Core Ultra 5 125U vs Core i9-10980HK

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 i9-10980HK

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

128%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

127%

#202

Core i9-10980HK

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i9-10980HK leads in gaming performance. However, the Core Ultra 5 125U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.7% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i9-10980HK
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i9-10980HK
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 i9-10980HK Benchmark Check

League of Legends

No prediction data available

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 125U and Core i9-10980HK

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 i9-10980HK

The Core i9-10980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,037 points. Launch price was $583.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 125U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Core i9-10980HK offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-10980HK — a 17% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980HK (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i9-10980HK uses Comet Lake-H (2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 125U scores 17,152 against the Core i9-10980HK's 17,037 — a 0.7% lead for the Core Ultra 5 125U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125U vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980HK.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core i9-10980HK
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.1 GHz+19%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.4 GHz+85%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Comet Lake-H (2020)
PassMark	17,152	17,037

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-10980HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.