Core Ultra 7 155U
VS
Core i5-12500T

Core Ultra 7 155U vs Core i5-12500T

Intel

Core Ultra 7 155U

12 Cores14 Thrd0 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2023
VS
Intel

Core i5-12500T

6 Cores12 Thrd35 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

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 Ultra 7 155U

#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
120%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
119%
#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
115%
#185
Ryzen 7 5825C
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
113%
#187
Core Ultra 9 288V
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
105%
#188
Core i7-10870H
MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A
105%
#193
Core Ultra 7 155U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12500T

#245
Ryzen 3 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
105%
#246
Core i7-11700KF
MSRP: $374|Avg: $299
104%
#247
Core i5-10600K
MSRP: $262|Avg: $179
104%
#248
Core i3-10325
MSRP: $154|Avg: $130
104%
#249
Ryzen Embedded V2718
MSRP: $250|Avg: $200
104%
#250
Core i7-8086K
MSRP: $425|Avg: $178
104%
#251
Core i3-10300T
MSRP: $157|Avg: $100
103%
#252
Core i9-10900TE
MSRP: $309|Avg: $180
103%
#253
Core i9-12900T
MSRP: $489|Avg: $378
103%
#254
Core i5-12600T
MSRP: $223|Avg: $223
102%
#255
Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE
MSRP: $200|Avg: $180
102%
#256
Ryzen 7 1700X
MSRP: $399|Avg: $60
51%
#256
Ryzen 5 3500X
MSRP: $155|Avg: $171
101%
#257
Core i9-14900
MSRP: $524|Avg: $589
101%
#258
Core i5-8600
MSRP: $213|Avg: $130
100%
#259
Core i3-9100TE
MSRP: $122|Avg: $60
100%
#260
Core i5-12500T
MSRP: $302|Avg: $214
100%
#261
Core i9-13900
MSRP: $549|Avg: $599
99%
#262
Core i7-11700
MSRP: $323|Avg: $274
99%
#262
Core i7-8700K
MSRP: $359|Avg: $160
50%
#263
Core i9-13900T
MSRP: $549|Avg: $570
98%
#264
Processor 300T
MSRP: $82|Avg: $82
97%
#265
Athlon 3000G
MSRP: $49|Avg: $60
97%
#266
Athlon 220GE
MSRP: $65|Avg: $60
97%
#267
Ryzen 9 3900X
MSRP: $499|Avg: $441
97%
#268
Core i5-10500
MSRP: $200|Avg: $178
96%
#269
Celeron G6900T
MSRP: $42|Avg: $50
96%
#270
Core i9-10850K
MSRP: $453|Avg: $300
96%
#271
Core i9-13900E
MSRP: $554|Avg: $554
96%
#272
Core i9-9820X
MSRP: $889|Avg: $280
96%
#273
Core i9-9900X
MSRP: $989|Avg: $300
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core Ultra 7 155U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-12500T is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.9% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore Ultra 7 155UCore i5-12500T
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($214)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore Ultra 7 155UCore i5-12500T
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($214)

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 Ultra 7 155U and Core i5-12500T

Intel

Core Ultra 7 155U

The Core Ultra 7 155U 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 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: 16,185 points. Launch price was $490.

Intel

Core i5-12500T

The Core i5-12500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,339 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 155U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Core i5-12500T offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 7 155U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12500T — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 155U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i5-12500T uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 155U scores 16,185 against the Core i5-12500T's 16,339 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-12500T. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500T.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 155UCore i5-12500T
Cores / Threads
12 / 14+100%
6 / 12
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz+9%
4.4 GHz
Base Clock
1.7 GHz
2 GHz+18%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
18 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache
2 MB (per core)+60%
1.25 MB (per core)
Process
7 nm
Intel 7 nm
Architecture
Meteor Lake-P (2023)
Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark
16,185
16,339
Cinebench R23 Multi
6,625
Geekbench 6 Single
2,300
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,900
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-12500T uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 155UCore i5-12500T
Socket
FCBGA2049
LGA1700
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core Ultra 7 155U) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500T). The Core i5-12500T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core Ultra 7 155U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500T rivals Ryzen 5 5600GE.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 155UCore i5-12500T
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Low Power Desktop