Core Ultra 7 265U
VS
Core Ultra 7 255U

Core Ultra 7 265U vs Core Ultra 7 255U

Intel

Core Ultra 7 265U

12 Cores14 Thrd14 WWMax: 5.3 GHz2025
VS
Intel

Core Ultra 7 255U

12 Cores14 Thrd14 WWMax: 5.2 GHz2025

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 265U

#144
Core i7-12650H
MSRP: $457|Avg: N/A
102%
#147
Core Ultra 7 265U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#153
Core i7-1370P
MSRP: $438|Avg: $280
98%
#158
Core i9-13900H
MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A
95%
#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
94%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
93%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 255U

#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
110%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
110%
#167
Core Ultra 7 258V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
106%
#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
105%
#173
Core Ultra 5 238V
MSRP: $454|Avg: $454
101%
#175
Core Ultra 7 255U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#176
Core i9-13900HK
MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A
99%
#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
97%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
97%
#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
94%
#185
Ryzen 7 5825C
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
92%
#187
Core Ultra 9 288V
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
85%
#188
Core i7-10870H
MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A
85%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core Ultra 7 265U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core Ultra 7 255U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore Ultra 7 265UCore Ultra 7 255U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm)
✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore Ultra 7 265UCore Ultra 7 255U
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 265U and Core Ultra 7 255U

Intel

Core Ultra 7 265U

The Core Ultra 7 265U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,900 points. Launch price was $299.

Intel

Core Ultra 7 255U

The Core Ultra 7 255U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,834 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

Both the Core Ultra 7 265U and Core Ultra 7 255U share an identical 12-core/14-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265U versus 5.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255U — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). Both are built on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture using a 5 nm process. In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 265U scores 17,900 against the Core Ultra 7 255U's 17,834 — a 0.4% lead for the Core Ultra 7 265U. Both processors carry 12 MB of L3 cache.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 265UCore Ultra 7 255U
Cores / Threads
12 / 14
12 / 14
Boost Clock
5.3 GHz+2%
5.2 GHz
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.8 GHz+58%
L3 Cache
12 MB
12 MB
Process
5 nm
5 nm
Architecture
Arrow Lake-U (2025)
Arrow Lake-U (2025)
PassMark
17,900
17,834
🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the FCBGA2049 socket with PCIe 5.0.

FeatureCore Ultra 7 265UCore Ultra 7 255U
Socket
FCBGA2049
FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0
PCIe 5.0