Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500

Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500 Performance Spectrum

Core Ultra 7 155U

12 / 14

16,185

+0.8%

16,049

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 4500.

Ryzen 5 4500

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 155U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,049 vs 16,185).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 155U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 155U better than Ryzen 5 4500?

Yes. Core Ultra 7 155U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 17.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 7 155U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 17.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 7 155U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core Ultra 7 155U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 4500 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Core Ultra 7 155U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $129 MSRP, and it still gives you a 17.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 4500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (124.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 7 155U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Ryzen 5 4500

The Ryzen 5 4500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,049 points. Launch price was $129.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 155U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 5 4500 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 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4500 — a 15.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 155U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 4500 uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 155U scores 16,185 against the Ryzen 5 4500's 16,049 — a 0.8% lead for the Core Ultra 7 155U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4500.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+17%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	3.6 GHz+112%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	16,185	16,049
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	8,433
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,560
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,235

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 4500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
Socket	FCBGA2049	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core Ultra 7 155U) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 4500). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 4500 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 4500 rivals Core i5-10400F.