Intel Core 5 220H vs Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core 5 220H and Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 represent two fundamentally different approaches to mobile computing. The Intel part is a conventional x86 processor built for broad software compatibility and strong single-thread performance, while the Qualcomm part is an Arm-based design targeting efficiency and integration. The database currently contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results between these two, and the Qualcomm chip has no recorded benchmark scores whatsoever, with a 50th percentile standing among all CPUs and an average benchmark score of zero. This makes direct performance comparison impossible from the recorded data.

The Intel Core 5 220H, by contrast, has a full suite of benchmark results and sits at the 80th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 28574 places it within 0.3% of the AMD EPYC 7203P and Intel Xeon E-2436, effectively matching those server-class parts in aggregate performance. For anyone needing a mobile processor with proven, measurable performance across a wide range of workloads, the Intel part is the only choice with data to support it. The Qualcomm chip, despite being newer and built on a more advanced process, offers no recorded performance evidence, so any claim about its speed remains unsubstantiated.

The practical verdict is straightforward: if the user needs a processor that works today with verified performance, the Intel Core 5 220H is the pick. If the user is willing to wait for the Qualcomm platform to mature and accumulate benchmark data, the Snapdragon X2E-78-100 shows promising architecture on paper, but the database cannot confirm any advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge sharply in their underlying design. The Intel Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake-H architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It packs 12 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 uses the Glymur codename from the Snapdragon X2 (Elite) generation, fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm process, which is significantly more advanced than Intel's 10 nm node. The Qualcomm chip also has 12 cores but only 12 threads, meaning no hyperthreading equivalent, with a base clock of 4.00 GHz and no boost clock listed.

Cache configurations are markedly different. The Intel part uses an 80 KB L1 cache per core, a 2 MB L2 cache per core, and an 18 MB shared L3 cache. The Qualcomm design uses a much larger 288 KB L1 per core and a 16 MB shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache listed. This indicates a different cache hierarchy philosophy, with Qualcomm relying on a large L2 pool rather than a separate L3 tier.

Memory support also separates the two. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, while Qualcomm only lists LPDDR5X support. The Qualcomm memory bandwidth is explicitly rated at 152.4 GB/s, a figure the Intel database entry does not provide. PCIe connectivity differs as well: Intel provides Gen 5 with 8 CPU lanes, while Qualcomm offers Gen 5 with 12 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics are another divergence. Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units, a well-established solution. Qualcomm uses the Adreno X2-85, which is newer and less documented in the database.

Process node and foundry differences are stark: 10 nm at Intel versus 3 nm at TSMC. The Qualcomm die size is listed at 220 mm², while the Intel die size is not recorded. Both processors target the mobile segment and are currently in active production.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark entries for these two processors. The wins count is zero for both sides. This absence of comparative data is itself informative: the Intel part has 17 individual benchmark scores across Cinebench and Passmark tests, while the Qualcomm chip has none.

For the Intel Core 5 220H, the recorded scores provide a clear performance profile. In Cinebench R23, it scores 11198 in multicore and 1853 in single-core. In R20, the scores are 7812 and 1102 respectively. In R15, it achieves 1835 multicore and 262 single-core. Passmark results show 247921 in data compression, 15216 in data encryption, 14642 in extended instructions, 51671 in floating point math, 73555 in integer math, 21884 in multithread, 1478 in physics, 28438 in random string sorting, and 3405 in single-thread performance. The find prime numbers test yields a score of 82.

These numbers place the Intel part at the 80th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in aggregate score are the AMD EPYC 7203P at 28583 (0% difference), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS at 28549 (0.1% ahead), Intel Xeon E-2436 at 28530 (0.2% ahead), and Intel Core i5-12600 at 28646 (0.3% behind). The Intel Core 5 220H essentially trades blows with these established parts.

Without benchmark data for the Qualcomm chip, no head-to-head analysis can be performed. The database records no score, no percentile comparison, and no rival list for the Snapdragon X2E-78-100.

Specification Differences

The following fields show differences between the two processors:

• Manufacturer: Intel (Core 5 220H) versus Unknown (Snapdragon X2E-78-100)
• Threads: 16 versus 12
• Base clock: 2.70 GHz versus 4.00 GHz
• Boost clock: 4.90 GHz versus not listed
• TDP: 45 W versus not listed
• Socket: Intel BGA 1744 versus Qualcomm BGA 2343
• Architecture: Raptor Lake versus not listed
• Codename: Raptor Lake-H versus Glymur
• Generation: Core 5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) versus Snapdragon X2 (Elite)
• Process node: 10 nm versus 3 nm
• Foundry: Intel versus TSMC
• Die size: not listed versus 220 mm²
• L1 cache: 80 KB per core versus 288 KB per core
• L2 cache: 2 MB per core versus 16 MB shared
• L3 cache: 18 MB shared versus not listed
• Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 versus LPDDR5X
• Memory bandwidth: not listed versus 152.4 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 5, 8 Lanes versus Gen 5, 12 Lanes
• Integrated graphics: Iris Xe Graphics 80EU versus Adreno X2-85
• Release date: 2024-12-17 versus 2026-04-05
• Launch MSRP: $342 versus not listed
• Part number: SRQ6SQ5MM versus X2E78100
• Average benchmark score: 28574 versus 0
• Percentile: 80 versus 50
• Nearest rivals: 4 entries versus none

Fields that match include core count (12 each), dual-channel memory bus, non-ECC memory, mobile market segment, active production status, and locked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H has 16 threads across 12 cores, while the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has 12 threads across 12 cores. This gives the Intel part a 4-thread advantage for multithreaded workloads.

Q: What is the clock speed difference?

A: The Intel part runs at 2.70 GHz base with a 4.90 GHz boost. The Qualcomm chip runs at a higher 4.00 GHz base clock but has no boost clock listed in the database.

Q: How do the cache hierarchies compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 220H uses 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 uses a larger 288 KB L1 per core and 16 MB shared L2, but has no L3 cache listed.

Q: Which processor is built on a more advanced process node?

A: The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 is fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm process, whereas the Intel Core 5 220H uses Intel's 10 nm node. The Qualcomm chip also lists a 220 mm² die size, while the Intel die size is not recorded.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: The Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode. The Qualcomm chip supports LPDDR5X only, also in dual-channel mode, with a rated bandwidth of 152.4 GB/s.

Q: Why does the Intel processor have benchmark scores while the Qualcomm one does not?

A: The database contains 17 individual benchmark results for the Intel Core 5 220H, covering Cinebench R15, R20, R23, and multiple Passmark tests. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 has no benchmark entries, resulting in an average score of zero and a lower 50th percentile standing.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 220H wins in every category where data exists. Its average benchmark score of 28574 puts it at the 80th percentile, with performance matching the AMD EPYC 7203P, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS, Intel Xeon E-2436, and Intel Core i5-12600 within a 0.3% band. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11198 and single-core score of 1853 indicate strong all-around capability for both threaded and lightly threaded tasks. Passmark results confirm solid performance in integer math (73555), floating point math (51671), and data compression (247921). The 45 W TDP provides a defined power envelope for system designers.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X2E-78-100 wins in architectural efficiency on paper. Its 3 nm process from TSMC is significantly more advanced than Intel's 10 nm, which typically translates to better performance per watt. The 4.00 GHz base clock is notably higher than Intel's 2.70 GHz base. The 152.4 GB/s memory bandwidth is a substantial figure, and the 12 PCIe Gen 5 lanes offer more interconnect flexibility than Intel's 8 lanes. The Adreno X2-85 integrated graphics and the larger 288 KB L1 cache per core suggest a design focused on sustained throughput rather than burst performance.

In practical terms, the Intel part wins for anyone needing immediate, verified performance with broad software compatibility. The Qualcomm part is a forward-looking design whose advantages remain unmeasured in the database. The lack of any benchmark scores for the Snapdragon X2E-78-100 means its actual performance cannot be confirmed, and the 50th percentile standing reflects an absence of data rather than poor results. The Intel Core 5 220H is the only processor here with proven, quantified capability.