Intel Core 5 220H vs Intel Core 7 253PE Comparison

The Intel Core 5 220H and Intel Core 7 253PE are two very different processors that share a brand family but little else. The benchmark data shows a clear and consistent performance gap, with the Core 7 253PE winning all 17 head-to-head comparisons. The Core 5 220H is a 12-core mobile chip built on Raptor Lake, while the Core 7 253PE is a 10-core desktop part from the Bartlett Lake family. The differences in their target platforms, power envelopes, and architectural generations produce a lopsided matchup where the desktop chip dominates every measured workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results establish the overall pattern immediately. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core 7 253PE scores 2507 against 1835 for the Core 5 220H, a 26.8% advantage. The single-core delta in that test is similar at 26%, with the Core 7 253PE posting 354 versus 262. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Core 7 253PE leads by 25.2% in multicore (10449 vs 7812) and by 25.3% in single-core (1475 vs 1102). The margin widens dramatically in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the Core 7 253PE scores 24880 while the Core 5 220H manages 11198, a 55% advantage. Even in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the gap is usually smaller, the Core 7 253PE is 47.2% ahead with 3512 versus 1853.

The PassMark results reinforce the same story. In integer math, the Core 7 253PE scores 114158 against 73555, a 35.6% lead. Floating point math shows a 36.1% gap, 80870 versus 51671. The extended instructions test gives the Core 7 253PE a 32.9% edge (21806 vs 14642), while prime number finding shows a 40.6% difference (138 vs 82). Data compression favors the Core 7 253PE by 26.9% (339133 vs 247921), and data encryption shows a 17.2% lead (18385 vs 15216). The multithreaded PassMark score lands at 29271 for the Core 7 253PE versus 21884 for the Core 5 220H, a 25.2% gap. Physics simulation shows a 19.9% difference (1845 vs 1478), random string sorting a 13.2% gap (32777 vs 28438), and single-thread performance a 13.9% lead for the Core 7 253PE (3955 vs 3405).

The single-thread margins are worth examining closely. The Core 7 253PE boosts to 5.50 GHz, while the Core 5 220H reaches 4.90 GHz. That clock advantage, combined with the newer architecture, explains why the Core 7 253PE holds a 13.9% lead in PassMark single-thread and a 47.2% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core. The Cinebench single-core gap is unusually large, suggesting that the architectural differences between Raptor Lake and Bartlett Lake have a substantial impact on lightly threaded workloads.

The multicore results are more nuanced. The Core 5 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the Core 7 253PE has 10 cores and 20 threads. The Core 7 253PE wins despite having fewer physical cores because its higher thread count, higher boost clock, and larger 33 MB L3 cache outweigh the Core 5 220H's two extra cores. The Cinebench R23 multicore result is the most extreme example: the 55% gap points to the Core 7 253PE being in a different performance class for heavily threaded rendering workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PE has an average benchmark score of 40557, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 220H has an average score of 28574, which puts it in the 80th percentile.

Q: How does the Core 7 253PE compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core 7 253PE sits within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H, which scores 40431. It is 0.1% behind the Intel Core 5 223PE (40585) and 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon 6357P (40630). The Core Ultra X7 368H trails it by 0.1% with 40518.

Q: What are the closest competitors to the Core 5 220H?

A: The AMD EPYC 7203P scores 28583, just 0.1% ahead of the Core 5 220H. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS scores 28549, 0.1% behind. The Intel Xeon E-2436 scores 28530, 0.2% behind, and the Intel Core i5-12600 is 0.3% ahead at 28646.

Q: Does the Core 7 253PE support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Core 7 253PE supports ECC memory. The Core 5 220H does not list ECC support.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The Core 7 253PE has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. No bandwidth figure is recorded for the Core 5 220H, though both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Core 7 253PE has 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 5 220H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core.

The Verdict

The data points to a decisive win for the Intel Core 7 253PE. It wins every benchmark in the comparison, with margins ranging from 13.2% in random string sorting to 55% in Cinebench R23 multicore. Its average benchmark score of 40557 is 42% higher than the Core 5 220H's 28574, and its 87th percentile ranking versus the 80th percentile for the Core 5 220H confirms the gap. The Core 7 253PE is the faster processor for every measured workload, from single-threaded tasks to heavily threaded rendering.

The Core 5 220H is not without its own positioning. It is a mobile processor with a 45 W TDP, while the Core 7 253PE is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP. The Core 5 220H uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket and integrates Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, while the Core 7 253PE uses the Intel Socket 1700 and integrates UHD Graphics 730. The Core 5 220H also has a lower launch MSRP of $342, compared to $384 for the Core 7 253PE.

For users building a desktop system where power draw and socket type are not constraints, the Core 7 253PE is the obvious choice based on benchmark performance alone. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.3%, meaning it competes at a high level in its segment. The Core 5 220H, by contrast, competes with the AMD EPYC 7203P and Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS, which are also within 0.2% of its score. The Core 5 220H is best suited to mobile platforms where its lower TDP and BGA socket are required.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The Core 5 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the Core 7 253PE has 10 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz for the Core 5 220H and 2.50 GHz for the Core 7 253PE, but boost clocks reverse the order: 4.90 GHz versus 5.50 GHz. The TDP also differs significantly, with the Core 5 220H rated at 45 W and the Core 7 253PE at 65 W.

The sockets are incompatible. The Core 5 220H uses Intel BGA 1744, a mobile socket, while the Core 7 253PE uses Intel Socket 1700, a desktop platform. The Core 5 220H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core 7 253PE has 33 MB. Memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5 for both, but the Core 7 253PE records 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, a figure absent for the Core 5 220H. ECC memory support is available on the Core 7 253PE but not the Core 5 220H.

PCIe lanes also differ. The Core 5 220H provides 8 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Core 7 253PE provides 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 5 220H uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, while the Core 7 253PE uses UHD Graphics 730. The Core 5 220H released on 2024-12-17, while the Core 7 253PE released on 2026-03-08. The launch MSRP is $342 for the Core 5 220H and $384 for the Core 7 253PE. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The Core 5 220H belongs to the Raptor Lake family, specifically the Raptor Lake-H codename, and is part of the Core 5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) generation. The Core 7 253PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and belongs to the Core 7 (Bartlett Lake) generation. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process node and fabricated by Intel, but the architectural lineage differs.

The most consequential difference is the L3 cache. The Core 7 253PE carries 33 MB of shared L3 cache versus 18 MB for the Core 5 220H. This 15 MB difference helps explain the Core 7 253PE's strong showing in memory-sensitive workloads like data compression and prime number finding, where it leads by 26.9% and 40.6% respectively.

The core configuration also favors the Core 7 253PE in threaded workloads. The Core 5 220H has 12 cores and 16 threads, which implies a mix of performance and efficiency cores. The Core 7 253PE has 10 cores and 20 threads, meaning it likely uses a higher ratio of cores with simultaneous multithreading. The result is that the Core 7 253PE processes more threads despite having fewer physical cores, which shows in the PassMark multithread score of 29271 versus 21884.

The integrated graphics differ by architecture tier. The Core 5 220H uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, a more capable integrated solution for a mobile chip. The Core 7 253PE uses UHD Graphics 730, a more basic desktop-oriented iGPU. The market segment confirms this split: the Core 5 220H is listed as Mobile, while the Core 7 253PE is listed as Desktop.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 7 253PE wins every recorded benchmark, so the more useful split is by workload characteristics. The largest margins appear in Cinebench R23 multicore (55%), Cinebench R23 single-core (47.2%), and prime number finding (40.6%). These are workloads that benefit from high boost clocks, large cache, and efficient instruction execution. The Core 7 253PE is the stronger choice for rendering, scientific computing, and any task that stresses a single thread or a few threads with heavy computation.

The Core 7 253PE also wins in the PassMark math tests by margins of 35.6% (integer) and 36.1% (floating point). Data compression and extended instructions follow at 26.9% and 32.9% respectively. These results indicate that the Core 7 253PE delivers substantially better throughput for encoding, compression, and general number crunching.

The Core 5 220H has no benchmark wins, so its case rests on platform suitability rather than performance. It uses the mobile BGA 1744 socket and has a lower 45 W TDP, making it appropriate for laptops and compact mobile systems where the 65 W desktop Core 7 253PE cannot physically fit. Its Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units is a stronger integrated GPU than the UHD Graphics 730 in the Core 7 253PE, which matters for systems that rely on the iGPU for display output or light graphics work.

The smallest performance gap between the two is in random string sorting, where the Core 7 253PE leads by 13.2%. This suggests that the Core 5 220H is comparatively less disadvantaged in memory-heavy sorting tasks, though it still trails. The Core 5 220H also comes closest in PassMark single-thread at 13.9%, indicating that its 4.90 GHz boost clock keeps it within reach of the Core 7 253PE in lightly threaded general usage. For users constrained to a mobile platform, the Core 5 220H is the only option of the two; for anyone building on a desktop socket, the Core 7 253PE is faster across the board.