Intel Core i5-7500 vs Intel Core i7-8550U Comparison

# Intel Core i7-8550U vs Intel Core i5-7500

The Intel Core i7-8550U and Intel Core i5-7500 both hail from Intel's Kaby Lake generation and share a 14 nm process node, but they are built for fundamentally different environments: the i7-8550U is a 15-watt mobile part on Intel BGA 1356, while the i5-7500 is a 65-watt desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151. The benchmark data shows the desktop i5-7500 winning 15 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, with the mobile i7-8550U taking only two victories. However, those two wins reveal a meaningful performance niche for the ultrabook-oriented processor.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-7500 dominates conventional CPU workloads. Across all six Cinebench tests — R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core variants — the desktop chip leads by a consistent margin of 4.0% to 4.3%. That uniformity suggests a stable clock-speed advantage rather than an architectural edge. The i5-7500 also wins in PassMark's data compression (83250 vs 74223, a 10.8% gap), extended instructions (6971 vs 4665, a massive 33.1% lead), find prime numbers (28 vs 22, 21.4% ahead), floating point math (13174 vs 12523, 4.9% ahead), multithread (6028 vs 5835, 3.2% ahead), physics (471 vs 451, 4.2% ahead), random string sorting (10134 vs 9902, 2.3% ahead), and single-thread (2253 vs 2021, 10.3% ahead). For general productivity, content creation, and everyday desktop tasks, the i5-7500 is the clear choice.

The Intel Core i7-8550U wins where its extra threads matter most. It beats the i5-7500 in PassMark data encryption (1944 vs 1817, a 7% lead) and in integer math (20770 vs 15768, a commanding 31.7% lead). These are workloads that scale well with thread count, and the i7-8550U's 8 threads versus the i5-7500's 4 threads provide the necessary parallelism. For encryption-heavy tasks, database operations, or integer-crunching applications, the mobile chip is unexpectedly competitive.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel's 14 nm process with Kaby Lake architecture, but they diverge significantly in configuration. The i7-8550U uses the Kaby Lake-R codename with a 123 mm² die size, while the i5-7500 uses the base Kaby Lake codename with no listed die size. Both have 4 physical cores, but the i7-8550U doubles the thread count to 8 via Hyper-Threading, whereas the i5-7500 runs 4 threads. This explains the i7-8550U's wins in thread-hungry workloads despite its much lower clock speeds.

Clock speeds tell a dramatic story. The i7-8550U starts at a modest 1800 MHz base clock and boosts to 4.00 GHz, while the i5-7500 runs at 3400 MHz base and 3800 MHz boost. The desktop chip's higher base clock is a major reason it wins most benchmarks, as sustained loads don't require turbo headroom. The i7-8550U's 4.00 GHz boost clock is higher than the i5-7500's 3.80 GHz, but the mobile part likely cannot sustain that frequency for long given its 15 W TDP versus the i5-7500's 65 W TDP.

Cache configurations also differ. The i7-8550U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-7500 has 6 MB shared L3. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The larger L3 cache on the mobile chip may help in certain memory-latency-sensitive workloads, but the benchmark data shows the desktop part overcoming this in most tests. Both support DDR4 memory; the i5-7500 specifies dual-channel with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-8550U lists no bandwidth figure. The i5-7500 also has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), whereas the i7-8550U lists no PCIe specification.

Integrated graphics differ: the i7-8550U ships with UHD 620, the i5-7500 with HD 630. Both lack ECC memory support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-8550U is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1356; the i5-7500 is a desktop part on Socket 1151.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in PassMark integer math, where the i7-8550U scores 20770 versus the i5-7500's 15768 — a 31.7% advantage. This is the largest delta in either direction across all 17 tests, and it directly reflects the benefit of 8 threads over 4 threads in integer-heavy parallel workloads. The i7-8550U also wins data encryption 1944 to 1817, a 7% margin, again attributable to thread scaling.

The i5-7500's largest win is in extended instructions, where it posts 6971 versus 4665 — a 33.1% lead. This is the reverse image of the integer math result: extended instruction workloads often favor higher clock speeds and better single-thread efficiency, areas where the desktop chip excels. The i5-7500 also shows strong advantages in data compression (83250 vs 74223, 10.8% ahead) and single-thread tests (2253 vs 2021, 10.3% ahead).

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. Across R15, R20, and R23, the i5-7500 wins both single-core and multi-core by 4.0% to 4.3%. This narrow but uniform margin suggests the desktop chip's higher base clock provides a steady advantage in rendering workloads, even though the i7-8550U's 4.00 GHz boost clock is nominally higher. The multi-core Cinebench scores (R23: 5133 vs 4926) show that the i7-8550U's extra threads cannot fully compensate for its lower sustained clock speeds.

Other PassMark tests follow the same pattern. Floating point math: 13174 vs 12523 (4.9% for i5-7500). Physics: 471 vs 451 (4.2%). Multithread: 6028 vs 5835 (3.2%). Random string sorting: 10134 vs 9902 (2.3%). Find prime numbers: 28 vs 22 (21.4%). The i5-7500 wins every one of these, with margins ranging from 2.3% to 21.4%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-7500 wins all single-thread Cinebench tests by 4.0% to 4.3% and PassMark single-thread by 10.3% (2253 vs 2021).

Q: Why does the i7-8550U win in integer math?

A: The i7-8550U has 8 threads versus the i5-7500's 4 threads, and integer math scales well with thread count. It scores 20770 vs 15768, a 31.7% advantage.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark extended instructions, where the i5-7500 leads by 33.1% (6971 vs 4665). The i7-8550U's biggest win is 31.7% in integer math.

Q: Are these processors on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use Kaby Lake architecture on a 14 nm process, but the i7-8550U is Kaby Lake-R (mobile) and the i5-7500 is base Kaby Lake (desktop).

Q: How do their cache sizes compare?

A: The i7-8550U has 8 MB shared L3 cache; the i5-7500 has 6 MB. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-8550U boosts to 4.00 GHz, while the i5-7500 boosts to 3.80 GHz. However, the i5-7500 has a much higher base clock of 3.40 GHz versus 1.80 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core i5-7500 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 1800 MHz | 3400 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1356 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Codename | Kaby Lake-R | Kaby Lake |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | Not listed |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Not listed | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Not listed | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD 620 | HD 630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2017-08-20 | 2017-01-02 |

| Part Number | SR3LC | SR335 |

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall picture: the i7-8550U averages 8407 with a 64th percentile ranking, while the i5-7500 averages 8208 with the same 64th percentile. Despite the i5-7500 winning 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, the i7-8550U's higher average score comes from its two dominant wins, particularly the 31.7% integer math margin. Both processors sit in the same performance tier according to the percentile data, surrounded by Xeon and EPYC parts in their nearest rival lists. The i7-8550U's nearest rival is the Xeon Gold 5318N at 8433 (-0.3%), while the i5-7500's nearest is the Xeon Gold 5318Y at 8147 (0.7%). In practical terms, the i5-7500 is the better all-around performer for desktop tasks, but the i7-8550U proves that a 15 W mobile chip can outclass a desktop part in specific thread-scalable workloads.