Intel Core i5-8265U vs Intel Core i7-8550U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i7-8550U are both 15-watt mobile processors with four cores and eight threads, but the benchmark data reveals a nuanced split. The i7-8550U dominates in raw rendering workloads, while the i5-8265U counters with a narrow lead across several general-purpose and math-heavy tests. With the i5 claiming 9 wins and the i7 taking 8, the decision hinges entirely on the target application.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victories belong to the Intel Core i7-8550U in Cinebench rendering. Across every iteration of the test, the i7 holds a consistent advantage of roughly 9%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7 scores 4926 against the i5’s 4482, a delta of -9%. The single-core results mirror this trend: the i7 posts 695 in R23 single-core versus 632 for the i5, again a -9.1% gap. This pattern repeats in R15 and R20, with deltas of -9.1% and -8.7% for single-core, and -9.1% and -9% for multi-core respectively. The i7’s higher base clock of 1800 MHz versus 1600 MHz and boost of 4.00 GHz versus 3.90 GHz clearly translate into a measurable rendering advantage.

The i7 also wins decisively in PassMark’s physics simulation, scoring 451 against the i5’s 405, a -10.2% delta. This is its largest margin of victory outside of Cinebench. Additionally, the i7 takes the prime number finding test with a score of 22 versus 18, a substantial -18.2% delta, indicating a strong lead in integer-heavy, latency-sensitive workloads.

However, the Intel Core i5-8265U fights back in several PassMark subtests. The most notable win comes in data compression, where the i5 scores 76049 against the i7’s 74223, a 2.5% lead. It also edges out the i7 in floating-point math (12963 vs 12523, a 3.5% delta) and integer math (21560 vs 20770, a 3.8% delta). The i5’s advantage extends to extended instructions (4904 vs 4665, a 5.1% delta), random string sorting (10117 vs 9902, a 2.2% delta), and data encryption (1961 vs 1944, a 0.9% delta).

The single-threaded PassMark score is almost a tie, with the i5 at 2030 and the i7 at 2021, a 0.4% delta in favor of the i5. The multithread score is even closer: 5838 for the i5 versus 5835 for the i7, a razor-thin 0.1% margin. These near-identical results suggest that the i5’s architecture compensates for its lower clocks in specific workloads, while the i7’s clock advantage dominates others. Overall, the average benchmark scores reflect this balance, with the i5 at 8568 and the i7 at 8407, placing both at the 64th percentile among all CPUs.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-8550U is the clear choice for content creation and rendering tasks. Its consistent 9% lead across all Cinebench versions makes it the superior option for 3D modeling, video rendering, and any workload that relies heavily on sustained multi-core processing. The physics simulation win (451 vs 405) further cements its role in simulation and physics-based applications. Users who prioritize raw CPU throughput for professional media work will see tangible benefits from the i7’s higher clock speeds.

Conversely, the Intel Core i5-8265U wins in data-centric and mathematical workloads. The 2.5% lead in data compression and 3.8% lead in integer math indicate better performance in database operations, file archiving, and general spreadsheet calculations. The 5.1% advantage in extended instructions suggests it handles newer instruction sets more efficiently, benefiting cryptography and certain scientific computations. The 3.5% win in floating-point math also points to advantages in financial modeling and numerical analysis. For a laptop focused on office productivity, software development, or data analysis, the i5-8265U offers a slight but consistent edge.

The i5’s wins in encryption (0.9%) and random string sorting (2.2%) make it a better fit for security-related tasks and text-processing applications. Meanwhile, the i7’s overwhelming win in prime number finding (-18.2% delta) indicates a niche but significant advantage in algorithmic number theory and certain cryptographic key generation processes. The near-tie in single-threaded PassMark scores (2030 vs 2021) means that for everyday office applications, web browsing, and light multitasking, either processor will feel indistinguishable.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-8550U is faster, scoring 4926 compared to the i5-8265U’s 4482, a 9% lead.

Q: Does the i5-8265U win in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i5-8265U wins in 9 out of 17 head-to-head tests, including data compression (76049 vs 74223), floating-point math (12963 vs 12523), and integer math (21560 vs 20770).

Q: What is the difference in single-threaded performance?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-8550U scores 695 versus the i5-8265U’s 632, a 9.1% advantage. However, in PassMark single-thread, the i5 edges ahead with 2030 versus 2021, a 0.4% margin.

Q: Are both processors the same in multithreaded performance?

A: Nearly so. In PassMark multithread, the i5-8265U scores 5838 and the i7-8550U scores 5835, a difference of only 0.1%. The i7 holds a larger lead in Cinebench multi-core tests, however.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-8550U has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the i5-8265U boosts to 3.90 GHz.

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

A: The largest gap is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the i7-8550U scores 22 versus the i5-8265U’s 18, representing a -18.2% delta.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several fundamental specifications. The Intel Core i5-8265U has a base clock of 1600 MHz, while the i7-8550U runs at 1800 MHz. The boost clocks are 3.90 GHz and 4.00 GHz, respectively. The i5-8265U uses the Intel BGA 1528 socket, whereas the i7-8550U uses the Intel BGA 1356 socket. The i5-8265U features 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-8550U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-8265U supports dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7-8550U’s memory bus and bandwidth are not specified in the data. The i5-8265U lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-8550U has no PCIe specification listed. The i5-8265U’s launch MSRP is $297; the i7-8550U has no listed launch MSRP. The i5-8265U was released on 2018-09-30, while the i7-8550U was released on 2017-08-20. Production status differs: the i5-8265U is end-of-life, while the i7-8550U is active.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is significant. The Intel Core i5-8265U is built on Whiskey Lake architecture (codename Whiskey Lake-U), while the Intel Core i7-8550U uses Kaby Lake architecture (codename Kaby Lake-R). Both are manufactured on Intel’s 14 nm process node, but the i7-8550U has a documented die size of 123 mm², while the i5-8265U’s die size is not listed. Both processors feature 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the L3 cache differs: 6 MB shared on the i5 versus 8 MB shared on the i7. The i5-8265U is part of the Core i5 (Whiskey Lake) generation, while the i7-8550U belongs to the Core i7 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) generation. Both use the integrated UHD Graphics 620 (listed as “UHD Graphics 620” for the i5 and “UHD 620” for the i7). Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked). The i5-8265U supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration, while the i7-8550U’s memory support is simply listed as DDR4 without further detail. The part numbers differ: SRFFXSREJQSREJR for the i5 and SR3LC for the i7.