Intel Core i3-1220P vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155U Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U and Intel Core i3-1220P are both mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but they represent very different design philosophies from Intel. The Ultra 7 155U is built on the newer Meteor Lake architecture with a focus on power efficiency, while the i3-1220P is an Alder Lake part tuned for higher sustained performance within a larger thermal envelope. Benchmark results reveal a fascinating split, where the newer chip wins on raw computational throughput in many tests, but the older chip fights back decisively in long-form rendering workloads. The data shows that neither processor is a universal victor; the winner depends entirely on the specific application and its demands.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking divergence between these two CPUs appears in Cinebench testing, where the results are almost contradictory. In the older Cinebench R15 and R20 suites, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U holds a clear advantage. It scores 1,585 points in R15 multi-core, an 18.2% lead over the i3-1220P’s 1,341. The single-core gap is even wider in R15, with the Ultra 7 posting 238.5 points versus 189 for the i3-1220P, a massive 26.2% delta. This trend continues in R20, though the margins shrink considerably: the Ultra 7 wins multi-core 5,765 to 5,591 (3.1% ahead) and single-core 813 to 789 (3% ahead).

However, the script flips dramatically in the newer Cinebench R23 test. Here, the Intel Core i3-1220P scores 13,314 points in multi-core, crushing the Ultra 7 155U’s 9,674.5 by a staggering 27.3%. The i3-1220P also takes the single-core crown in R23 with 1,879 points versus 1,666, an 11.3% advantage. This suggests that the i3-1220P’s higher 28W TDP allows it to sustain boost clocks over longer rendering workloads, whereas the Ultra 7 155U, designed for a 15W envelope, may be hitting power limits that throttle its performance in extended all-core stress tests.

Outside of Cinebench, the PassMark suite shows a more consistent pattern favoring the Ultra 7. The Ultra 7 155U wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. Its most dominant victory comes in the prime number calculation test, where it scores 65 versus 33 for the i3-1220P, a 97% improvement. Similarly, the physics test shows a 70.2% lead for the Ultra 7 (1,084 vs 637). In multi-threaded workloads, the Ultra 7 is 13.1% faster (16,382 vs 14,481), and it also leads in floating-point math (7.9% ahead) and integer math (7.6% ahead). The i3-1220P manages wins in only a few specific areas: data compression (1.9% ahead), extended instructions (1.5% ahead), and random string sorting (5.2% ahead), along with its two big Cinebench R23 victories. The single-thread PassMark scores are essentially tied, with the Ultra 7 edging out a 0.3% win (3,372 vs 3,362).

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data paints a clear picture of two different usage profiles. The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U is the better choice for general-purpose productivity and bursty workloads. Its wins in integer math, floating-point math, and encryption point to strength in office applications, spreadsheet calculations, and data handling. The massive lead in prime number finding and physics simulation also suggests it handles scientific and engineering calculations more efficiently. For users who need snappy responsiveness in everyday tasks and light-to-moderate computational work, the Ultra 7’s 12-core, 14-thread configuration delivers superior results in most PassMark sub-tests.

The Intel Core i3-1220P, despite having fewer cores (10 vs 12) and threads (12 vs 14), is the clear winner for sustained heavy lifting. Its decisive Cinebench R23 multi-core performance indicates it is better suited for rendering 3D scenes, video encoding, or compiling code—tasks that run for minutes at a time and stress all cores continuously. The i3-1220P also takes the edge in data compression and sorting algorithms, which are common in file archiving and database operations. If a user’s primary workflow involves long, multi-core-intensive tasks that push the CPU to its limits, the i3-1220P appears to have the thermal headroom to maintain higher clock speeds, as evidenced by its 4.40 GHz boost clock versus the Ultra 7’s 4.80 GHz, though the lower TDP of the Ultra 7 seems to limit its sustained performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different Intel architectures. The Core Ultra 7 155U is based on the Meteor Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel’s 7 nm process node. It represents Intel’s move to a chiplet-based design, which allows for more efficient power delivery and integration of different functional blocks. In contrast, the Core i3-1220P is an Alder Lake-P part built on the older 10 nm process node. This architectural generation gap explains why the Ultra 7 can offer a higher core count and a higher boost clock (4.80 GHz vs 4.40 GHz) while operating at a significantly lower TDP of 15W compared to the i3-1220P’s 28W.

Cache configurations also differ notably. The Ultra 7 155U features a larger per-core L1 cache at 112 KB and L2 cache at 2 MB per core, compared to 80 KB and 1.25 MB per core respectively for the i3-1220P. Both processors share a 12 MB L3 cache. This larger per-core cache likely contributes to the Ultra 7’s superior performance in latency-sensitive integer and floating-point operations. The integrated graphics are also distinct: the Ultra 7 uses the newer Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units, while the i3-1220P is equipped with the older UHD Graphics 64EU. Both support dual-channel memory, but the Ultra 7 specifies DDR5 support with an 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i3-1220P supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with no listed bandwidth figure. The two CPUs also use different sockets (BGA 2049 for the Ultra 7, BGA 1744 for the i3-1220P) and have different PCIe lane counts (12 for the Ultra 7, 20 for the i3-1220P).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core i3-1220P’s 4.40 GHz.

Q: Why does the i3-1220P win in Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores?

A: The benchmark data shows the i3-1220P scores 13,314 in R23 multi-core versus 9,674.5 for the Ultra 7. This is likely due to the i3-1220P’s higher 28W TDP, which allows it to sustain higher clocks during long, all-core workloads, whereas the Ultra 7’s 15W TDP may cause it to throttle.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two CPUs?

A: The largest delta is in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 7 155U scores 65 versus 33 for the i3-1220P, a 97% difference.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, both the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U and the Intel Core i3-1220P have ECC memory support listed as false.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The Ultra 7 155U features an Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units, while the i3-1220P uses UHD Graphics 64EU. Both have 64 execution units, but they are from different graphics architectures.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No, neither the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U nor the Intel Core i3-1220P has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The following table outlines the key differences in specifications between the two processors:

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 7 155U | Intel Core i3-1220P |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Series | Core Ultra Series 1 | Core i3 (Alder Lake-P) |

| Cores | 12 | 10 |

| Threads | 14 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1700.00 MHz | 1500.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.80 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2049 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Meteor Lake | Alder Lake |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

| L1 Cache | 112 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not specified |

| PCIe Lanes | 12 Lanes (CPU only) | 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | UHD Graphics 64EU |

| Launch MSRP | $490 | Not specified |

| Release Date | 2023-12-13 | 2022-02-22 |

| Part Number | SRN6B | SRLFY |