Intel Core i5-12600T vs Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12600T and the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V represent two distinct design philosophies from the same manufacturer. The i5-12600T is a desktop part built on Alder Lake, while the Ultra 7 258V is a mobile processor using Lunar Lake. The head-to-head benchmark data shows the Ultra 7 258V winning 15 of 19 tests, but the i5-12600T takes four decisive victories, including the largest single margin in the entire comparison. Both processors sit at the 74th percentile among all CPUs in the database, though their average benchmark scores differ slightly: the i5-12600T averages 20917, while the Ultra 7 258V averages 20454. This article breaks down where each chip excels, what architectural choices drive those results, and which workloads favor one over the other.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V as the faster processor for the majority of workloads. It wins 15 of the 19 head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench R15 and R20 runs, both Geekbench tests, and a wide range of Passmark subtests. Its advantages are often substantial, such as a 58.9% lead in prime number finding and a 26.3% lead in floating point math. For general computing, content creation, and most productivity tasks, the Ultra 7 258V is the stronger choice.

However, the Intel Core i5-12600T is not without its own territory. It wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test by 43.9% and the single-core R23 test by 11.8%. It also leads in Passmark data compression by 10.9% and integer math by 27.4%. These are not marginal wins; they are clear, workload-specific advantages. Users who rely on Cinebench R23 rendering, data compression, or integer-heavy calculations should consider the i5-12600T. The Ultra 7 258V is the better all-round performer, but the i5-12600T remains the pick for those specific tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-12600T wins in four benchmark categories. Its most dominant result is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 14822 against the Ultra 7 258V's 10301, a 43.9% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2092 versus 1872, an 11.8% lead. Passmark data compression goes to the i5-12600T with 195924 against 176686, a 10.9% advantage. Passmark integer math is another clear win: 54646 versus 42889, a 27.4% gap. These wins suggest the i5-12600T is particularly strong in rendering workloads that use the R23 benchmark, as well as in compression and integer arithmetic.

The Ultra 7 258V wins the remaining 15 tests. Its largest margins come in Passmark find prime numbers (185 versus 76, a 58.9% lead), Passmark floating point math (57372 versus 42295, 26.3% ahead), Passmark data encryption (13534 versus 10205, 24.6% ahead), and Passmark physics (1565 versus 1212, 22.6% ahead). It also wins Geekbench multi-core by 20.9% (9325 versus 7374) and single-core by 2.5% (2100 versus 2048). In Cinebench R15 and R20, the Ultra 7 258V leads by margins ranging from 6.4% to 7.7% in multi-core and 7.7% to 26.3% in single-core. The Ultra 7 258V also wins Passmark multithread (18887 versus 17446, 7.6% ahead), random string sorting (21580 versus 20299, 5.9% ahead), and single-thread tests (4018 versus 3516, 12.5% ahead). For encryption, extended instructions, prime number sieving, floating point, physics, and most general single-threaded tasks, the Ultra 7 258V is the clear winner.

Architecture Differences

The two processors differ fundamentally in their underlying design. The i5-12600T uses Intel's Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, fabricated by Intel. The Ultra 7 258V uses Lunar Lake on a 3 nm process from TSMC. This process difference likely contributes to the Ultra 7 258V's lower power envelope: its TDP is 17 watts, while the i5-12600T is rated at 35 watts.

Core and thread counts also diverge. The i5-12600T has 6 cores and 12 threads, meaning it supports simultaneous multithreading. The Ultra 7 258V has 8 physical cores but only 8 threads, so it does not use hyperthreading. Despite having fewer threads, the Ultra 7 258V still wins most multi-threaded tests, which suggests its per-core efficiency is higher. Base and boost clocks are slightly higher on the Ultra 7 258V: 2.20 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost, versus 2.10 GHz and 4.60 GHz on the i5-12600T.

Cache hierarchies are notably different. The i5-12600T has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 7 258V has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The i5-12600T has a larger L3 cache, while the Ultra 7 258V has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches. Memory support also differs: the i5-12600T supports DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, while the Ultra 7 258V uses LPDDR5X with a recorded memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s. The i5-12600T has no listed memory bandwidth figure.

PCIe connectivity is another split. The i5-12600T offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 7 258V offers Gen 5 with 4 lanes. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-12600T has UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 7 258V has Arc 140V. The i5-12600T is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 7 258V is a mobile part on Intel BGA 2833. The i5-12600T has a die size of 163 mm², while the Ultra 7 258V has no listed die size. The Ultra 7 258V has a release date of 2024-09-23, while the i5-12600T has no release date in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has 8 physical cores, while the Intel Core i5-12600T has 6 physical cores. However, the i5-12600T supports 12 threads, while the Ultra 7 258V has only 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, compared to 4.60 GHz on the Intel Core i5-12600T.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600T has 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600T wins, scoring 14822 against the Ultra 7 258V's 10301, a 43.9% margin.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600T has an average benchmark score of 20917, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V averages 20454. Both sit at the 74th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V has a TDP of 17 watts, while the Intel Core i5-12600T has a TDP of 35 watts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core i5-12600T comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core. It scores 14822 against the Ultra 7 258V's 10301, a 43.9% advantage. This is the single biggest margin in the entire comparison. The i5-12600T also wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 11.8% (2092 versus 1872). In Passmark integer math, the i5-12600T leads by 27.4% (54646 versus 42889), and in data compression it leads by 10.9% (195924 versus 176686). These four wins are all substantial, but they are isolated to specific test families.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V counters with a series of decisive wins. Its largest margin is in Passmark find prime numbers, where it scores 185 against the i5-12600T's 76, a 58.9% lead. In Passmark floating point math, it scores 57372 versus 42295, a 26.3% advantage. Passmark data encryption goes to the Ultra 7 258V by 24.6% (13534 versus 10205). Passmark physics shows a 22.6% lead (1565 versus 1212). Geekbench multi-core is another strong win: 9325 versus 7374, a 20.9% margin. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Ultra 7 258V leads by 26.3% (285 versus 210). Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 7.7% lead (951 versus 878), and R20 multi-core a 7.6% lead (6739 versus 6225). Cinebench R15 multi-core is close, with the Ultra 7 258V ahead by 6.4% (1596.5 versus 1494). Passmark multithread shows a 7.6% lead (18887 versus 17446), and random string sorting a 5.9% lead (21580 versus 20299). Single-thread tests show a 12.5% lead (4018 versus 3516). Geekbench single-core is the narrowest Ultra 7 258V win, at 2.5% (2100 versus 2048). Extended instructions go to the Ultra 7 258V by 10.7% (14717 versus 13140).

The pattern is clear: the i5-12600T dominates in Cinebench R23 and integer-heavy Passmark tests, while the Ultra 7 258V wins in nearly every other category, often by large margins. The Ultra 7 258V's wins are more numerous and cover a broader range of workloads, making it the more versatile processor in the head-to-head data.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications:

• Cores: 6 (i5-12600T) vs 8 (Ultra 7 258V)
• Threads: 12 vs 8
• Base clock: 2.10 GHz vs 2.20 GHz
• Boost clock: 4.60 GHz vs 4.80 GHz
• TDP: 35 W vs 17 W
• Socket: Intel Socket 1700 vs Intel BGA 2833
• Architecture: Alder Lake vs Lunar Lake
• Codename: Alder Lake-S vs Lunar Lake
• Generation: Core i5 (Alder Lake-S) vs Ultra 7 (Lunar Lake)
• Process node: 10 nm vs 3 nm
• Foundry: Intel vs TSMC
• Die size: 163 mm² vs not listed
• L1 cache: 80 KB per core vs 192 KB per core
• L2 cache: 1.25 MB per core vs 2.5 MB per core
• L3 cache: 18 MB shared vs 12 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 vs LPDDR5X
• Memory bandwidth: not listed vs 136.5 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 5, 20 lanes (CPU only) vs Gen 5, 4 lanes (CPU only)
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 770 vs Arc 140V
• Market segment: Desktop vs Mobile
• Release date: not listed vs 2024-09-23
• Launch MSRP: $223 vs not listed
• Part number: SRL5U vs SRPMNSRPMT

Both processors have dual-channel memory buses, do not support ECC memory, have locked multipliers, and are listed as active in production. The i5-12600T has a launch MSRP of $223, while the Ultra 7 258V has no listed launch MSRP.