Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core Ultra 7 165U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear pattern: the desktop Intel Core i5-11600K dominates most benchmark categories, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 165U secures a handful of notable specialized wins. Out of 19 recorded test instances, the Ultra 7 165U wins 5, leaving the i5-11600K with 14 victories.

The largest margin in the entire comparison belongs to the i5-11600K in Passmark extended instructions, where it scores 17615 against the Ultra 7 165U's 10610, a 39.8% advantage. Almost as decisive is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i5-11600K scores 16552 versus 10226, a 38.8% gap. Passmark random string sorting also goes to the i5-11600K by 23.7%, with a score of 188105 on the Ultra 7 165U. The desktop part also leads in Cinebench R20 multi-core by 14.5% (6951 versus 5943 in the Ultra 7 165U), Geekbench single-core by 26.5% (1973 versus 1450 in the Ultra 7 165U), and Passmark integer math by 10.6% (64664 versus 57785 in the Ultra 165U).

The Ultra 7 165U's wins, while fewer, are meaningful in specific workloads, especially in prime number finding. Passmark find prime numbers goes to the Ultra 7 165U at 66 versus 58 for the i5-11600K, a 13.8% edge. Passmark physics swings to the Ultra 7 165U at 1141 against 944, a 20.9% advantage. The Ultra 7 165U also wins Passmark floating point math by 6.5%, scoring 40775 against 38269 for the i5-11600K. The two are nearly tied in Passmark single-thread performance, with the Ultra 7 165U at 3357 and the i5-11600K at 3344, a fractional 0.4% difference.

The margins in single-core Cinebench show the i5-11600K's strength: it leads by 1.7% in R15 (235 versus 231), by 14.5% in R20 (981 versus 839), and by 28.9% in R23 (2336 versus 1662). The i5-11600K also takes Passmark data compression by 22.5% (242740 versus 188105), Passmark multithread by 12.4% (19527 versus 17101), and Passmark data encryption by 2.6% (12212 versus 11896).

Looking at overall averages, the Ultra 7 165U records an average benchmark score of 20249, while the i5-11600K averages 19786. The Ultra 7 165U sits in the 74th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-11600K sits in the 73rd percentile. The nearest rivals to the Ultra 7 165U include the Intel Core i7-9700K at 20271 (a 0.1% gap) and the AMD EPYC 7713 at 20363 (a 0.6% gap). The i5-11600K's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-11600KF at 19723, with the i5-11600K ahead by 0.3%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from completely different design points. The Intel Core Ultra 7 165U is a Meteor Lake part built on a 7 nm process, while the Intel Core i5-11600K uses Rocket Lake on a 14 nm node. The Ultra 7 165U is a mobile chip with a 15 W TDP, whereas the i5-11600K is a desktop chip rated at 125 W. That power envelope difference is reflected in their sockets: the Ultra 7 165U uses Intel BGA 2049, while the i5-11600K uses Intel Socket 1200.

Core counts also diverge sharply. The Ultra 7 165U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the i5-11600K has 6 cores and 12 threads. The cache hierarchy differs: the Ultra 7 165U has 112 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, while the i5-11600K has 80 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. Both share 12 MB of L3 cache. The i5-11600K has a larger die at 276 mm², while the Ultra 7 165U does not have a recorded die size in the database.

Memory support differs as well. The Ultra 7 165U supports DDR5 with memory bandwidth up to 89.6 GB/s and dual-channel operation, while the i5-11600K supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s and dual-channel operation. Neither supports ECC memory. PCIe lanes also differ: the Ultra 7 165U provides Gen 4 with 12 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-11600K provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics present another distinction. The Ultra 7 165U carries Arc Xe-LPG 64EU graphics, while the i5-11600K uses UHD Graphics 750. The Ultra 7 165U is built on the Meteor Lake architecture and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 1 generation, while the i5-11600K is based on Rocket Lake and belongs to the Core 11th Gen family.

Clock speeds show the i5-11600K's higher base clock of 3.90 GHz versus 1700 MHz for the Ultra 7 165U, though both reach 4.90 GHz boost. The i5-11600K has an unlocked multiplier, while the Ultra 7 165U does not. The Ultra 7 165U is listed as active in production, while the i5-11600K is end-of-life. The Ultra 7 165U launched on 2023-12-13, while the i5-11600K launched on 2021-03-15.

The Verdict

The database paints a clear picture for each processor. The Intel Core i5-11600K is the stronger performer in the vast majority of recorded benchmarks, particularly in multi-core rendering and single-core workloads. It leads the Ultra 7 165U by 38.2% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and by 28.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core. It also wins Geekbench multi-core by 20.7% (9238 versus 7329) and Geekbench single-core by 26.5%. For users running Cinebench, Geekbench, or general integer and multithreaded workloads, the data clearly favors the i5-11600K.

The Ultra 7 165U has specific strengths that should not be overlooked. It wins Passmark physics by 20.9% and Passmark find prime numbers by 13.8%. It also edges out the i5-11600K in Passmark single-thread performance by 0.4%, a negligible but real difference. Its mobile design, with a 15 W TDP versus 125 W for the i5-11600K, makes it suitable for portable systems where the i5-11600K's desktop platform would not apply. The Ultra 7 165U also offers higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s.

The overall average scores are close: the Ultra 7 165U averages 20249, while the i5-11600K averages 19786. The percentile ranking also shows near parity, at 74 and 73 percent respectively. The i5-11600K's nearest rivals include the i5-11600KF at a 0.3% gap, while the Ultra 7 165U's closest rival is the i7-9700K at a 0.1% gap. This suggests that in aggregate, the two processors perform at a similar level despite their very different architectures and power envelopes.

The choice between them depends on the platform. The i5-11600K is a desktop processor with an unlocked multiplier, a 125 W TDP, and a 14 nm node. The Ultra 7 165U is a mobile processor with a 15 W TDP, a 7 nm node, and BGA packaging. Each serves a different market segment: the i5-11600K for desktop builds, the Ultra 7 165U for mobile systems. The i5-11600K's launch MSRP is $262, while the Ultra 7 165U's launch MSRP is $448.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core Ultra 7 165U | Intel Core i5-11600K |

|-------|--------------------------|------------------------|

| Series | Core Ultra Series 1 | Core 11th Gen |

| Cores | 12 | 6 |

| Threads | 14 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1700.00 | 3.90 |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 | 4.90 |

| TDP | 15 | 125 |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2049 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| Architecture | Meteor Lake | Rocket Lake |

| Codename | Meteor Lake | Rocket Lake |

| Generation | Ultra 7 (Meteor Lake) | Core i5 (Rocket Lake-S) |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | not recorded | 276 mm² |

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

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5, depends on motherboard | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 12 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Multiplier Unlocked | false | true |

| Launch MSRP | $448 | $262 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11600K has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How much faster is the i5-11600K in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i5-11600K scores 16552 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Ultra 7 165U scores 10226, giving the i5-11600K a 38.2% lead.

Q: Does the Ultra 7 165U win any benchmarks over the i5-11600K?

A: Yes, the Ultra 7 165U wins Passmark physics by 20.9% (1141 versus 944), Passmark find prime numbers by 13.8% (66 versus 58), Passmark floating point math by 6.5% (40775 versus 38269), and Passmark single-thread by 0.4% (3357 versus 3344).

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The Ultra 7 165U has a TDP of 15 W, while the i5-11600K has a TDP of 125 W.

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: The Ultra 7 165U supports DDR5 (depending on motherboard), while the i5-11600K supports DDR4. The Ultra 7 165U also has higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The Ultra 7 165U is listed as active in production, while the i5-11600K is end-of-life. The Ultra 7 165U launched on 2023-12-13, while the i5-11600K launched on 2021-03-15.