Intel Core 7 250H vs Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Comparison

The Intel Core 7 250H and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H are two mobile processors that land within 0.2% of each other in average benchmark score, yet they achieve parity through very different design philosophies. The Core 7 250H, built on the older Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process, leans on a high 5.40 GHz boost clock to win single-threaded tests, while the Core Ultra 9 185H, a Meteor Lake part on a 7 nm node, uses its additional cores and threads to dominate multi-threaded and data-heavy workloads. The data shows a near-even split in test wins—6 for the Core 7 250H and 11 for the Core Ultra 9 185H—but the margins are not uniform, with some deltas exceeding 14%. This analysis breaks down where each chip excels, the architectural reasons behind the divergence, and the exact benchmark numbers that separate them.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H holds a marginal edge with an average benchmark score of 35728, compared to 35670 for the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, a difference of just 0.2%.

Q: How do the two chips compare in terms of core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has 16 cores and 22 threads, while the Intel Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads, giving the Ultra 9 a two-core and two-thread advantage.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference in PassMark?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H wins decisively in PassMark single-thread testing with a score of 4148, which is 12.2% ahead of the Core Ultra 9 185H’s score of 3697.

Q: Which processor performs better in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H takes the lead in Cinebench R23 multicore with a score of 17984.5, beating the Core 7 250H’s 16561 by a margin of 7.9%.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core 7 250H and the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H are placed in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they are closely matched in overall standing.

Q: What are the launch MSRP values for these two mobile chips?

A: The Intel Core 7 250H has a launch MSRP of $502, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has a launch MSRP of $640.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark suite splits these two processors into clear domains of strength. The Intel Core 7 250H dominates in legacy single-threaded and short-duration tests. It wins Cinebench R15 singlecore by 12.7% with 298 versus 264.5, and it also takes Cinebench R23 singlecore with 1931 points, a 6.7% lead over the Core Ultra 9 185H’s 1810.5. The PassMark single-thread score reinforces this pattern, with the Core 7 250H posting 4148 against 3697, another 12.2% victory. The only other win for the Core 7 250H comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 99100 versus 98302, a slim 0.8% margin. For workloads that rely on a single core or light integer math, the Core 7 250H is the clear choice.

Conversely, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is the multi-threaded and data-processing champion. It wins the newer and more demanding Cinebench R20 and R23 multicore tests, scoring 10356 and 17984.5 respectively, which translate to 6.4% and 7.9% advantages over the Core 7 250H. The margin widens in PassMark’s specialized data tests: data compression sees the Ultra 9 score 339489 versus 303269 (a 10.7% lead), and data encryption comes in at 19827 versus 18206 (an 8.2% lead). Extended instructions and floating-point math also favor the Ultra 9, with scores of 20272 and 73270, representing 14.6% and 11.2% gaps, respectively. Even in the PassMark multithread test, the Ultra 9’s 29376 outpaces the Core 7 250H’s 27030 by 8%. For video encoding, compilation, or heavy scientific computing, the Core Ultra 9 185H is the stronger part.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design generations, and the architectural split explains most of the performance divergence. The Intel Core 7 250H is based on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-H variant from the Core 7 (Raptor Lake Refresh) generation. It is fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process node. In contrast, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H uses the newer Meteor Lake architecture, from the Ultra 9 (Meteor Lake) generation, built on a more advanced 7 nm process node. This process difference is a key factor in the Ultra 9’s efficiency and its ability to pack more cores into the same thermal envelope.

The core configuration also differs. The Core 7 250H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 9 185H has 16 cores and 22 threads. The cache hierarchy is not identical either. The Core 7 250H has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, whereas the Core Ultra 9 185H has a larger 112 KB of L1 per core but the same 2 MB of L2 per core. Both share 24 MB of L3 cache. The integrated graphics are a notable split: the Core 7 250H ships with Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the Core Ultra 9 185H features Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 128 execution units, giving the Ultra 9 a significant advantage in iGPU compute. The memory support also differs, with the Core 7 250H supporting DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 9 185H supports DDR5 only, depending on the motherboard.

Specification Differences

The most immediate difference is in clock speeds. The Intel Core 7 250H has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H starts at a higher 3.90 GHz base but tops out at a lower 5.10 GHz boost. This explains the Core 7 250H’s single-thread wins—it has 0.30 GHz more boost headroom. The socket type also differs, with the Core 7 250H using Intel BGA 1744 and the Core Ultra 9 185H using Intel BGA 2049, meaning they are not drop-in compatible. The Core Ultra 9 185H lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, a figure not provided for the Core 7 250H. The release dates are about a year apart: the Core 7 250H launched on 2024-12-17, while the Core Ultra 9 185H launched on 2023-12-13. Both are mobile market segments, active in production, and have locked multipliers. The part numbers are SRQ6UQ5MK for the Core 7 250H and SRN23 for the Core Ultra 9 185H.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results paint a picture of two chips that trade blows depending on the test. The biggest win for the Intel Core 7 250H comes in Cinebench R15 singlecore, where it scores 298 against 264.5, a 12.7% delta. This is followed by the PassMark single-thread test, where the Core 7 250H’s 4148 beats 3697 by 12.2%. The Cinebench R15 multicore test also goes to the Core 7 250H with 3147 versus 2801.5, a 12.3% advantage, which is surprising given the Ultra 9’s higher core count. The Core 7 250H also wins Cinebench R23 singlecore (1931 vs 1810.5, a 6.7% delta) and PassMark integer math (99100 vs 98302, a 0.8% delta).

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H counters with its largest margin in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 20272 versus 17318, a 14.6% gap. It also wins PassMark random string sorting by 13.8% (39598 vs 34136) and PassMark find prime numbers by 13.8% (123 vs 106). In floating-point math, the Ultra 9 posts 73270 against 65094, an 11.2% lead, and in data compression it scores 339489 versus 303269, a 10.7% margin. The data encryption test favors the Ultra 9 at 19827 versus 18206 (8.2% delta), and the PassMark multithread test shows a 29376 to 27030 result (8% delta). The Cinebench R20 multicore and singlecore tests both go to the Ultra 9 with identical 6.4% deltas, scoring 10356 and 1462 respectively. Finally, PassMark physics gives the Ultra 9 a 1956 to 1824 win, a 6.7% delta.

When tallying the wins, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H takes 11 tests to the Core 7 250H’s 6, but the average benchmark scores remain nearly identical at 35728 and 35670. This indicates that the Core 7 250H’s wins are concentrated in high-impact single-thread tests, while the Core Ultra 9 185H spreads its wins across more numerous but sometimes smaller margins in multi-threaded workloads.