Intel Core 7 251TE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two processors compare in core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE provides 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL provides 14 cores and 18 threads. The Core 7 251TE holds a substantial lead in both metrics.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE boosts to 5.40 GHz, significantly higher than the 4.50 GHz boost clock of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE is built on Intel's 10 nm process, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL is built on Intel's 7 nm process. The Ultra 5 125HL uses the smaller manufacturing node.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core 7 251TE supports ECC memory, whereas the Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL does not list ECC support.

Q: What are the integrated graphics solutions in each processor?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE integrates UHD Graphics 770. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL integrates Arc Xe-LPG 112EU graphics.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor carry?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL carries 18 MB of shared L3 cache, exactly half the amount.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 7 251TE belongs to the Bartlett Lake generation and fits the Intel Socket 1700 platform. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL belongs to the Meteor Lake architecture, specifically the Meteor Lake-PS variant, and uses Intel Socket 1851. These are entirely different sockets, so the two processors are not interchangeable on the same motherboard.

The manufacturing processes differ as well. The Core 7 251TE uses a 10 nm node, while the Core Ultra 5 125HL uses a 7 nm node from the same foundry, Intel. The die size for the Core 7 251TE is recorded at 215 mm², while no die size is listed for the Core Ultra 5 125HL.

Cache hierarchies diverge notably. The Core 7 251TE allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, then pools 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 125HL allocates 112 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, but only 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core caches on the Ultra 5 125HL are offset by the much larger total L3 pool on the Core 7 251TE.

Memory support shows another split. The Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core Ultra 5 125HL supports DDR5 with capacity depending on the motherboard. Both run dual-channel memory buses and both show a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory is available on the Core 7 251TE but not on the Core Ultra 5 125HL.

PCIe connectivity differs by generation and lane count. The Core 7 251TE provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, while the Core Ultra 5 125HL provides PCIe Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics also differ: UHD Graphics 770 on the Core 7 251TE versus Arc Xe-LPG 112EU on the Core Ultra 5 125HL. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Core Ultra 5 125HL launched earlier, with a release date of April 2024, while the Core 7 251TE launched in January 2025. Both are listed as Active in production status and both target the Desktop market segment.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Direct head-to-head benchmark comparisons are not available in the database for these two processors. The Core Ultra 5 125HL has no recorded benchmark scores, no average benchmark score, and no nearest rival entries. The Core 7 251TE, by contrast, has a full suite of Cinebench and PassMark results.

For the Core 7 251TE, the Cinebench R23 multicore score is 25518 and the single-core score is 3602. In Cinebench R20, the multicore score is 10717 and the single-core score is 1512. In Cinebench R15, the multicore score is 2572 and the single-core score is 362.

PassMark results for the Core 7 251TE include a multithread score of 30022 and a single-thread score of 3568. Integer math scores 125739, floating point math scores 85607, and extended instructions score 16974. Data compression scores 334399, data encryption scores 22176, and random string sorting scores 39643. Find prime numbers scores 140, and physics scores 1938.

The average benchmark score for the Core 7 251TE is 41650, placing it at the 88th percentile among all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals are tightly grouped: the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H scores 41621, a 0.1% difference; the Intel Core i7-14650HX scores 41576, a 0.2% difference; the Intel Core i7-12850HX scores 41779, a -0.3% difference; and the Intel Core i7-14700T scores 41914, a -0.6% difference. These deltas indicate the Core 7 251TE sits within a narrow performance band of about 1% across four comparable processors.

Because the Core Ultra 5 125HL lacks any benchmark entries, the database cannot provide a numerical comparison between the two. The percentile ranking tells part of the story: the Core 7 251TE sits at the 88th percentile, while the Core Ultra 5 125HL sits at the 50th percentile. Without scores for the Ultra 5 125HL, the exact margin remains unmeasured.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear split between these two processors. The Intel Core 7 251TE presents a complete benchmark profile with strong results across rendering, math, and compression workloads. Its 88th percentile ranking and average score of 41650 position it among established high-end desktop parts. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125HL presents no benchmark data at all, so its measured performance cannot be verified against the Core 7 251TE.

The architectural differences reinforce the separation. The Core 7 251TE offers 24 cores and 32 threads against 14 cores and 18 threads on the Core Ultra 5 125HL. The Core 7 251TE boosts to 5.40 GHz against 4.50 GHz, carries 36 MB of L3 cache against 18 MB, supports PCIe Gen 5 against Gen 4, and includes ECC memory support. The Core Ultra 5 125HL counters with a smaller 7 nm process node, larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, and a lower launch MSRP.

For workloads measured by the database, the Core 7 251TE is the only one of the two with verifiable results. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25518 and PassMark multithread score of 30022 indicate strong parallel throughput. Its single-thread scores of 3602 in Cinebench R23 and 3568 in PassMark indicate competitive single-thread performance as well. The Core Ultra 5 125HL, lacking all such measurements, cannot be positioned on the same performance scale.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications:

• Cores: 24 on the Core 7 251TE versus 14 on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Threads: 32 on the Core 7 251TE versus 18 on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Base clock: 1.40 GHz on the Core 7 251TE versus 1.20 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Boost clock: 5.40 GHz on the Core 7 251TE versus 4.50 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Socket: Intel Socket 1700 on the Core 7 251TE versus Intel Socket 1851 on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Codename: Bartlett Lake on the Core 7 251TE versus Meteor Lake-PS on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Process node: 10 nm on the Core 7 251TE versus 7 nm on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Die size: 215 mm² on the Core 7 251TE versus not listed on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• L1 cache: 80 KB per core on the Core 7 251TE versus 112 KB per core on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• L2 cache: 1.25 MB per core on the Core 7 251TE versus 2 MB per core on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• L3 cache: 36 MB shared on the Core 7 251TE versus 18 MB shared on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Memory support: DDR4 and DDR5 on the Core 7 251TE versus DDR5 (motherboard-dependent) on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• ECC memory: supported on the Core 7 251TE, not supported on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• PCIe: Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes on the Core 7 251TE versus Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 770 on the Core 7 251TE versus Arc Xe-LPG 112EU on the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Release date: January 2025 for the Core 7 251TE versus April 2024 for the Core Ultra 5 125HL
• Launch MSRP: the Core 7 251TE lists at $384, while the Core Ultra 5 125HL lists at $325

Both processors share the same 45 W TDP, dual-channel memory bus, 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, Intel as manufacturer and foundry, Desktop market segment, Active production status, and locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 7 251TE wins on raw compute resources. Its 24 cores and 32 threads give it a large advantage in parallel workloads. The 36 MB shared L3 cache provides a larger data pool for multi-threaded tasks. The 5.40 GHz boost clock is the highest recorded among the two, which supports single-thread responsiveness. PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes provides double the lane count and a newer generation than the Core Ultra 5 125HL. ECC memory support makes the Core 7 251TE suitable for error-sensitive computing environments.

The Core Ultra 5 125HL wins on manufacturing efficiency and specific platform traits. Its 7 nm process node is smaller than the 10 nm node of the Core 7 251TE. Its per-core L1 cache of 112 KB and per-core L2 cache of 2 MB are larger than the corresponding values on the Core 7 251TE. The Arc Xe-LPG 112EU integrated graphics represent a different class of iGPU compared with UHD Graphics 770. The Core Ultra 5 125HL also carries a lower launch MSRP.

For measured performance, the Core 7 251TE is the sole candidate with database results. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25518 and the PassMark multithread score of 30022 indicate strong multi-threaded capability. The PassMark data compression score of 334399 and integer math score of 125739 indicate solid throughput in arithmetic and data-handling tasks. The Core Ultra 5 125HL has no recorded scores, so any performance advantage it might hold in specific workloads cannot be substantiated from the database.

Platform choice will be a deciding factor. Systems built around Intel Socket 1700 can accept the Core 7 251TE, while Intel Socket 1851 is required for the Core Ultra 5 125HL. The 45 W TDP is identical on both, so cooling requirements are similar. The Core Ultra 5 125HL supports only DDR5, while the Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, giving the latter more flexibility in memory selection.