Intel Core i5-13420H vs Intel Core i7-1355U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1355U and Intel Core i5-13420H are both Raptor Lake mobile processors, but they target different priorities. The i7-1355U is a 15W low-power part built for thin-and-light laptops, while the i5-13420H is a 45W H-series chip designed for performance-oriented machines. Benchmark data shows a clear split: the i5-13420H dominates multi-threaded and sustained workloads, while the i7-1355U snags single-thread victories. The head-to-head results show the i5-13420H winning 13 out of 17 tests, with the i7-1355U taking only 4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result comes from PassMark’s extended instructions test. The i5-13420H scores 12897 against the i7-1355U’s 8726, a 32.3% deficit for the U-series chip. That is the largest single gap in the entire comparison, and it signals a substantial advantage in workloads using advanced SIMD instructions. The data compression test tells a similar story: 209450 for the i5-13420H versus 155727 for the i7-1355U, a 25.6% difference. Cinebench R23 multi-core follows with 11084 against 8286, putting the i5-13420H 25.2% ahead. These are not marginal wins; the H-series chip is decisively faster when all cores are hammered.

The i5-13420H also leads in Cinebench R20 multi-core, scoring 6013 versus 4949 (17.7% ahead), and in Cinebench R15 multi-core with 1738 versus 1393 (19.9% ahead). PassMark multi-thread shows 17475 against 14299, an 18.2% edge. Random string sorting goes to the i5-13420H by 20% (22045 vs 17631), and floating-point math favors it by 18.3% (42806 vs 34965). Integer math is closer but still a win for the H-chip: 58156 versus 52002, a 10.6% margin. Data encryption (11559 vs 9831) and physics (1012 vs 888) are also i5-13420H wins, by 14.9% and 12.3% respectively. Even find prime numbers, which is nearly a tie at 52 versus 51, goes to the i5-13420H by 1.9%.

The i7-1355U’s wins are all in single-threaded tests, and they are far narrower. Cinebench R23 single-core gives it 1825 against 1689, an 8.1% lead. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 255.5 versus 238, a 7.4% advantage. PassMark single-thread is a 1.4% edge, 3444 versus 3396. Interestingly, Cinebench R20 single-core goes the other way: the i5-13420H scores 848 against 698, a 17.7% win for the H-series chip. That single result breaks the pattern and shows the i5-13420H can also win in lightly-threaded scenarios, at least in that specific benchmark.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-13420H is the clear choice for multi-threaded productivity. Its wins span rendering (Cinebench R15, R20, R23 multi-core), compression work, encryption, physics simulation, and general multithreaded throughput. The data shows it ahead by roughly 10-32% across these categories, which translates into noticeably faster exports, compiles, and batch processing. If your workload uses all available threads, the i5-13420H is simply the stronger processor.

The i7-1355U wins in single-threaded responsiveness, but the margins are modest. An 8.1% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 7.4% in R15 single-core is meaningful for snappy UI interaction and lightly-threaded apps, but the 1.4% PassMark single-thread edge is negligible. The i7-1355U does not win any multi-threaded test, so its use case is limited to tasks that are strictly sequential. The i5-13420H also wins Cinebench R20 single-core by a wide 17.7%, which suggests the i7-1355U’s single-thread advantage is inconsistent across different benchmark versions.

Architecture Differences

Both chips use the same Intel 10 nm process and share the Raptor Lake architecture, but they come from different sub-families. The i7-1355U is Raptor Lake-U, a low-power design, while the i5-13420H is Raptor Lake-H, a high-performance mobile part. The core counts differ: the i7-1355U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-13420H has 8 cores and 12 threads. Despite fewer cores, the i5-13420H still wins multi-threaded tests, which points to higher sustained power limits and possibly better core configuration for throughput.

Cache layouts are different. The i7-1355U has 1.25 MB of L2 per core, while the i5-13420H has 2 MB per core. Both share 12 MB of L3, but the L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core. The i5-13420H’s larger L2 per core likely contributes to its strong showing in data-heavy workloads like compression and encryption. The i7-1355U boosts higher at 5.00 GHz versus 4.60 GHz for the i5-13420H, which explains its single-thread wins, but it also has a lower base clock of 1.70 GHz versus 2.10 GHz.

The integrated graphics differ: the i7-1355U has Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the i5-13420H has 80 EU. That gives the i7-1355U a theoretical graphics advantage, though no GPU benchmarks are in the data. Memory support is the same (DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel), but PCIe connectivity differs: the i7-1355U offers Gen 4 with 8 lanes, while the i5-13420H offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes. Both are locked multipliers, use socket Intel BGA 1744, and were released on the same date. The i7-1355U has a launch MSRP of $469; the i5-13420H has no listed MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The i5-13420H wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. In R23 multi-core it scores 11084 versus 8286 for the i7-1355U, a 25.2% lead. In R20 multi-core it is 6013 versus 4949 (17.7% ahead), and in R15 multi-core it is 1738 versus 1393 (19.9% ahead).

Q: Does the i7-1355U have any advantage at all?

A: Yes, in single-threaded tests. It wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 8.1% (1825 vs 1689), Cinebench R15 single-core by 7.4% (255.5 vs 238), and PassMark single-thread by 1.4% (3444 vs 3396). However, it loses Cinebench R20 single-core by 17.7% (698 vs 848).

Q: How do these chips compare to other CPUs?

A: The i7-1355U sits at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 18730. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12400 (0.3% ahead) and AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (0.4% behind). The i5-13420H is at the 72nd percentile with an average score of 18511, matching the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300GE and Intel Core i3-14100F within 0.1%.

Q: Which chip has better integrated graphics?

A: The i7-1355U has Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the i5-13420H has 80 execution units. No GPU benchmark scores are available in the data, so the real-world impact is not quantified.

Q: Are these CPUs the same generation?

A: Both are Raptor Lake processors released on the same date (2023-01-03), but they are different sub-variants. The i7-1355U is Raptor Lake-U (low power), and the i5-13420H is Raptor Lake-H (high performance). Both use the same 10 nm process and Intel BGA 1744 socket.

Q: Which one should I pick for sustained heavy workloads?

A: The i5-13420H. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with particular strength in multi-threaded tasks like compression (25.6% ahead), extended instructions (32.3% ahead), and multithread (18.2% ahead). The i7-1355U only wins 4 tests, all single-threaded.

The Verdict

The i5-13420H is the better processor for almost any workload that stresses multiple cores. It wins every multi-threaded benchmark in the comparison, with margins ranging from 1.9% (find prime numbers) to 32.3% (extended instructions). For rendering, compression, encryption, or any parallel task, the i5-13420H is the clear pick. Its lower single-thread scores in some tests are a minor trade-off, and it even wins Cinebench R20 single-core by a large margin.

The i7-1355U is only preferable if your primary concern is single-threaded performance and you need the absolute lowest power draw at 15W versus 45W. Its single-thread wins are real but modest, and it loses outright in Cinebench R20 single-core. The i7-1355U also has a higher boost clock (5.00 GHz vs 4.60 GHz) and more execution units on the integrated GPU, but those do not compensate for the i5-13420H’s broad multi-threaded dominance. For a performance laptop, the i5-13420H is the obvious choice. For a fanless or ultraportable design where battery life trumps throughput, the i7-1355U has a role, but the benchmark data gives no reason to prefer it for raw compute.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1355U | Intel Core i5-13420H |

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

| Cores | 10 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1.70 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 45 W |

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

| PCIe | Gen 4, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 96EU | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU |

| Part Number | SRMLY | SRMHX |

| Launch MSRP | $469 | Not listed |

| Generation | Core i7 (Raptor Lake-U) | Core i5 (Raptor Lake-H) |

Both processors share the same socket (Intel BGA 1744), 10 nm process, 12 threads, 12 MB shared L3 cache, 80 KB L1 per core, dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support, no ECC, locked multiplier, and release date of 2023-01-03.