M1 Pro 8-Core vs Core Ultra 5 125U

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 M1 Pro 8-Core

#208

M1 Pro 8-Core

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

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 Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core Ultra 5 125U leads in gaming performance. However, the M1 Pro 8-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.4% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core Ultra 5 125U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core Ultra 5 125U
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.

M1 Pro 8-Core Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 125U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 Pro 8-Core and Core Ultra 5 125U

M1 Pro 8-Core

The M1 Pro 8-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 Pro 8-Core packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 125U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro 8-Core versus 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U — a 28.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 125U (base: 2.06 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125U is built on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 Pro 8-Core scores 17,218 against the Core Ultra 5 125U's 17,152 — a 0.4% lead for the M1 Pro 8-Core. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 Pro 8-Core vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125U.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core Ultra 5 125U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	12 / 14+50%
Boost Clock	3.22 GHz	4.3 GHz+34%
Base Clock	2.06 GHz+58%	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB+33%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	28 MB+1300%	2 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm-29%	7 nm
Architecture	—	Meteor Lake-P (2023)
PassMark	17,218	17,152

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M1 Pro 8-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core Ultra 5 125U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M1 Pro 8-Core	Core Ultra 5 125U
Socket	none	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-6400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Virtualization (M1 Pro 8-Core) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 125U). The M1 Pro 8-Core includes integrated graphics (Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core)), while the Core Ultra 5 125U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Pro 8-Core targets Mobile.