Intel Core i5-8250U vs Intel Core i7-8565U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8565U is the clear performance winner over the Intel Core i5-8250U in the vast majority of benchmark tests, securing 14 wins out of 17 head-to-head comparisons. The data shows a consistent single-threaded and multi-threaded advantage for the i7-8565U, driven by its higher boost clock and larger cache, while the i5-8250U manages only three narrow wins in specific workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victories for the Intel Core i7-8565U come in single-threaded performance. In PassMark's single-thread test, the i7-8565U scores 2118 against the i5-8250U's 1886, a 12.3% advantage. This pattern repeats across Cinebench iterations: the i7-8565U leads by 7.2% in Cinebench R15 single-core (74 vs 69) and by 6.9% in both Cinebench R20 (311 vs 291) and Cinebench R23 (742 vs 694) single-core tests.

Multi-threaded workloads tell a similar story, though with slightly smaller margins. The i7-8565U delivers a 6.9% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core (529 vs 495), and the same 6.9% delta appears in Cinebench R20 (2208 vs 2065) and Cinebench R23 (5258 vs 4918). The PassMark multithread score shows a 3% advantage (5988 vs 5812), while integer math performance is 3.3% higher (21581 vs 20885) for the i7-8565U.

The largest percentage gap in the entire comparison belongs to the i7-8565U in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where it scores 22 versus 18, a commanding 22.2% lead. Physics simulation also favors the i7-8565U significantly, with a 13.1% delta (458 vs 405). Floating-point math shows a smaller but still positive 1.8% edge (12934 vs 12706), and data encryption is 0.7% faster (1993 vs 1979).

The Intel Core i5-8250U's three wins are narrow and isolated. It edges ahead in data compression by 0.7% (76521 vs 75995), in extended instructions by 3% (4920 vs 4770), and in random string sorting by 0.6% (10257 vs 10200). These results suggest the i5-8250U has a slight edge in certain memory-access patterns or specific instruction mixes, but the margins are small enough to be considered within noise for real-world use.

When comparing overall average benchmark scores, the i7-8565U reaches 8665 versus 8577 for the i5-8250U, placing it at the 65th percentile of all CPUs compared to the i5's 64th percentile. The nearest rivals for the i7-8565U include the Intel Core i9-13900E (delta -0.1%), Core i5-8365U (delta -0.5%), AMD EPYC 7601 (delta 0.5%), and Core i7-10510U (delta 1%). The i5-8250U sits alongside the Core i7-10510U (delta 0%), Core i5-8265U (delta 0.1%), AMD EPYC 7601 (delta -0.5%), and Intel Pentium Gold G7400 (delta 0.7%).

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-8565U wins all single-threaded benchmarks. It leads by 7.2% in Cinebench R15 (74 vs 69), 6.9% in Cinebench R20 (311 vs 291) and R23 (742 vs 694), and by 12.3% in PassMark single-thread (2118 vs 1886).

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-8250U win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the i5-8250U wins three tests: data compression (76521 vs 75995, +0.7%), extended instructions (4920 vs 4770, +3%), and random string sorting (10257 vs 10200, +0.6%). All three wins are by margins of 3% or less.

Q: How large is the performance gap in multi-core rendering?

A: The i7-8565U consistently leads by 6.9% across all Cinebench multi-core tests: R15 (529 vs 495), R20 (2208 vs 2065), and R23 (5258 vs 4918). PassMark multithread shows a smaller 3% gap (5988 vs 5812).

Q: What is the biggest percentage difference between the two CPUs?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where the i7-8565U scores 22 versus 18 for the i5-8250U, representing a 22.2% advantage for the i7.

Q: Are these CPUs similar in overall ranking?

A: Yes, both are close in the overall percentile ranking. The i7-8565U sits at the 65th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 8665, while the i5-8250U is at the 64th percentile with an average score of 8577.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-8565U has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, compared to 3.40 GHz for the Intel Core i5-8250U. The i7 also has a higher base clock at 1800 MHz versus 1600 MHz.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures despite sharing the same 14 nm process node. The Intel Core i7-8565U is built on Whiskey Lake (codename Whiskey Lake-U) and belongs to the Core i7 generation, while the Intel Core i5-8250U uses Kaby Lake (codename Kaby Lake-R) from the Core i5 generation. This architectural difference is reflected in their sockets: the i7-8565U uses Intel BGA 1528, while the i5-8250U uses the older Intel BGA 1356.

Both CPUs have 4 cores and 8 threads, but the i7-8565U carries a larger L3 cache at 8 MB shared, versus 6 MB shared for the i5-8250U. The L1 cache is identical at 64 KB per core, and L2 is the same at 256 KB per core. The i5-8250U has a disclosed die size of 123 mm², while the i7-8565U's die size is not provided.

Memory support differs notably. The i7-8565U supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration, delivering 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The i5-8250U lists only DDR4 support, with no memory bus or bandwidth specifications provided. The i7-8565U also includes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-8250U has no PCIe information listed.

Integrated graphics are essentially the same, with the i7-8565U featuring UHD Graphics 620 and the i5-8250U featuring UHD 620. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The i7-8565U was released on 2018-09-30 and is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-8250U was released on 2017-08-20 and remains active in production.

The Verdict

Based strictly on benchmark data, the Intel Core i7-8565U is the superior processor for users who prioritize raw performance. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, with the most substantial advantages in single-threaded tasks (up to 12.3% in PassMark) and physics simulation (13.1%). The i7-8565U's 22.2% lead in prime number finding and its consistent 6.9% edge across all Cinebench versions make it the clear choice for rendering, simulation, and general productivity workloads.

The Intel Core i5-8250U is not without merit, but its three wins are narrow and highly specific. Data compression, extended instructions, and random string sorting are all workloads where the i5-8250U edges ahead by margins of 3% or less. For users whose primary applications are compression or sorting tasks, the i5-8250U could be marginally preferable, but these advantages are unlikely to be perceptible in everyday use.

The overall average benchmark scores confirm the i7-8565U's position: 8665 versus 8577, a difference that places the i7 at the 65th percentile versus the i5's 64th percentile. The i7-8565U also has the advantage of a higher boost clock (4.60 GHz vs 3.40 GHz) and more L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB), which explains its dominance in most tests. The i5-8250U's active production status and older release date may make it more readily available, but the data shows no performance reason to choose it over the i7-8565U.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences between the two processors are as follows:

• Base clock: 1800 MHz (i7-8565U) vs 1600 MHz (i5-8250U)
• Boost clock: 4.60 GHz (i7-8565U) vs 3.40 GHz (i5-8250U)
• L3 cache: 8 MB shared (i7-8565U) vs 6 MB shared (i5-8250U)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1528 (i7-8565U) vs Intel BGA 1356 (i5-8250U)
• Architecture: Whiskey Lake (i7-8565U) vs Kaby Lake (i5-8250U)
• Codename: Whiskey Lake-U (i7-8565U) vs Kaby Lake-R (i5-8250U)
• Generation: Core i7 (Whiskey Lake) vs Core i5 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh)
• Memory support: DDR3, DDR4 (i7-8565U) vs DDR4 only (i5-8250U)
• Memory bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s (i7-8565U) vs not specified (i5-8250U)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes (i7-8565U) vs not specified (i5-8250U)
• Die size: not specified (i7-8565U) vs 123 mm² (i5-8250U)
• Release date: 2018-09-30 (i7-8565U) vs 2017-08-20 (i5-8250U)
• Production status: End-of-life (i7-8565U) vs Active (i5-8250U)
• Launch MSRP: $409 (i7-8565U) vs not specified (i5-8250U)
• Part number: SREJPSRFFW (i7-8565U) vs SR3LA (i5-8250U)

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-8565U is the definitive choice for compute-heavy tasks. Its wins span rendering (Cinebench R15, R20, R23 multi-core), single-threaded responsiveness (all Cinebench single-core tests, PassMark single-thread), and math-heavy workloads (integer math, floating-point math, prime number finding). The 13.1% lead in physics simulation makes it suitable for lightweight simulation or gaming physics calculations, and its 3% advantage in PassMark multithread indicates better overall parallel throughput.

The Intel Core i5-8250U's niche is in specific data-oriented tasks. Its 3% lead in extended instructions suggests it handles certain SIMD or specialized instruction sets more efficiently. The 0.7% advantage in data compression and 0.6% lead in random string sorting point to a marginal edge in file archiving or text-processing scenarios. However, these wins are small enough that they would only matter in applications that are exclusively and heavily reliant on these specific workloads.

For users making a choice between these two, the data is unambiguous: the i7-8565U is faster in almost every measurable way. The only reason to select the i5-8250U would be if the workload is dominated by compression or sorting tasks and the i5-8250U's active production status is a procurement consideration. Otherwise, the i7-8565U's higher clock speeds, larger cache, and consistent benchmark dominance make it the superior processor for general-purpose mobile computing.