Intel Core i5-13500H vs Intel Core Ultra 5 135U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-13500H is the clear performance victor over the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U in every single benchmark where the two are compared, winning 17 of 17 head-to-head tests. However, the Ultra 5 135U holds a slight edge in aggregate average benchmark score (22618 vs 22468), placing it in the 76th percentile versus the i5-13500H's 75th percentile, which shows that the 135U's overall profile is competitive despite losing every direct comparison. This is a classic trade-off between a high-power H-series processor and a low-power U-series processor, and the data consistently favors the former for raw performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive gap appears in multi-core rendering workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-13500H scores 14081 against the Ultra 5 135U's 9315, a massive 33.8% advantage. This pattern repeats across Cinebench R20 multi-core (7464 vs 5934, a 20.5% lead) and Cinebench R15 multi-core (2304 vs 1634, a 29.1% lead). The i5-13500H's 16 threads versus the 135U's 14 threads, combined with its higher sustained power envelope, clearly drives these results.

Single-core performance also favors the i5-13500H, though the margins are narrower. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-13500H posts 1775 versus 1563 for the 135U, an 11.9% difference. Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 20.5% gap (1053 vs 837), while Cinebench R15 single-core is closer at 8.4% (249 vs 228). PassMark's single-thread test shows the smallest delta of all: 3397 vs 3343, just 1.6% in favor of the i5-13500H. This suggests that for lightly threaded tasks, the two are nearly equivalent, but the i5-13500H still wins outright.

Beyond rendering, the i5-13500H dominates in every PassMark compute test. Integer math shows a 21.8% lead (72724 vs 56864), floating-point math is 20.9% higher (52123 vs 41232), and extended instructions are 25.1% ahead (14872 vs 11144). Data compression favors the i5-13500H by 22.8% (254661 vs 196712), and data encryption by 18.4% (14938 vs 12195). Even random string sorting, a memory-latency-sensitive test, goes to the i5-13500H by 22.7% (27955 vs 21620). The multithread PassMark score is 18.8% higher (21366 vs 17359), and physics simulation is 13% higher (1289 vs 1122). Prime number finding, a test of integer throughput, shows a 13.5% edge (74 vs 64).

The i5-13500H also wins in thread-scaling tests not available for the 135U, posting 3DMark scores of 6099 for 16 threads, 6160 for max threads, 4550 for 8 threads, 3385 for 4 threads, 1887 for 2 threads, and 967 for single-thread. Those numbers are not directly comparable to the 135U, but they show the i5-13500H's capability under varying thread counts. The verdict is unambiguous: any workload that scales with cores or clocks will favor the i5-13500H.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-13500H wins in every benchmark category present in the comparison set, making it the default pick for any performance-oriented task. Multi-threaded applications like video rendering, 3D modeling, software compilation, and batch data processing will see the largest gains, with Cinebench R23 multi-core showing a 33.8% improvement over the 135U. Even single-threaded workloads, such as everyday office work or web browsing, show a slight edge for the i5-13500H, though the 1.6% PassMark single-thread delta means most users will not notice the difference in casual use.

The Ultra 5 135U does not win any head-to-head test, but it does hold a 0.7% higher average benchmark score (22618 vs 22468) and a one-percentile higher standing (76th vs 75th percentile). This is likely because the 135U benefits from a 15W TDP versus the i5-13500H's 45W TDP, meaning the 135U can sustain performance in thermally constrained chassis where the i5-13500H would throttle. In thin-and-light laptops with limited cooling, the 135U may deliver more consistent results than the i5-13500H under sustained load, even if the peak scores favor the latter. The 135U also has a lower base clock of 1.60 GHz versus 2.60 GHz, but that is irrelevant in turbo scenarios; the real advantage is power efficiency, not raw speed.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and use different process nodes. The Ultra 5 135U is based on Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process, while the i5-13500H uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. This node difference is significant: the 7 nm Meteor Lake is the newer design, which explains why the 135U can offer competitive scores at a fraction of the power draw. The 135U is part of the Core Ultra Series 1, while the i5-13500H belongs to the Core 13th Gen family.

Core and thread counts differ as well. Both have 12 cores, but the i5-13500H supports 16 threads versus 14 threads on the 135U, indicating a different hybrid core arrangement. Cache configurations also diverge: the 135U has 112 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-13500H has 80 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, but its shared L3 cache is 18 MB, which is 50% larger. This larger L3 cache likely contributes to the i5-13500H's wins in data-compression and random-string-sorting tests, where cache hits matter.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The 135U features Arc Xe-LPG with 64 execution units, while the i5-13500H has Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. Despite having fewer EUs, the Arc graphics in the 135U are from a newer architecture, but the benchmark data does not include graphics tests, so no performance conclusion can be drawn from the data. Memory support is broader on the i5-13500H, which accepts DDR4, DDR5, LPDDR4, LPDDR4X, LPDDR5, and LPDDR5X, whereas the 135U only lists DDR5 with a note that support depends on the motherboard. The 135U does report a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while the i5-13500H does not list a bandwidth figure. PCIe support also differs: the 135U uses Gen 4 with 12 lanes, while the i5-13500H uses Gen 5 with 8 lanes, offering higher per-lane bandwidth on the latter.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500H has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U's 4.40 GHz.

Q: Does the Ultra 5 135U have more L3 cache than the i5-13500H?

A: No. The i5-13500H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Ultra 5 135U has only 12 MB.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Ultra 5 135U?

A: The launch MSRP of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U is $332. The i5-13500H does not have a listed launch MSRP in the data.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The i5-13500H scores 1775, which is 11.9% higher than the Ultra 5 135U's 1563.

Q: Which chip has a higher TDP?

A: The i5-13500H has a TDP of 45W, which is triple the 15W TDP of the Ultra 5 135U.

Q: Are both processors currently in production?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U and the Intel Core i5-13500H have an Active production status.

The Verdict

The data is one-sided. For any buyer prioritizing raw performance, the Intel Core i5-13500H is the only choice, as it wins 17 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks. The largest gap is 33.8% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, making it ideal for rendering, encoding, and other multi-threaded tasks. Even in single-threaded work, it leads by at least 1.6% and up to 20.5%, so there is no workload where the 135U outperforms it in the tested metrics.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135U is not without merit, however. Its 15W TDP versus the i5-13500H's 45W TDP makes it the better fit for fanless or ultra-thin designs where sustained load is limited by thermals. Its slightly higher average benchmark score (22618 vs 22468) and higher percentile ranking (76th vs 75th) suggest that in real-world systems with power limits, it can hold its own against the i5-13500H. The 135U also uses a more advanced 7 nm process versus the 10 nm node of the i5-13500H, which explains its efficiency advantage.

The decision comes down to the target chassis and workload. If the system has adequate cooling and the user demands maximum multi-core throughput, the i5-13500H is the clear winner. If the system is power-constrained and the workload is light or intermittent, the Ultra 5 135U offers comparable single-thread performance (within 1.6% on PassMark) while drawing significantly less power. The i5-13500H also offers more memory flexibility with support for six memory types, and a larger L3 cache of 18 MB versus 12 MB, which helps in data-heavy tasks. The 135U counters with a newer Arc graphics architecture and a higher memory bandwidth figure of 89.6 GB/s, though no graphics benchmarks are present to validate that advantage.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core Ultra 5 135U | Intel Core i5-13500H |

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

| Series | Core Ultra Series 1 | Core 13th Gen |

| Threads | 14 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 1600.00 MHz | 2600.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2049 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Meteor Lake | Raptor Lake |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

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

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 (depends on motherboard) | DDR4, DDR5, LPDDR4, LPDDR4X, LPDDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not listed |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 12 Lanes | Gen 5, 8 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU |

| Release Date | 2023-12-13 | 2023-01-03 |

| Launch MSRP | $332 | Not listed |

| Part Number | SRN6C | SRMLGSRMHY |