $363.

Core i5-13420H

The Core i5-13420H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 17,205 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 125U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Core i5-13420H offers 8 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13420H — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-13420H (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i5-13420H uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 125U scores 17,152 against the Core i5-13420H's 17,205 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-13420H. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i5-13420H
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+50%	8 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.1 GHz+62%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)
Process	7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	17,152	17,205

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-13420H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.