Intel Core 7 150UL vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Intel Core 7 150UL and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus occupy very different positions in Intel’s desktop lineup. The Core 7 150UL is a low-power 10-core part built on Intel’s 10 nm process, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is a high-performance 18-core processor on TSMC’s 3 nm node. The benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy, but each processor has a specific role based on power, platform, and feature support.

Where Each One Wins

The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus dominates in every recorded benchmark category. It holds the 93rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the Core 7 150UL sits at the 50th percentile. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ultra 5 scores 30,867 versus 0 for the Core 7 150UL, which has no recorded benchmark scores in the database. This means the Ultra 5 is the only one of the two with measurable performance data, and it outperforms its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4465P, by 0.1% in average benchmark score (66,855 vs 66,925). The Core 7 150UL, despite being an active product, has no benchmarks listed and therefore no wins.

The Core 7 150UL wins in power efficiency by design. With a 15 W TDP compared to the Ultra 5’s 125 W TDP, the Core 7 150UL is suited for compact desktops or systems where heat and power draw are constrained. Its base clock of 1.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz indicate a wide dynamic range, allowing it to burst to high frequencies when needed. The Ultra 5, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and boost of 5.30 GHz, is built for sustained high throughput, but requires substantially more power and cooling.

The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus also wins on platform features. It supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Core 7 150UL is limited to PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes. The Ultra 5 supports ECC memory, which the Core 7 does not. Memory bandwidth is listed at 115.2 GB/s for the Ultra 5, while the Core 7 has no listed bandwidth figure. The Ultra 5 also has an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, whereas the Core 7 is locked.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and process nodes. The Core 7 150UL uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the codename Raptor Lake-PS, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses the Arrow Lake Refresh codename, part of the Core Ultra Series 2, fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm node. This process difference is significant: the Ultra 5 packs 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the Core 7 has no listed transistor count or die size.

Core counts differ substantially. The Core 7 150UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, indicating a hybrid layout with performance and efficiency cores. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads, meaning all cores are identical with no hyper-threading. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the Core 7 offers 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The Ultra 5 provides 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB shared L3, which is 2.5 times the L3 capacity.

Memory support differs as well. The Core 7 150UL supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Ultra 5 supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Ultra 5 has a listed bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, which the Core 7 lacks. The integrated graphics also differ: the Core 7 uses Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the Ultra 5 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, trading some GPU cores for a newer architecture.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark section in the database is empty, meaning no direct comparison scores exist between the Core 7 150UL and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. However, the Ultra 5 has a full set of benchmark results, while the Core 7 has none. This absence of data for the Core 7 makes direct numerical comparison impossible. Benchmark results for the Ultra 5 include Cinebench R15 multi-core at 4,640 and single-core at 328, Cinebench R20 multi-core at 18,442 and single-core at 2,603, and Cinebench R23 multi-core at 30,867 and single-core at 2,261.

PassMark results for the Ultra 5 show 568,721 in data compression, 42,144 in data encryption, 44,565 in extended instructions, 486 in find prime numbers, 162,692 in floating point math, 125,091 in integer math, 51,596 in multithread, 3,494 in physics, 69,090 in random string sorting, and 4,757 in single-thread tests. These scores place the Ultra 5 in the 93rd percentile overall, with an average benchmark score of 66,855. Its nearest rivals are the AMD EPYC 4465P at 66,925 (0.1% ahead), Intel Xeon 6515P at 67,006 (0.2% ahead), Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX at 67,469 (0.9% ahead), and Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus at 66,159 (1.1% behind).

Since the Core 7 150UL has no benchmark scores, the data cannot show where it would win or lose in direct tests. The database records only the Ultra 5’s performance, which is consistent across all workloads. The single-thread score of 4,757 in PassMark and 2,261 in Cinebench R23 suggest strong per-core performance, while the multi-core scores reflect the 18-core configuration.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads, while the Core 7 150UL has 10 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Core 7 150UL has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has a TDP of 125 watts.

Q: Do both processors support DDR4 memory?

A: No. The Core 7 150UL supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports only DDR5.

Q: Can the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus be overclocked?

A: Yes, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Core 7 150UL does not.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The Core 7 150UL uses Intel’s 10 nm process, and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses TSMC’s 3 nm process.

Q: Which processor has ECC memory support?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory, while the Core 7 150UL does not.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus?

A: The launch MSRP is $199.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus compare to the AMD EPYC 4465P?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has an average benchmark score of 66,855, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD EPYC 4465P’s 66,925.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every key specification. The Core 7 150UL has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 18 cores and 18 threads. Base clocks are 1.70 GHz versus 4.20 GHz, and boost clocks are 5.00 GHz versus 5.30 GHz. TDP is 15 watts versus 125 watts. Sockets differ: Socket 1700 for the Core 7, Socket 1851 for the Ultra 5. Process nodes are 10 nm (Intel) versus 3 nm (TSMC).

Cache sizes are larger on the Ultra 5: L1 is 80 KB per core versus 192 KB per core, L2 is 1.25 MB per core versus 3 MB per core, and L3 is 12 MB shared versus 30 MB shared. Memory support is DDR4/DDR5 for the Core 7, DDR5 only for the Ultra 5. The Ultra 5 has a listed memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, while the Core 7 has none. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 8 lanes for the Core 7, versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes for the Ultra 5.

Integrated graphics differ: Iris Xe Graphics with 96EU on the Core 7, Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64EU on the Ultra 5. ECC memory is unsupported on the Core 7 and supported on the Ultra 5. The Ultra 5 has an unlocked multiplier, the Core 7 does not. The Ultra 5 has a transistor count of 17,800 million and a die size of 243 mm², while the Core 7 has neither listed. Release dates are also different: the Core 7 launched on 2024-04-07, and the Ultra 5 on 2026-03-10. The Ultra 5 has a part number SA4UZ and a launch MSRP of $199, while the Core 7 has no listed MSRP or part number.