Intel Core i7-11700F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 135U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is not close. The Intel Core i7-11700F takes 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U wins only 4. That disparity tells the story: the desktop part dominates sustained multi-threaded and memory-bandwidth-sensitive workloads, while the mobile part shows narrow but consistent advantages in a few specialized single-thread and math-adjacent tasks.

The i7-11700F is the clear choice for rendering, video encoding, data compression, and any workload that scales across cores. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17633 versus 9315 for the Ultra 5 135U is a 47.2% gap, the largest margin in the entire comparison. The PassMark integer math result reinforces this, with the i7-11700F scoring 79133 against 56864, a 28.1% advantage. Data compression shows a similar pattern: 266035 versus 196712, a 26.1% lead. These are not marginal differences; they represent a full performance tier in productivity software that uses all available threads.

The Ultra 5 135U wins in three distinct areas. First, prime number finding: 64 versus 56, a 14.3% advantage, suggesting better performance in certain algorithmic loops. Second, PassMark physics: 1122 versus 885, a 26.8% lead, which is the largest win for the mobile chip. Third, PassMark single-thread: 3343 versus 3262, a 2.5% margin, appearing in both the singlethread and single_thread test entries. These wins are real but narrow, and they do not compensate for the multi-core deficit in most real-world applications.

The practical split is simple. If the workload is rendering, compiling, archiving, or any heavily threaded desktop task, the i7-11700F is categorically faster. If the workload is a single-threaded application that happens to hit the Meteor Lake architecture's strengths, or if you need the chip to run inside a 15 W envelope, the Ultra 5 135U has a case. The data does not support using the Ultra 5 135U for sustained multi-threaded productivity.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-11700F, with a score of 17633 versus 9315 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U. That is a 47.2% lead for the desktop chip.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: Its largest win is in PassMark physics, scoring 1122 against 885, a 26.8% advantage. It also leads in PassMark find prime numbers (64 versus 56, 14.3%) and PassMark single-thread (3343 versus 3262, 2.5%).

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core Cinebench tests?

A: The i7-11700F wins every Cinebench single-core test. In R23 it scores 2489 versus 1563 (37.2% ahead), in R20 it scores 1045 versus 837 (19.9% ahead), and in R15 it scores 250 versus 228 (8.8% ahead). The Ultra 5 135U only wins the PassMark single-thread test.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Ultra 5 135U supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-11700F supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s. Despite the theoretical bandwidth advantage, the i7-11700F still wins the data compression and encryption tests.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The Ultra 5 135U has 12 cores and 14 threads. The i7-11700F has 8 cores and 16 threads. The i7-11700F has more threads despite fewer physical cores.

Q: What is the production status of each?

A: The Ultra 5 135U is listed as Active. The i7-11700F is listed as End-of-life.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single largest delta in the database favors the i7-11700F in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The desktop chip scores 17633 against 9315, a 47.2% margin. This is the kind of gap that changes purchasing decisions for anyone running Blender, HandBrake, or similar render workloads. The R20 multi-core test shows the same pattern at a smaller scale: 7405 versus 5934, a 19.9% difference. R15 multi-core is closer, 1777 versus 1634, an 8% gap, but the trend is consistent across all three Cinebench generations.

Single-core Cinebench results also favor the i7-11700F, but the margins shrink as the test gets older. R23 single-core shows 2489 versus 1563, a 37.2% lead. R20 single-core shows 1045 versus 837, 19.9%. R15 single-core shows 250 versus 228, 8.8%. The pattern suggests the i7-11700F's higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz versus 4.40 GHz plays a role, though the architecture differences also matter.

PassMark extended instructions goes to the i7-11700F by 39.1%, scoring 18308 versus 11144. This is the second-largest margin in the dataset and indicates strong SIMD and AVX performance. Floating point math also favors the desktop chip, 46307 versus 41232, an 11% lead. Integer math shows a 28.1% gap, 79133 versus 56864. Random string sorting goes 30498 versus 21620, a 29.1% difference. Data compression is 266035 versus 196712, 26.1%. Multithread overall is 20728 versus 17359, 16.3%. Data encryption is close, 12563 versus 12195, only 2.9% apart.

The Ultra 5 135U's wins are concentrated and specific. PassMark physics shows 1122 versus 885, a 26.8% advantage, which is its best result. Find prime numbers shows 64 versus 56, a 14.3% edge. PassMark single-thread shows 3343 versus 3262, a 2.5% margin, appearing twice in the dataset as identical scores. These wins do not cluster into a broad performance theme; they look like isolated architecture strengths rather than general capability.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ in an interesting way. The Ultra 5 135U has 12 cores and 14 threads, while the i7-11700F has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ultra 5 135U has more physical cores but fewer threads, which is typical for a hybrid architecture with efficiency cores that do not add threads.

Clock speeds favor the desktop chip. The i7-11700F has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Ultra 5 135U has a base clock of 1600.00 MHz (1.60 GHz) and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The 500 MHz boost advantage for the i7-11700F correlates with its single-core wins.

TDP is a major differentiator. The Ultra 5 135U is rated at 15 W, while the i7-11700F is rated at 65 W. This explains the mobile versus desktop positioning and directly influences sustained performance potential.

Sockets and memory support are incompatible. The Ultra 5 135U uses Intel BGA 2049 and supports DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The i7-11700F uses Intel Socket 1200 and supports DDR4 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. Both are dual-channel.

PCIe connectivity differs: the Ultra 5 135U has Gen 4 with 12 lanes, while the i7-11700F has Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The desktop chip offers more expansion lanes for GPUs and NVMe drives.

Integrated graphics exist only on the Ultra 5 135U, with Arc Xe-LPG 64EU. The i7-11700F has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

The i7-11700F has a known die size of 276 mm², while the Ultra 5 135U has no recorded die size. Both lack recorded transistor counts. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural eras. The Ultra 5 135U uses Meteor Lake, built on a 7 nm process. The i7-11700F uses Rocket Lake, built on a 14 nm process. The process node difference is substantial and explains why the Ultra 5 135U can fit into a 15 W TDP while delivering competitive single-thread performance.

Cache layouts reflect the different design philosophies. The Ultra 5 135U has 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The i7-11700F has 80 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The i7-11700F has more total L3 cache, which helps in large working sets. The Ultra 5 135U has much larger per-core L2, which benefits latency-sensitive single-thread operations.

The memory support tells a similar story. The Ultra 5 135U is designed for DDR5, with the motherboard determining the exact configuration. The i7-11700F is locked to DDR4. The Ultra 5 135U's 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth is theoretically 75% higher than the i7-11700F's 51.2 GB/s, yet the i7-11700F wins most memory-sensitive benchmarks, suggesting the desktop chip's memory controller and latency characteristics compensate for lower bandwidth.

Release timing differs by nearly three years. The i7-11700F launched on 2021-03-15, while the Ultra 5 135U launched on 2023-12-13. The Ultra 5 135U is part of the Core Ultra Series 1, while the i7-11700F is Core 11th Gen. The mobile chip is marked as Active production, the desktop chip as End-of-life.

The integrated graphics difference is architectural, not just spec-based. The Ultra 5 135U includes Arc Xe-LPG 64EU, which is a modern GPU architecture. The i7-11700F has no iGPU at all, a notable omission for a desktop chip that requires external graphics for any display output.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion. The Intel Core i7-11700F is the faster processor for almost every compute-heavy workload measured. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench multi-core and single-core variants, all PassMark math tests except prime numbers, and data compression, encryption, extended instructions, multithread, and random string sorting. The margins are often large, reaching 47.2% in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 39.1% in extended instructions.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135U is not without merit. It wins PassMark physics by 26.8%, find prime numbers by 14.3%, and PassMark single-thread by 2.5%. It also offers a modern 7 nm process, DDR5 memory support, integrated graphics, and a 15 W TDP that the i7-11700F cannot match. The launch MSRP for the Ultra 5 135U is $332, while the i7-11700F launched at $298.

Choose the i7-11700F if you need raw multi-core performance for rendering, compiling, or data processing, and you have a discrete GPU and desktop power budget. Choose the Ultra 5 135U if you need a mobile processor with integrated graphics, low power draw, and competitive single-thread performance, and you accept the multi-core deficit. The percentile rankings are close, 76 for the Ultra 5 135U and 75 for the i7-11700F, but the benchmark distribution shows they achieve similar overall standing through very different means. The i7-11700F wins through brute force in heavy workloads, the Ultra 5 135U through efficiency and specific architectural strengths. For a desktop user, the i7-11700F is the data-backed pick. For a laptop user, the Ultra 5 135U is the only one of the two that fits.