Intel Core 7 253PQE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

Intel Core 7 253PQE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H

The database records two distinct Intel processors aimed at different market segments. The Intel Core 7 253PQE is a desktop part built on the Bartlett Lake architecture, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H is a mobile processor from the Panther Lake family. Across 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, the Core 7 253PQE wins 16, with the Ultra 5 336H taking only one. The average benchmark score for the Core 7 253PQE sits at 55919, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, while the Ultra 5 336H averages 34485, landing in the 84th percentile. The performance gap is substantial, but the underlying designs explain why.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 253PQE dominates almost every workload category recorded in the database. Its largest advantages appear in integer math, multithreaded tasks, and data compression. In the passmark integer math test, the Core 7 253PQE scores 137795 against 62070 for the Ultra 5 336H, a lead of 122 percent. That is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. Data compression shows a 73.8 percent advantage, with scores of 487335 versus 280340. Random string sorting also favors the desktop chip by 57.6 percent, scoring 54222 against 34402. These results point toward heavy computational workloads, particularly those involving sorting, compression, or arithmetic operations, where the Core 7 253PQE simply has more raw throughput.

The Ultra 5 336H wins only the passmark find prime numbers test, scoring 299 against 206 for the Core 7 253PQE, a 31.1 percent advantage. This specific test measures a particular algorithmic pattern, and the mobile chip's result indicates a different strength in that narrow area. Outside of that single test, the Ultra 5 336H trails across all other recorded benchmarks. Its closest margin comes in passmark physics, where it scores 2682 against 2970, a 10.7 percent deficit. Single-thread performance shows a smaller gap as well, with the Core 7 253PQE scoring 4389 against 4013, a 9.4 percent lead. For general productivity, rendering, or heavy multi-threaded applications, the data clearly favors the desktop processor. The mobile chip's win in prime number finding does not translate to broader advantages elsewhere.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families and target different physical environments. The Core 7 253PQE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, belongs to the Core 7 generation, and is built on a 10 nm process node. It fits into the Intel Socket 1700 and is classified as a desktop processor. The Ultra 5 336H uses the Panther Lake codename with a Panther Lake-H generation label, sits on a 3 nm process node, and uses the Intel BGA 2540 socket, making it a mobile part. The process node difference is significant: the 3 nm node allows the mobile chip to pack more transistors into a smaller area, but the desktop chip uses a larger, more power-hungry design.

Core counts differ substantially. The Core 7 253PQE has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Ultra 5 336H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The desktop chip uses hyper-threading to double its thread count, whereas the mobile chip has no thread doubling, so its 16 cores provide exactly 16 threads. This explains why the Core 7 253PQE can deliver higher multithreaded scores despite having fewer physical cores. The base clock for the Core 7 253PQE is 3.50 GHz, boosting to 5.70 GHz, while the Ultra 5 336H runs at 1.90 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost. Those clock speeds give the desktop chip a substantial frequency advantage in both sustained and peak operation.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The Core 7 253PQE has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 336H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The mobile chip has more L1 and L2 per core, but the desktop chip doubles the total L3 capacity. The larger shared L3 cache on the Core 7 253PQE likely contributes to its strong performance in data-heavy tests like compression and sorting. Memory support also differs: the Core 7 253PQE supports DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ultra 5 336H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with dual-channel and 115.2 GB/s bandwidth. The mobile chip has higher memory bandwidth, yet it still loses in most tests, suggesting that raw bandwidth does not compensate for the clock and thread advantages of the desktop part.

Other distinctions include ECC memory support, which the Core 7 253PQE has and the Ultra 5 336H lacks. PCIe lanes also differ: the Core 7 253PQE offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes, while the Ultra 5 336H offers Gen 5 with 12 lanes. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the desktop chip using UHD Graphics 770 and the mobile chip using Intel Xe3 Graphics. The thermal design power (TDP) is 125 watts for the Core 7 253PQE and 25 watts for the Ultra 5 336H, reflecting the desktop versus mobile split. The release dates show the Ultra 5 336H launched earlier, in January 2026, while the Core 7 253PQE followed in March 2026.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent pattern of 30.8 percent advantages for the Core 7 253PQE across nearly every test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the desktop chip scores 3163 against 2418, while in singlecore it scores 446 against 341. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 13183 versus 10076, and singlecore shows 1861 versus 1422. Cinebench R23 multicore scores 31390 against 23991, and singlecore scores 4431 against 3387. The delta for each of these tests sits at 30.8 percent, except for Cinebench R20 singlecore, which shows 30.9 percent. This uniformity suggests that the Core 7 253PQE scales its advantage consistently across render workloads, regardless of the Cinebench version.

PassMark results reveal a wider spread. In integer math, the Core 7 253PQE scores 137795 against 62070, a 122 percent lead, the largest margin in the entire comparison. Data compression shows 487335 versus 280340, a 73.8 percent gap. Random string sorting delivers 54222 against 34402, a 57.6 percent advantage. Multithread performance shows 41656 against 28545, a 45.9 percent lead. Extended instructions score 32390 versus 24542, a 32 percent gap. Floating point math shows 105279 against 82415, a 27.7 percent lead. Data encryption scores 25515 versus 21291, a 19.8 percent advantage. Physics shows 2970 versus 2682, a 10.7 percent lead. Single-thread performance scores 4389 versus 4013, a 9.4 percent advantage.

The single win for the Ultra 5 336H comes in find prime numbers, where it scores 299 against 206, a 31.1 percent advantage. This test involves a specific type of integer operation, and the mobile chip's higher L1 cache per core (192 KB versus 80 KB) may contribute to that result. However, that single win does not offset the broader pattern. The Core 7 253PQE leads in every other test, with margins ranging from 9.4 percent in single-thread performance to 122 percent in integer math. The data shows a processor that is faster in nearly every measurable way, particularly in workloads that benefit from higher clocks, more threads, and a larger shared L3 cache.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear split based on use case and platform. The Intel Core 7 253PQE is the stronger processor for desktop workloads that demand high multithreaded throughput, such as rendering, data compression, encryption, and integer-heavy calculations. Its 30.8 percent lead across all three Cinebench versions indicates that rendering performance is consistently better. The 122 percent lead in integer math and 73.8 percent lead in data compression further confirm its suitability for computational tasks. The 91st percentile placement among all CPUs, compared to the 84th percentile for the Ultra 5 336H, reinforces this position.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H, despite its 16 cores, cannot match the desktop chip because it lacks hyper-threading and runs at much lower clocks (1.90 GHz base versus 3.50 GHz). Its only win in prime number finding shows a narrow niche where its cache configuration helps, but that does not translate to broader success. For mobile users who need a processor for general productivity or lighter workloads, the Ultra 5 336H still performs adequately, placing in the 84th percentile. Its 25-watt TDP makes it suitable for laptops, while the 125-watt TDP of the Core 7 253PQE requires a desktop cooling solution.

The nearest rivals for each processor provide context. The Core 7 253PQE sits within 1.1 percent of AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX and within 0.2 percent of Intel Core i9-14900HX, indicating it competes with high-end desktop and mobile chips. The Ultra 5 336H sits within 0.8 percent of AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and within 0.2 percent of Intel Core i7-13700HX, showing it aligns with mid-range mobile processors. The choice between these two parts depends entirely on the target platform. For a desktop build, the Core 7 253PQE delivers superior performance across virtually every recorded benchmark. For a laptop, the Ultra 5 336H is the only viable option given its BGA 2540 socket and 25-watt power envelope.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has more physical cores with 16 cores, but the Intel Core 7 253PQE has more threads with 20 threads (10 cores with hyper-threading) versus 16 threads for the mobile chip.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in the passmark integer math test, where the Intel Core 7 253PQE scores 137795 against 62070 for the Ultra 5 336H, a 122 percent advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the passmark find prime numbers test, scoring 299 against 206 for the Core 7 253PQE, a 31.1 percent advantage.

Q: How do the Cinebench R23 scores compare?

A: The Core 7 253PQE scores 31390 in multicore and 4431 in singlecore, while the Ultra 5 336H scores 23991 in multicore and 3387 in singlecore, giving the desktop chip a 30.8 percent lead in both.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PQE uses a 10 nm process node, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H uses a 3 nm process node.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PQE boosts to 5.70 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 336H boosts to 4.60 GHz, a difference of 1.10 GHz in favor of the desktop chip.