Intel Core i7-10510U vs Intel Core i7-8565U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-10510U is the clear winner in this comparison, outperforming the Intel Core i7-8565U in 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The data shows the i7-10510U leads by roughly 2.4% to 8.7% across nearly every workload, with the only non-loss being a tie in the PassMark find prime numbers test. However, both processors occupy the same performance percentile (65th) among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are separated by less than 1% (8580 vs 8665 for the i7-8565U, which actually has the higher average). This creates a nuanced picture: the i7-10510U wins consistently, but the margin is modest, and the i7-8565U’s slightly higher aggregate score—driven by a 1% advantage over its rival in the nearestRivals data—suggests the gap is not transformative. The i7-8565U is end-of-life with a launch MSRP of $409, while the i7-10510U is also end-of-life but carries no listed launch MSRP in the data.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-10510U is the superior processor for virtually every task measured. It wins 16 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, including all Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23) in both single-core and multi-core variants, and it dominates in PassMark’s integer math (23441 vs 21581, a 7.9% edge), floating-point math (14080 vs 12934, an 8.1% edge), and data compression (82606 vs 75995, an 8% edge). The i7-10510U’s single-thread PassMark score of 2237 is 5.3% ahead of the i7-8565U’s 2118, and its multithread score of 6450 beats 5988 by 7.2%. For buyers choosing between these two mobile chips strictly on performance, the i7-10510U is the pick—it wins everywhere that matters, and the losses are not losses but a single tie.

Yet the verdict is not a landslide in absolute terms. The i7-8565U’s average benchmark score of 8665 is actually higher than the i7-10510U’s 8580, and in the nearestRivals data, the i7-8565U is listed as 1% ahead of the i7-10510U. Both CPUs sit at the 65th percentile of all CPUs, meaning neither is a standout in the broader market. The i7-8565U’s advantage in average score likely stems from its performance in tests not covered by the head-to-head list, but within the direct comparisons, the i7-10510U’s consistency is decisive. If the workload is unknown or mixed, the i7-10510U is the safer bet; if the priority is the specific aggregate benchmark average, the i7-8565U edges ahead. The data does not support choosing the i7-8565U for any single workload where the i7-10510U competes, as the latter wins every such test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510U wins 16 of 17 head-to-head comparisons against the i7-8565U. The only test where the i7-8565U is not beaten is the PassMark find prime numbers test, where both score 22, resulting in a tie that is credited as a win for the i7-8565U.

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

A: The i7-10510U leads by 2.4% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (542 vs 529), 2.4% in R20 multi-core (2262 vs 2208), and 2.4% in R23 multi-core (5388 vs 5258). In PassMark multithread, the gap widens to 7.2% (6450 vs 5988).

Q: Is the i7-8565U ever ahead in single-core tests?

A: No. The i7-10510U wins every single-core test in the data: Cinebench R15 single-core (76 vs 74, 2.6% ahead), R20 single-core (319 vs 311, 2.5% ahead), R23 single-core (760 vs 742, 2.4% ahead), and PassMark single-thread (2237 vs 2118, 5.3% ahead).

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread configuration?

A: Yes. Both the i7-8565U and i7-10510U have 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 1800.00 MHz. The i7-10510U has a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz versus 4.60 GHz for the i7-8565U.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-8565U has a higher average benchmark score of 8665, while the i7-10510U scores 8580. The nearestRivals data shows the i7-8565U is 1% ahead of the i7-10510U, and both are at the 65th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Are there any architectural differences that explain the performance gap?

A: Yes, but not in the core layout. Both use 14 nm process nodes, 8 MB of shared L3 cache, and 64 KB L1 / 256 KB L2 per core. The i7-8565U is Whiskey Lake-U while the i7-10510U is Comet Lake-U, and the latter has a higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.60 GHz) and a higher TDP (25 W vs 15 W).

Architecture Differences

The two processors belong to different Intel mobile architectures despite sharing the same 14 nm process node and foundry. The i7-8565U is built on Whiskey Lake, with the codename Whiskey Lake-U, while the i7-10510U uses Comet Lake, codename Comet Lake-U. This generational shift is reflected in their socket designs: the i7-8565U uses Intel BGA 1528, whereas the i7-10510U moves to Intel BGA 1440. The change in architecture does not alter the fundamental core topology—both are 4-core, 8-thread parts with identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-10510U is also classified as part of the "Core 10th Gen" series, while the i7-8565U has no series designation in the data, though it is listed under the generation "Core i7 (Whiskey Lake)" versus "Core i7 (Comet Lake-U)" for the newer chip.

The integrated graphics differ in naming: the i7-8565U features "UHD Graphics 620," while the i7-10510U is listed simply as "UHD Graphics." This could indicate a minor revision, but the data does not provide performance numbers for the iGPU, so the impact is unquantified. The i7-10510U also omits several fields that the i7-8565U specifies, including memory bus width, memory bandwidth, PCIe configuration, and part number. The i7-8565U supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and it provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i7-10510U lists only memory support (DDR3, DDR4) with no bus or bandwidth details, and no PCIe information. Both chips lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers, and both are end-of-life mobile parts.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet shows a few key divergences beyond the architecture. The most consequential is the boost clock: the i7-10510U reaches 4.90 GHz, a 6.5% higher ceiling than the i7-8565U’s 4.60 GHz, while both share a base clock of 1800.00 MHz. The thermal design power (TDP) also differs, with the i7-10510U rated at 25 W versus 15 W for the i7-8565U—a difference that likely contributes to the newer chip’s sustained performance advantage, though the data does not include power consumption measurements. The socket changes from BGA 1528 to BGA 1440, meaning the two are not drop-in compatible. The i7-8565U has a launch MSRP of $409, while the i7-10510U has no launch MSRP listed. The i7-8565U specifies a part number (SREJPSRFFW), and its release date is 2018-09-30, versus 2019-08-20 for the i7-10510U. The i7-10510U is marked as part of the "Core 10th Gen" series, while the i7-8565U lacks a series entry. Both support DDR3 and DDR4 memory and have identical L1, L2, and L3 cache sizes. The i7-8565U lists dual-channel memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth and PCIe Gen 3, 16 lanes (CPU only); the i7-10510U leaves those fields null.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data tells a story of consistent, if moderate, superiority for the i7-10510U. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-10510U scores 542 against 529, a 2.4% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a 2.6% margin (76 vs 74). Moving to Cinebench R20, the gap holds steady at 2.4% for multi-core (2262 vs 2208) and 2.5% for single-core (319 vs 311). Cinebench R23 repeats the pattern: multi-core 5388 vs 5258 (2.4%) and single-core 760 vs 742 (2.4%). These consistent margins across multiple Cinebench versions suggest a stable clock-for-clock advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly.

The PassMark suite reveals larger gaps. The i7-10510U’s biggest wins come in extended instructions (5224 vs 4770, an 8.7% edge), floating-point math (14080 vs 12934, 8.1%), and data compression (82606 vs 75995, 8.0%). Integer math follows at 7.9% (23441 vs 21581), and random string sorting is 7.8% ahead (11068 vs 10200). Data encryption shows a 7.3% lead (2151 vs 1993), and multithread is 7.2% ahead (6450 vs 5988). The single-thread PassMark score is 5.3% higher (2237 vs 2118), while physics is a closer 3% (472 vs 458). The only test without an i7-10510U win is find prime numbers, where both score 22, a dead tie. Across all 17 comparisons, the i7-10510U’s average delta is roughly 5-6%, but the distribution skews higher in math-heavy and data-processing tasks, which are often more sensitive to clock speed and microarchitectural improvements.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-10510U wins in every measurable workload category where a winner exists. For single-threaded responsiveness—such as light office work, web browsing, or legacy application performance—the i7-10510U’s higher boost clock (4.90 GHz vs 4.60 GHz) delivers a 2.4% to 5.3% advantage across all single-core tests. For multi-threaded productivity, the i7-10510U leads by 2.4% in Cinebench multi-core variants and 7.2% in PassMark multithread, making it the better choice for video encoding, 3D rendering, or any workload that scales across the 8 threads. The largest wins for the i7-10510U are in data-intensive and math-heavy tasks: compression (8% ahead), encryption (7.3%), extended instructions (8.7%), and floating-point math (8.1%). These are the workloads where the newer Comet Lake architecture and higher TDP (25 W vs 15 W) appear to pay off most.

The i7-8565U’s only "win" is the tie in find prime numbers (22 vs 22), which is not a real advantage. However, the i7-8565U does hold a higher average benchmark score (8665 vs 8580) and is listed as 1% ahead of the i7-10510U in the nearestRivals data. This suggests that in tests outside the head-to-head set—such as those contributing to its average—the i7-8565U may perform relatively better, possibly due to its lower TDP allowing for more favorable thermal behavior in thin-and-light chassis, though the data does not confirm this. For a user constrained by a 15 W TDP envelope, the i7-8565U is the only option of the two, but it cedes performance in every direct comparison. In all other cases, the i7-10510U is the data-backed choice.