Intel Core i5-1235U vs Intel Core i5-12450H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-1235U has 10 cores, while the Intel Core i5-12450H has 8 cores. Both processors present 12 threads to the operating system, so the core count difference does not translate into a thread-count advantage.

Q: How do the two chips compare in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-12450H records an average benchmark score of 17239, which places it at the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel Core i5-1235U averages 16770, sitting at the 70th percentile. The H-series part holds a 2.8% higher average score.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-1235U wins this specific test with a score of 9774, versus 8822.5 for the Intel Core i5-12450H. That is a 10.8% advantage for the U-series chip in this workload.

Q: Are the single-core Cinebench results close?

A: No, they are not close. The Intel Core i5-12450H leads by 17% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1661 vs 1379), and by 42% in Cinebench R15 single-core (238 vs 138). The H-series part has a clear single-thread lead across the Cinebench suite.

Q: Which processor has the higher TDP?

A: The Intel Core i5-12450H has a 45 W TDP, while the Intel Core i5-1235U is rated at 15 W. This reflects the different target power envelopes for H-series and U-series mobile parts.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus. Neither supports ECC memory, and both use the same Intel BGA 1744 socket.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture and use the same 10 nm process node from Intel, but they belong to different segments of that family. The Intel Core i5-1235U is an Alder Lake-U part, while the Intel Core i5-12450H is an Alder Lake-H part. This distinction drives most of the behavioral differences between the two chips.

The core configurations differ substantially. The i5-1235U packs 10 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-12450H uses 8 cores and 12 threads. With identical thread counts, the U-series part relies on a larger number of physical cores to reach its thread count, whereas the H-series part uses fewer cores with a different performance profile.

Cache organization is identical in structure: both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is only listed for the i5-12450H at 217 mm². The i5-1235U has no listed die size, though this is a physical packaging detail rather than a performance attribute.

Clock behavior separates the two parts significantly. The i5-1235U has a 1300 MHz base clock and a 4.40 GHz boost clock. The i5-12450H starts from a 2000 MHz base clock and also boosts to 4.40 GHz. The H-series part therefore offers a higher guaranteed frequency floor, while the boost ceiling is identical.

The power envelope is the defining architectural difference. The i5-1235U carries a 15 W TDP, typical for ultraportable designs, while the i5-12450H carries a 45 W TDP, suited to performance-oriented laptops. This power gap explains why the H-series part can sustain higher base clocks and pull ahead in many throughput tests.

Integrated graphics also differ. The i5-1235U uses Iris Xe with 80 execution units, while the i5-12450H uses Intel UHD Graphics. The database does not include graphics benchmark scores for either part, so the comparison here is limited to the specification difference.

Both processors use the same socket, Intel BGA 1744, and both provide PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not an option on either chip. The i5-1235U carries part number SRLFR, and the i5-12450H carries SRLCX.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison covers 17 recorded tests, and the split is lopsided: the Intel Core i5-12450H wins 14 of them, while the Intel Core i5-1235U wins 3. The average scores reflect this overall trend, with the H-series part at 17239 versus 16770 for the U-series chip.

The largest margin in the entire set belongs to the i5-1235U in PassMark find prime numbers. The U-series chip scores 954 against just 46 for the H-series part, a 1973.9% advantage. This is an extreme outlier, and it suggests the workload behaves very differently on the two chips despite the same boost clock. No other test comes close to this magnitude of difference.

The i5-1235U also wins PassMark floating point math, scoring 43303 against 40568, a 6.7% edge. The third win for the U-series part is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 9774 versus 8822.5, a 10.8% lead. This is the most notable multi-core result for the U-series chip, since it wins a modern all-core render workload despite its lower TDP.

The i5-12450H dominates the Cinebench suite everywhere else. In Cinebench R15 multi-core it scores 1350 against 985, a 27% advantage. In Cinebench R15 single-core it scores 238 against 138, a 42% lead. Cinebench R20 shows a 27.6% advantage in both multi-core (5671 vs 4105) and single-core (800 vs 579). Cinebench R23 single-core goes to the H-series part at 1661 versus 1379, a 17% margin.

PassMark integer math favors the i5-12450H at 54782 versus 48553, an 11.4% lead. PassMark multi-thread gives the H-series part 16265 against 12923, a 20.5% advantage. PassMark physics shows 883 versus 686, a 22.3% lead for the H-series chip. PassMark random string sorting goes to the H-series part at 20838 versus 17050, an 18.2% margin. PassMark data compression favors the i5-12450H at 195132 versus 147450, a 24.4% lead. PassMark extended instructions goes to the H-series part at 11992 versus 8176, a 31.8% advantage. PassMark data encryption shows 10832 versus 9347, a 13.7% lead for the H-series chip.

The single-thread PassMark tests are the closest of the entire set. The i5-12450H scores 3306 in both PassMark single thread and singlethread, against 3151 for the i5-1235U, a 4.7% advantage in each case. This is the narrowest winning margin for the H-series part, indicating that pure single-thread performance is relatively comparable between the two, despite the much larger gaps in the Cinebench single-core tests.

The data paints a clear picture: the i5-12450H wins the overwhelming majority of workloads, often by double-digit margins, while the i5-1235U takes a small number of specific tests, including one spectacular outlier in prime number finding.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications.

Core count: the i5-1235U has 10 cores, the i5-12450H has 8 cores.

Base clock: the i5-1235U runs at 1300 MHz, the i5-12450H at 2000 MHz.

TDP: the i5-1235U is rated at 15 W, the i5-12450H at 45 W.

Codename: the i5-1235U is Alder Lake-U, the i5-12450H is Alder Lake-H.

Generation: the i5-1235U is listed as Core i5 (Alder Lake-U), the i5-12450H as Core i5 (Alder Lake-H).

Die size: the i5-1235U has no listed die size, the i5-12450H is listed at 217 mm².

Integrated graphics: the i5-1235U uses Iris Xe 80EU, the i5-12450H uses UHD Graphics.

Part number: the i5-1235U is SRLFR, the i5-12450H is SRLCX.

Release date: the i5-1235U has a recorded release date of 2022-02-22, the i5-12450H has no recorded release date.

Identical specifications include threads (12 for both), boost clock (4.40 GHz for both), socket (Intel BGA 1744), architecture (Alder Lake), process node (10 nm), L1 cache (80 KB per core), L2 cache (1.25 MB per core), L3 cache (12 MB shared), memory support (DDR4 and DDR5), memory bus (dual-channel), ECC support (false for both), PCIe (Gen 4, 20 lanes), market segment (mobile), production status (active), and unlocked multiplier (false for both).

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-12450H is the stronger processor in the database's recorded measurements. It holds a higher average benchmark score (17239 vs 16770), a higher percentile ranking (71st vs 70th), and wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests. Its 2000 MHz base clock and 45 W TDP deliver consistent advantages across Cinebench multi-core and single-core workloads, PassMark integer math, multi-thread, physics, compression, encryption, extended instructions, and string sorting. For users who need sustained throughput in rendering, compression, or general multithreaded work, the data clearly favors the H-series part.

The Intel Core i5-1235U has a narrower set of advantages, but they are not trivial. It wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 10.8%, floating point math by 6.7%, and the prime number test by a massive 1973.9%. Its 10-core configuration and 15 W TDP make it a fit for thin-and-light designs where power draw is a priority. The single-thread PassMark results are close, with the i5-12450H leading by only 4.7%, so for basic single-threaded responsiveness the gap is modest.

The choice depends on workload priorities. The i5-12450H is the safer pick for performance-sensitive mobile workloads, given its 14 test wins and higher average score. The i5-1235U is the pick for the specific workloads it wins, especially prime number finding and floating point math, and for designs that require the lower 15 W power envelope. The benchmark data does not support a general performance equivalence between the two: the H-series part is the faster chip in the majority of recorded tests.