Intel Core 9 273PE vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data reveals a clear performance split between these two Intel processors. Across the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX claims 13 wins, while the Intel Core 9 273PE secures 4. The average benchmark score difference is substantial: the Core Ultra 7 255HX posts 62,738 versus 49,845 for the Core 9 273PE, a gap that places the two chips in different performance tiers entirely.

The most dramatic single-core result comes from Cinebench R23. The Core 9 273PE scores 4,417 points in single-core, which is 104.2% ahead of the Core Ultra 7 255HX's 2,163 points. That is more than double the output. The Core 9 273PE also leads in Cinebench R15 single-core with 445 points versus 327 points, a 36.1% advantage. These results indicate that the Core 9 273PE has a decisive edge in lightly threaded workloads that depend on raw clock speed and per-core efficiency. Its boost clock of 5.70 GHz, compared to 5.20 GHz for the Core Ultra 7 255HX, aligns with this outcome.

However, the Core Ultra 7 255HX dominates multi-threaded and throughput-oriented tasks. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 4,916 versus 3,153, a 35.9% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a 23.5% advantage (17,187 versus 13,140), and Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a smaller but still positive 4.1% lead (32,612 versus 31,288). The 20-core, 20-thread configuration of the Core Ultra 7 255HX, built on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture, provides more parallel execution capacity than the 12-core, 24-thread Core 9 273PE, and the benchmark data reflects that.

PassMark results reinforce this pattern. The Core Ultra 7 255HX wins data compression by 21.2% (515,143 versus 405,885), data encryption by 42.5% (39,499 versus 22,719), extended instructions by 40.3% (41,247 versus 24,630), and find prime numbers by 49.2% (400 versus 203). Floating point math goes to the Core Ultra 7 255HX by 32.8% (160,624 versus 107,884), and multithread score favors it by 23.7% (48,234 versus 36,810). Random string sorting shows a 27.9% advantage (62,591 versus 45,098). The single-thread PassMark metric, interestingly, goes to the Core Ultra 7 255HX by 20% (4,562 versus 3,650), which contrasts with the Cinebench single-core results. This inconsistency suggests that the two benchmark suites weight instruction mix and memory behavior differently.

The Core 9 273PE counters with two additional PassMark wins beyond the Cinebench single-core results. Integer math favors it by 9.7% (139,410 versus 127,126), and physics testing favors it by 6.6% (3,120 versus 2,926). These wins are narrower than the Core Ultra 7 255HX's margins, but they indicate that the Core 9 273PE is not uniformly slower in compute-heavy scalar work.

Percentile rankings place the Core Ultra 7 255HX at the 93rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the Core 9 273PE sits at the 90th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Core 9 273PE include the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (0.1% ahead in average score), the Intel Core i5-14600KF (0.9% ahead), the Intel Core i9-13980HX (1.1% behind), and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 (1.2% behind). The Core Ultra 7 255HX sits within 0.7% of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX, within 0.5% of the Intel Core i7-13790F, and within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185. Both processors are tightly grouped with their closest competitors, but the Core Ultra 7 255HX operates in a higher average-score band.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion: the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX is the stronger overall processor in aggregate benchmark performance. Its 62,738 average benchmark score against 49,845 for the Core 9 273PE is a 25.9% difference. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, including all of the major multi-threaded Cinebench tests and the majority of PassMark workload tests. The 93rd percentile ranking versus 90th percentile reinforces this ordering.

The Core 9 273PE is not without its strengths. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,417 is more than double the Core Ultra 7 255HX's 2,163, and its Cinebench R15 single-core lead of 36.1% is decisive. For workloads that are strictly single-threaded and do not scale across cores, the Core 9 273PE is clearly the better choice. The integer math and physics wins add further evidence that its per-core execution can outpace the Core Ultra 7 255HX in selected scalar tasks.

Yet the overall balance of evidence favors the Core Ultra 7 255HX. The multi-core margins are large in several tests, and the PassMark single-thread score actually favors the Core Ultra 7 255HX by 20%, which complicates any simple narrative that the Core 9 273PE is universally faster in single-threaded work. The benchmark suite as a whole indicates that the Core Ultra 7 255HX delivers higher sustained throughput across a wider range of operations.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 9 273PE wins in scenarios where a single thread dominates. Cinebench R23 single-core, with a 104.2% lead, is the standout example. Cinebench R15 single-core adds a 36.1% win. PassMark integer math and PassMark physics provide additional, though smaller, victories. These results suit applications that rely on high clock speeds with minimal thread scaling, such as certain legacy simulation codes or lightly threaded rendering passes.

The Core Ultra 7 255HX wins in most throughput-oriented tasks. Its 20 cores versus 12 cores give it a structural advantage in parallel workloads. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 35.9% lead, Cinebench R20 multi-core a 23.5% lead, and Cinebench R23 multi-core a 4.1% lead. Data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, multithread scoring, and random string sorting all favor the Core Ultra 7 255HX with margins ranging from 21.2% to 49.2%. It also wins the PassMark single-thread test by 20%, meaning even some single-threaded workloads may run faster on the Core Ultra 7 255HX depending on the instruction mix.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX has an average benchmark score of 62,738, while the Intel Core 9 273PE has 49,845.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE scores 4,417 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is 104.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX's 2,163.

Q: Which processor wins the multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests: R15 by 35.9%, R20 by 23.5%, and R23 by 4.1%.

Q: Does the Intel Core 9 273PE win any PassMark tests?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark integer math by 9.7% (139,410 versus 127,126) and PassMark physics by 6.6% (3,120 versus 2,926).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX has 20 cores and 20 threads.

Q: How do the two processors rank among all CPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX is at the 93rd percentile, while the Intel Core 9 273PE is at the 90th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct architectural approaches from Intel. The Core 9 273PE is built on the Bartlett Lake codename and uses Intel's 10 nm process node, fabricated in-house by Intel. The Core Ultra 7 255HX uses the Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-HX, and is built on a 3 nm process node at TSMC. The foundry difference alone separates their manufacturing strategies.

Transistor and die details are only recorded for the Core Ultra 7 255HX, which lists 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Core 9 273PE has no recorded transistor count or die size in the database.

Cache hierarchies differ in both capacity and allocation. The Core 9 273PE has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 7 255HX has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L1 and L2 on the Core Ultra 7 255HX suggest a different cache-to-core ratio, while the Core 9 273PE offers more total L3.

Memory support also diverges. The Core 9 273PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory with dual-channel operation and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Core Ultra 7 255HX supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, with a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. ECC memory is supported on the Core 9 273PE but not on the Core Ultra 7 255HX.

PCIe connectivity favors the Core Ultra 7 255HX, which has Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), compared to Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only) on the Core 9 273PE. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 9 273PE uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Core Ultra 7 255HX uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

The Core 9 273PE is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1700, released per the database on 2026-03-08, with a launch MSRP of $549. The Core Ultra 7 255HX is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 2114, released on 2025-01-12, with no recorded launch MSRP. The multiplier is locked on the Core 9 273PE and unlocked on the Core Ultra 7 255HX.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ significantly: the Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 255HX has 20 cores and 20 threads. The Core 9 273PE relies on hyper-threading to reach 24 threads from 12 cores, whereas the Core Ultra 7 255HX uses one thread per core.

Base clocks are close: 2.30 GHz for the Core 9 273PE and 2.40 GHz for the Core Ultra 7 255HX. Boost clocks favor the Core 9 273PE at 5.70 GHz versus 5.20 GHz. Thermal design power differs by 10 watts, with the Core 9 273PE at 65 W and the Core Ultra 7 255HX at 55 W.

The process node is 10 nm for the Core 9 273PE and 3 nm for the Core Ultra 7 255HX. The Core 9 273PE supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory; the Core Ultra 7 255HX supports only DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s, favoring the Core Ultra 7 255HX. ECC memory is present on the Core 9 273PE and absent on the Core Ultra 7 255HX.

PCIe lanes differ: 16 lanes on the Core 9 273PE versus 20 lanes on the Core Ultra 7 255HX, both Gen 5 and CPU-only. The Core 9 273PE uses Intel Socket 1700 and targets the desktop market segment; the Core Ultra 7 255HX uses Intel BGA 2114 and targets mobile. The Core 9 273PE has its multiplier locked, while the Core Ultra 7 255HX has it unlocked. Part numbers are SA4QD for the Core 9 273PE and SRVFG for the Core Ultra 7 255HX.