Intel Core i5-1240U vs Intel Core i7-1260U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the Intel Core i7-1260U and Intel Core i5-1240U reveals a closely matched pair of Alder Lake-U mobile processors, with the i7-1260U securing 11 wins out of 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the i5-1240U takes 6. The most significant advantage for the i5-1240U appears in the Cinebench R20 suite, where it leads by 5.5% in both multicore and singlecore tests. That margin translates to a score of 5013 versus 4736 in multicore, and 707 versus 668 in singlecore. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R15, where the i5-1240U posts 1242 against 1203 in multicore (a 3.1% lead) and 226 versus 219.5 in singlecore (a 2.9% lead).

The i7-1260U, however, asserts dominance across most Passmark workloads. Its largest win comes in physics, where it scores 1046 against 981, a 6.6% advantage. Data compression shows a 6.4% edge (152217 versus 143102), while data encryption and floating point math both show a 5.8% lead, at 9480 versus 8964 and 31456 versus 29726 respectively. The i7-1260U also leads in extended instructions by 4.4% (8280 versus 7932), in multithread by 4.5% (14011 versus 13406), and in random string sorting by 4.6% (16726 versus 15996). Prime number finding shows a 6.3% edge (67 versus 63), and integer math is 2% ahead (45887 versus 44968).

The most interesting divergence appears in Cinebench R23, where the two processors effectively trade places. The i7-1260U wins the multicore test by a razor-thin 0.1% margin (7912.5 versus 7902), while in singlecore it pulls ahead by 2.7% (1601 versus 1559). This contrasts sharply with the earlier Cinebench R15 and R20 results, where the i5-1240U held consistent leads. The Passmark single-thread tests reverse the Cinebench R23 singlecore outcome, with the i5-1240U scoring 3239 versus 3153, a 2.7% advantage.

The average benchmark score for the i7-1260U sits at 16320, placing it in the 70th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H at 16341 (a -0.1% delta), the AMD EPYC 7543P at 16395 (-0.5%), the Intel Core i5-10600KF at 16228 (+0.6%), and the Intel Core i7-10850H at 16204 (+0.7%). The i5-1240U carries a higher average score of 16957, also in the 70th percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD EPYC 7702 at 16932 (a +0.1% delta), the AMD EPYC 7742 at 16998 (-0.2%), the Intel Core i7-1260P at 17007 (-0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS at 16902 (+0.3%). This means the i5-1240U holds a roughly 3.7% higher average score overall, even though the i7-1260U wins most individual tests. The discrepancy comes from the weighting of the benchmark suite, where the i5-1240U's strong Cinebench results carry more weight in the aggregate.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests, and by how much?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260U wins 11 of the 17 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i5-1240U wins 6. The i7-1260U's margins range from 0.1% (Cinebench R23 multicore) to 6.6% (Passmark physics), while the i5-1240U's margins range from 2.7% (Passmark single-thread, Cinebench R15 singlecore) to 5.5% (Cinebench R20 multicore and singlecore).

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23?

A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i7-1260U scores 7912.5 against 7902 for the i5-1240U, a 0.1% lead. In singlecore, the i7-1260U scores 1601 versus 1559, a 2.7% advantage. This is the only Cinebench generation where the i7-1260U takes both tests.

Q: What does the average benchmark score indicate?

A: The i5-1240U has a higher average benchmark score of 16957 compared to 16320 for the i7-1260U, a difference of about 3.7%. Both processors sit in the 70th percentile against all CPUs. The i5-1240U's nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7702, is only 0.1% behind, while the i7-1260U's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, is 0.1% ahead.

Q: Are there any tests where the i5-1240U beats the i7-1260U?

A: Yes. The i5-1240U wins Cinebench R15 multicore (1242 versus 1203, a 3.1% lead), Cinebench R15 singlecore (226 versus 219.5, a 2.9% lead), Cinebench R20 multicore (5013 versus 4736, a 5.5% lead), Cinebench R20 singlecore (707 versus 668, a 5.5% lead), and Passmark single-thread (3239 versus 3153, a 2.7% lead). Note that Passmark reports both "single_thread" and "singlethread" with identical scores.

Q: Which processor has a better percentile ranking?

A: Both the Intel Core i7-1260U and the Intel Core i5-1240U are in the 70th percentile against all CPUs. Neither has a percentile advantage over the other in the database.

Q: What is the closest rival for each processor?

A: For the i7-1260U, the closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, which has an average score of 16341, a delta of -0.1% (meaning the rival is 0.1% ahead). For the i5-1240U, the closest rival is the AMD EPYC 7702, with an average score of 16932, a delta of +0.1% (meaning the i5-1240U is 0.1% ahead).

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. The Intel Core i7-1260U is the stronger choice for workloads that stress encryption, compression, physics simulation, and floating-point arithmetic. Its Passmark physics score of 1046, which is 6.6% higher than the i5-1240U's 981, is the single largest margin in the entire comparison. The i7-1260U also leads in data compression (152217 versus 143102), data encryption (9480 versus 8964), and extended instructions (8280 versus 7932). Users running security-related tasks, compression utilities, or scientific computing that relies on FPU throughput would benefit from the i7-1260U.

The Intel Core i5-1240U, on the other hand, demonstrates a clear advantage in traditional rendering benchmarks and single-threaded integer performance. Its Cinebench R20 multicore score of 5013 is 5.5% higher than the i7-1260U's 4736, and its singlecore R20 score of 707 is likewise 5.5% higher. The i5-1240U also takes the Passmark single-thread test at 3239 versus 3153. However, the i7-1260U flips the script in Cinebench R23, winning both multicore and singlecore, which suggests the i5-1240U's Cinebench advantage may be specific to older rendering workloads.

For a buyer choosing between these two, the decision hinges on workload mix. The i7-1260U wins 11 tests, and its victories are spread across six distinct Passmark categories with margins from 2% to 6.6%. The i5-1240U wins 6 tests, but its margins in Cinebench R20 are a uniform 5.5%, which is substantial. The i5-1240U also carries a higher average benchmark score of 16957, which indicates that in aggregated scoring, it edges out the i7-1260U. Yet the i7-1260U's higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz (versus 4.40 GHz for the i5-1240U) likely explains its wins in singlecore R23 and in Passmark workloads that respond to clock speed. The i5-1240U's wins in Passmark single-thread contradict that trend, but the gap there is 2.7%, identical to the i7-1260U's R23 singlecore lead.

In practical terms, the i7-1260U is the better pick for security, compression, and math-heavy tasks. The i5-1240U is the better pick for Cinebench-style rendering and for users who rely on the aggregate benchmark score. Both processors are active production parts, share the same BGA 1781 socket, and have identical 10-core, 12-thread configurations. The i7-1260U's integrated Iris Xe 96EU graphics outrank the i5-1240U's Iris Xe 80EU, which matters for systems without a discrete GPU. No launch MSRP is recorded for either processor.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the same core configuration: 10 cores, 12 threads, a base clock of 1100 MHz, a 9 W TDP, and the Intel BGA 1781 socket. The differences are limited to boost clock and integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-1260U has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-1240U has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This 300 MHz difference in maximum turbo frequency is the only clock-related distinction. For integrated graphics, the i7-1260U carries Iris Xe 96EU, while the i5-1240U carries Iris Xe 80EU. The i7-1260U therefore has 16 more execution units in its iGPU. Both processors support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, both have PCIe Gen 4, and both lack ECC memory support. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The release date for both is 2022-02-22.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's Alder Lake architecture with the Alder Lake-U codename, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process node. They share identical cache hierarchies: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The memory support, PCIe generation, and dual-channel memory bus are also identical. The only architectural distinctions are the boost clock (already noted) and the integrated graphics execution unit count. The i7-1260U's Iris Xe 96EU configuration provides more graphics compute potential than the i5-1240U's Iris Xe 80EU, which is a meaningful difference for light gaming or GPU-accelerated encoding. Both processors are active in production, target the mobile market, and belong to the Core i7 and Core i5 generations respectively within the Alder Lake-U family. The generation field for the i7-1260U reads "Core i7 (Alder Lake-U)" and for the i5-1240U reads "Core i5 (Alder Lake-U)", reflecting their tier positions within the same architecture generation.