Core Ultra 5 135H vs Core i9-11980HK

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 135H

#73

Core i9-13950HX

MSRP: $590|Avg: $199

107%

#82

Core i7-11700B

MSRP: $323|Avg: $311

103%

#83

Core i7-13700HX

MSRP: $485|Avg: N/A

103%

#86

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

102%

#87

Core Ultra 5 135H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#96

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

95%

#97

Core Ultra 5 226V

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

95%

#101

Core i5-1350P

MSRP: $320|Avg: $250

91%

#102

Core i3-1220P

MSRP: $250|Avg: $150

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-11980HK

#101

Core i5-1350P

MSRP: $320|Avg: $250

106%

#102

Core i3-1220P

MSRP: $250|Avg: $150

104%

#107

Core Ultra 5 228V

MSRP: $295|Avg: $295

103%

#111

Ryzen 5 PRO 5675U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $180

102%

#115

Core i9-11980HK

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

98%

#120

Core i7-11850HE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $75

96%

#124

Core i5-1240P

MSRP: $309|Avg: $200

94%

#125

Core i7-13700H

MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i9-11980HK delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core Ultra 5 135H in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 135H	Core i9-11980HK
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-H (2023) / 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Tiger Lake-HK (2021) / 10 nm SuperFin)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core Ultra 5 135H	Core i9-11980HK
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 135H Benchmark Check

Core i9-11980HK Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 135H and Core i9-11980HK

Core Ultra 5 135H

The Core Ultra 5 135H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 18 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,116 points. Launch price was $342.

Core i9-11980HK

The Core i9-11980HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-HK (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 22,244 points. Launch price was $583.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 135H packs 14 cores / 18 threads, while the Core i9-11980HK offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 135H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 135H versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-11980HK — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-11980HK (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 135H uses the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i9-11980HK uses Tiger Lake-HK (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 135H scores 22,116 against the Core i9-11980HK's 22,244 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i9-11980HK. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 135H vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-11980HK.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 135H	Core i9-11980HK
Cores / Threads	14 / 18+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+38%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+60%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	7 nm-30%	10 nm SuperFin
Architecture	Meteor Lake-H (2023)	Tiger Lake-HK (2021)
PassMark	22,116	22,244
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	14,029
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,129
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,766

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 135H uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-11980HK uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 135H	Core i9-11980HK
Socket	FCBGA2049	FCBGA1787
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core Ultra 5 135H) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-11980HK). The Core i9-11980HK includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 32EUs), while the Core Ultra 5 135H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-11980HK targets Enthusiast Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-11980HK rivals Ryzen 9 5900HX.