Intel Core 5 320 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Comparison

The Intel Core 5 320 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus occupy different ends of the mobile processor spectrum, according to the database. The Core 5 320 is a 6-core, 6-thread part with a 1.50 GHz base clock and a 4.60 GHz boost clock, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is a 20-core, 20-thread part with a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 5.30 GHz boost clock. The recorded benchmark data shows a complete sweep: the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins all 17 head-to-head comparisons, often by substantial margins. The Core 5 320 has no wins in the dataset. The average benchmark score for the Core 5 320 is 18023, placing it in the 72nd percentile, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus averages 61834, placing it in the 93rd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The data presents a clear use-case split, though it is entirely one-sided. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, from single-threaded tests to heavily parallel workloads. The Core 5 320 does not win any of the 17 recorded tests. This means that for any workload represented in the database, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus delivers higher scores. The question is not which processor wins a given task, but how much the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins by, and whether the Core 5 320 remains viable in any specific scenario.

For multi-threaded workloads, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is decisively ahead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 41913, while the Core 5 320 scores 6197, a delta of 85.2 percent in favor of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. Similarly, in PassMark multithread, the scores are 48270 versus 15450, a delta of 68 percent. These results indicate that the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is built for heavy parallel processing, likely for content creation, rendering, or other demanding applications.

The single-threaded results are closer, but the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus still leads. In PassMark single-thread, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 4764, while the Core 5 320 scores 4045, a delta of 15.1 percent. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, the scores are 5917 and 1926, a delta of 67.4 percent. The smaller delta in PassMark single-thread suggests that the Core 5 320 has reasonable per-core performance, but it cannot match the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus in any metric.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is the stronger processor in every measured category. It wins all 17 head-to-head comparisons, and its average benchmark score of 61834 is more than three times that of the Core 5 320, which averages 18023. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus also sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 5 320 sits in the 72nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus include the Intel Core i9-13900KF, with an average score of 61841 and a delta of 0 percent, and the Intel Core i9-13900K, with an average score of 61766 and a delta of 0.1 percent. The Core 5 320, by contrast, is closest to the AMD Ryzen 5 1600, which averages 17994 with a delta of 0.2 percent, and the Intel Core i5-1334U, which averages 18154 with a delta of -0.7 percent.

Who should pick which? According to the data, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is the choice for anyone who needs maximum performance in any benchmark represented. Its 20 cores and 20 threads, combined with a 5.30 GHz boost clock, provide a substantial advantage in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. The Core 5 320, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is a lower-power part with a 15-watt TDP, compared to the 55-watt TDP of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The data does not include power efficiency measurements, but the TDP figures suggest the Core 5 320 is designed for more power-conscious systems.

The Core 5 320 is not a competitive alternative to the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus in terms of raw performance. Its single-thread scores are lower, its multi-thread scores are much lower, and its average benchmark score is far below that of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The Core 5 320 may have its place in lower-power or more compact systems, but the recorded data provides no benchmark where it outperforms the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus comes in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 41913 against the Core 5 320's 6197, a delta of 85.2 percent. This is the most extreme difference in the dataset. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus also leads heavily in PassMark find prime numbers, scoring 482 against 110, a delta of 77.2 percent, and in Cinebench R15 multicore, scoring 4224 against 1054, a delta of 75 percent.

The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus leads by 74.1 percent in PassMark floating point math, with scores of 163567 and 42440. It leads by 73.6 percent in PassMark integer math, with scores of 122449 and 32323. In PassMark data encryption, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 37813 against 10984, a delta of 71 percent. In PassMark data compression, it scores 493179 against 148779, a delta of 69.8 percent. In PassMark random string sorting, it scores 60020 against 18038, a delta of 69.9 percent.

In the Cinebench R20 tests, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus leads by 69 percent in both multicore and singlecore. The multicore scores are 17603 and 5462, and the singlecore scores are 2485 and 771. In PassMark physics, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 3843 against 1221, a delta of 68.2 percent. In PassMark multithread, it scores 48270 against 15450, a delta of 68 percent. In PassMark extended instructions, it scores 39283 against 13262, a delta of 66.2 percent.

The smallest margin is in PassMark single-thread, where the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 4764 against 4045, a delta of 15.1 percent. This is the only benchmark where the Core 5 320 comes within a reasonable distance, though it still loses. The Cinebench R23 singlecore test shows a larger gap, with scores of 5917 and 1926, a delta of 67.4 percent. The Cinebench R15 singlecore test shows a delta of 53.7 percent, with scores of 596 and 276.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has an average benchmark score of 61834, while the Intel Core 5 320 has an average benchmark score of 18023.

Q: How many cores and threads does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads.

Q: What is the difference in boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has a boost clock of 5.30 GHz.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins with a score of 41913, compared to 6197 for the Intel Core 5 320, a delta of 85.2 percent.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has a TDP of 15 watts, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has a TDP of 55 watts.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 is closest to the AMD Ryzen 5 1600, with a delta of 0.2 percent. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is closest to the Intel Core i9-13900KF, with a delta of 0 percent.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel product lines and use different designs. The Intel Core 5 320 is based on the Wildcat Lake codename and belongs to the Core 5 generation. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is based on the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh codename and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 generation. Both are built on a 3 nm process node, but the foundries differ. The Intel Core 5 320 is manufactured by Intel, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is manufactured by TSMC. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has a transistor count of 17,800 million and a die size of 243 mm², while the Core 5 320 does not have transistor or die size data in the database.

The cache structures are notably different. The Intel Core 5 320 has an L1 cache of 192 KB, an L2 cache of 2.5 MB, and an L3 cache of 6 MB shared. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has an L1 cache of 192 KB per core, an L2 cache of 3 MB per core, and an L3 cache of 30 MB shared. The L3 cache difference is substantial, with the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus offering five times the shared L3 cache.

The integrated graphics also differ. The Intel Core 5 320 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 EU. The memory support is similar but not identical. Both support DDR5, but the Core 5 320 also supports LPDDR5X, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus supports only DDR5. The memory bus widths differ, with the Core 5 320 using a single-channel bus and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus using a dual-channel bus. The memory bandwidth is 59.7 GB/s for the Core 5 320 and 102.4 GB/s for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus.

The PCIe support differs as well. The Core 5 320 uses PCIe Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only), while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The sockets are different: the Core 5 320 uses Intel BGA 1516, and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses Intel BGA 2114. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core 5 320 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads. The base clock of the Core 5 320 is 1.50 GHz, and the base clock of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is 2.40 GHz. The boost clock of the Core 5 320 is 4.60 GHz, and the boost clock of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is 5.30 GHz. The TDP of the Core 5 320 is 15 watts, and the TDP of the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is 55 watts.

The sockets differ, with the Core 5 320 using Intel BGA 1516 and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus using Intel BGA 2114. The codenames are Wildcat Lake for the Core 5 320 and Arrow Lake-HX Refresh for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The process node is 3 nm for both, but the foundry is Intel for the Core 5 320 and TSMC for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has a transistor count of 17,800 million and a die size of 243 mm², while the Core 5 320 has no data for these fields.

The L1 cache is 192 KB for the Core 5 320 and 192 KB per core for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The L2 cache is 2.5 MB for the Core 5 320 and 3 MB per core for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The L3 cache is 6 MB shared for the Core 5 320 and 30 MB shared for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. Memory support is DDR5 and LPDDR5X for the Core 5 320, and DDR5 for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The memory bus is single-channel for the Core 5 320 and dual-channel for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. Memory bandwidth is 59.7 GB/s for the Core 5 320 and 102.4 GB/s for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus.

The PCIe support is Gen 4 with 6 lanes for the Core 5 320 and Gen 5 with 20 lanes for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores for the Core 5 320 and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 EU for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The Core 5 320 has a launch MSRP of $340, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has no launch MSRP in the database. The multiplier is unlocked on the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus but locked on the Core 5 320. The release dates differ, with the Core 5 320 released on 2026-04-15 and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus released on 2026-03-16. The part numbers are SAE3H for the Core 5 320 and SADST for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus.