Xeon Phi 7290 vs Core Ultra 7 255U
Xeon Phi 7290
Core Ultra 7 255U
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Phi 7290
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 7 255U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon Phi 7290 | Core Ultra 7 255U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Knights Landing (2016) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon Phi 7290 | Core Ultra 7 255U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 Xeon Phi 7290 and Core Ultra 7 255U
Xeon Phi 7290
The Xeon Phi 7290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Knights Landing (2016) architecture. It features 72 cores and 288 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 245 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,839 points. Launch price was $800.
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
The Xeon Phi 7290 packs 72 cores / 288 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 255U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Xeon Phi 7290 has 60 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Xeon Phi 7290 versus 5.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255U — a 101.4% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 255U (base: 1.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Xeon Phi 7290 uses the Knights Landing (2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 255U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Phi 7290 scores 17,839 against the Core Ultra 7 255U's 17,834 — a 0% lead for the Xeon Phi 7290. L3 cache: 0 kB (total) on the Xeon Phi 7290 vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 7 255U.
| Feature | Xeon Phi 7290 | Core Ultra 7 255U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 72 / 288+500% | 12 / 14 |
| Boost Clock | 1.7 GHz | 5.2 GHz+206% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 3.8 GHz+153% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB (total) | 12 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | — |
| Process | 14 nm | 5 nm-64% |
| Architecture | Knights Landing (2016) | Arrow Lake-U (2025) |
| PassMark | 17,839 | 17,834 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon Phi 7290 uses the LGA3647 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 255U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon Phi 7290 | Core Ultra 7 255U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA3647 | FCBGA2049 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
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