Intel Core i7-11700 vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-11700 and the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U represent two very different design philosophies from the same manufacturer. The data shows a clear split between raw desktop compute and efficient mobile processing, with the benchmark results favoring the older desktop part in the majority of tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking difference in the recorded data appears in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core i7-11700 scores 17,504 points against 9,674.5 for the Core Ultra 7 155U, a decisive 80.9% advantage. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i7-11700’s 7,351 score beats the Ultra 7’s 5,765 by 27.5%. The single-core results in the same test suite are also one-sided, with the i7-11700 posting 1,037 versus 813, a 27.6% lead. Cinebench R15 shows a narrower gap, but the i7-11700 still wins both multi-core (1,764 vs 1,585, 11.3% higher) and single-core (248 vs 238.5, 4% higher) disciplines.

Productivity and math workloads reinforce the desktop chip’s dominance. The PassMark integer math test shows the i7-11700 scoring 79,687 against 57,564 for the Ultra 7, a 38.4% margin. Floating point math is closer, but the i7-11700 still leads with 46,369 versus 40,256, a 15.2% advantage. Extended instructions, a measure of SIMD and encryption-related throughput, heavily favor the i7-11700: 18,323 versus 9,903, a massive 85% delta. Data compression also goes to the i7-11700, which scores 263,563 against 177,122, a 48.8% lead. Random string sorting sees a 52.5% gap in the same direction, with scores of 30,147 and 19,767.

The Core Ultra 7 155U does not go without wins, however. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3,372 edges out the i7-11700’s 3,263 by 3.2%. It also wins the PassMark physics test, scoring 1,084 versus 868, a 19.9% advantage. The final victory for the Ultra 7 comes in the prime number search, where it scores 65 against 55, a 15.4% margin. These wins are notable, but they are concentrated in specific workloads rather than broad general compute. Overall, the head-to-head tally shows 13 wins for the i7-11700 and only 3 for the Core Ultra 7 155U (counting the duplicate single-thread test once).

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect this overall trend. The i7-11700 carries an average score of 21,891, placing it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs. The Core Ultra 7 155U is close in its own average at 21,174, also in the 75th percentile. The nearest rivals for each chip highlight the competitive landscape: the i7-11700 sits within 0.3% of the AMD EPYC 9554P, the AMD EPYC 9534, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U, while the Core Ultra 7 155U trades places within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, the AMD EPYC 9454, the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and target different physical envelopes. The Intel Core i7-11700 is a Rocket Lake desktop part built on Intel’s 14 nm process, with a die size of 276 mm². It uses the Intel Socket 1200 platform. The Core Ultra 7 155U is a Meteor Lake mobile processor on a 7 nm node, soldered to the Intel BGA 2049 socket. The production status also differs: the i7-11700 is marked as end-of-life, while the Ultra 7 155U is listed as active.

Core counts and configurations diverge significantly. The i7-11700 has 8 cores and 16 threads, all based on the same architecture. The Core Ultra 7 155U lists 12 cores but only 14 threads, indicating a hybrid arrangement where some cores do not contribute additional threads. Cache hierarchies reflect this difference. The i7-11700 has 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 16 MB L3 pool. The Ultra 7 155U has larger per-core allocations, with 112 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, but a smaller shared L3 of 12 MB.

Memory support moves to a newer standard on the mobile part. The i7-11700 supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with a recorded bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Core Ultra 7 155U supports DDR5, also dual-channel, but with a much higher bandwidth figure of 89.6 GB/s. The PCIe implementation also varies, with the i7-11700 providing 20 Gen 4 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 7 155U provides 12 Gen 4 lanes.

Clock speeds show the trade-off between power and boost capability. The i7-11700 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Ultra 7 155U has a much lower base clock of 1700.00 MHz (1.70 GHz) but a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, nearly matching the desktop part. The thermal design power is where the gap is largest: the i7-11700 is rated at 65 W, while the Ultra 7 155U is rated at just 15 W. This 50 W difference explains why the mobile chip, despite having more cores, falls behind in sustained multi-threaded workloads.

Integrated graphics also differ. The i7-11700 uses UHD Graphics 750, while the Core Ultra 7 155U features the Arc Xe-LPG 64EU. Both chips have locked multipliers, meaning neither supports user overclocking. The release dates are far apart, with the i7-11700 arriving in March 2021 and the Ultra 7 155U in December 2023.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-11700 wins 13 of the 16 recorded head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 result, plus most PassMark workloads.

Q: Where does the Core Ultra 7 155U outperform the i7-11700?

A: The Ultra 7 155U wins in PassMark single-thread (3,372 vs 3,263), PassMark physics (1,084 vs 868), and PassMark find prime numbers (65 vs 55).

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The i7-11700 scores 17,504 versus 9,674.5 for the Ultra 7 155U, a lead of 80.9%.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The i7-11700 supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ultra 7 155U supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The i7-11700 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ultra 7 155U has 12 cores and 14 threads.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each chip?

A: The i7-11700 has a 65 W TDP, and the Core Ultra 7 155U has a 15 W TDP.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear answer for users who prioritize compute throughput. The Intel Core i7-11700 is the superior choice for multi-threaded rendering, data compression, and integer-heavy workloads. Its 80.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 85% lead in extended instructions make it the right pick for desktop users who need raw performance and do not care about the 65 W power draw or the end-of-life production status.

The Core Ultra 7 155U makes sense for a different set of requirements. Its 15 W TDP, combined with DDR5 support and a higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, positions it for thin-and-light mobile systems where battery life and thermals matter more than peak compute. Its wins in single-thread performance, physics simulation, and prime number searching show it is not without strengths, but those strengths do not translate to overall benchmark dominance.

For a desktop builder, the i7-11700 is the stronger performer across nearly every measured category. For a laptop buyer, the Ultra 7 155U offers a modern architecture with a much lower power envelope and newer memory support. The choice depends entirely on whether the use case demands sustained multi-core throughput or efficient mobile operation.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-11700 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155U |

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

| Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 2.50 GHz | 1700.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Meteor Lake |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | Not recorded |

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

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 12 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 750 | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2021-03-15 | 2023-12-13 |

| Launch MSRP | $323 | $490 |