Intel Core i7-1260P vs Intel Core Ultra 5 115U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1260P is the decisive winner in this matchup, taking 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, but the single victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U is a significant one. The data shows a clear split: the i7-1260P dominates in raw throughput and legacy rendering tests, while the Ultra 5 115U wins the most modern multi-core workload. This is not a close contest overall, but the specific nature of the Ultra 5's win suggests it is not a straightforwardly inferior part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-1260P asserts its dominance early and often. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-1260P scores 1626 against the Ultra 5 115U's 1094, a 32.7% lead. The single-core advantage is even starker: 243 versus 154, a 36.6% gap. This pattern continues in Cinebench R20, where the i7-1260P leads by 22.4% in both multi-core (5874 vs 4559) and single-core (829 vs 643). The i7-1260P also wins Cinebench R23 single-core with a score of 1737.5, beating the Ultra 5's 1532 by 11.8%.

The i7-1260P's advantage extends across the Passmark suite. Integer math shows a 34.1% lead (62316 vs 41043), floating-point math is 28% ahead (42417 vs 30538), and data compression is 22.4% faster (182968 vs 141945). Data encryption comes in at 23.4% faster (11238 vs 8606), and random string sorting is 26.5% ahead (20586 vs 15124). Even in single-threaded Passmark tests, the i7-1260P wins by 5.9% (3250 vs 3057). The i7-1260P also leads in extended instructions (10493 vs 8620), physics (1092 vs 898), and find prime numbers (63 vs 53), with leads ranging from 15.9% to 17.8%.

However, the one benchmark the Ultra 5 115U wins is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 10855 against the i7-1260P's 9711. This is an 11.8% victory for the Ultra 5. This is a notable outlier given the i7-1260P's otherwise consistent dominance, and it indicates that the Ultra 5's architecture is better optimized for the sustained, heavily threaded workload represented by Cinebench R23. Every other multi-core test, from Cinebench R15 and R20 to all Passmark multi-threaded tests, goes to the i7-1260P. The i7-1260P wins Passmark multi-thread by 22.4% (16775 vs 13024), reinforcing that the R23 result is not representative of general multi-core performance.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P wins 16 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U wins only 1.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in favor of the Intel Core i7-1260P?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i7-1260P's score of 243 is 36.6% higher than the Ultra 5 115U's 154.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Ultra 5 115U wins Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 10855 compared to the i7-1260P's 9711, an 11.8% advantage.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in Passmark multi-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P is significantly faster, scoring 16775 versus the Ultra 5 115U's 13024, a 22.4% lead.

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-threaded Passmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P, with a score of 3250, is 5.9% ahead of the Ultra 5 115U's 3057.

Q: Are the two CPUs in the same performance percentile overall?

A: Yes, both CPUs have a percentile ranking of 70 against all CPUs, despite the i7-1260P having a higher average benchmark score of 17007 versus 16753 for the Ultra 5 115U.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U uses the Meteor Lake architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-1260P uses the older Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. This process advantage is part of why the Ultra 5 can achieve a competitive result in Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores.

The core configurations differ significantly. The Ultra 5 115U has 8 cores and 10 threads, while the i7-1260P has 12 cores and 16 threads. This gives the i7-1260P a 50% advantage in core count and a 60% advantage in thread count, which explains its dominance in most multi-threaded tasks. The i7-1260P also has a larger L3 cache at 18 MB shared, compared to the Ultra 5's 10 MB shared. However, the Ultra 5 has a larger L1 cache per core (112 KB vs 80 KB) and L2 cache per core (2 MB vs 1.25 MB).

Clock speeds also favor the i7-1260P. Its base clock is 2.10 GHz and boost clock is 4.70 GHz, compared to the Ultra 5's 1.50 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. The i7-1260P also has a higher TDP of 28 W versus the Ultra 5's 15 W, indicating it is designed to draw more power for sustained performance.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The Ultra 5 115U features Arc Xe-LPG with 48 execution units, while the i7-1260P has Iris Xe with 96 execution units. Both support dual-channel memory, but the Ultra 5 115U lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while the i7-1260P's memory bandwidth is not specified. The i7-1260P supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, whereas the Ultra 5 115U's memory support is listed as DDR5, dependent on the motherboard.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-1260P is the superior processor for almost all workloads. Benchmark results show it winning 16 of 17 tests, with leads of over 30% in several categories. The i7-1260P's 12 cores and 16 threads provide a substantial advantage in multi-threaded applications, and its higher clock speeds give it a clear edge in single-threaded performance. The i7-1260P also has a higher average benchmark score of 17007, compared to 16753 for the Ultra 5 115U.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U's single win in Cinebench R23 multi-core is notable, but it does not offset the i7-1260P's comprehensive dominance elsewhere. This result suggests that the Ultra 5's Meteor Lake architecture is efficient in specific sustained workloads, but it cannot overcome the i7-1260P's raw core and thread advantage in the broader benchmark suite. For any user prioritizing general performance, the i7-1260P is the clear choice based on the data.

Specification Differences

The Intel Core i7-1260P has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U has 8 cores and 10 threads. The i7-1260P has a higher base clock of 2.10 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz, compared to the Ultra 5's 1.50 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost. The i7-1260P has a TDP of 28 W, versus 15 W for the Ultra 5.

The L3 cache differs, with the i7-1260P offering 18 MB shared and the Ultra 5 offering 10 MB shared. Per-core cache sizes also differ: the Ultra 5 has 112 KB L1 and 2 MB L2 per core, while the i7-1260P has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core. The i7-1260P uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket, while the Ultra 5 uses Intel BGA 2049. The process nodes are different: 7 nm for the Ultra 5 and 10 nm for the i7-1260P. The i7-1260P has a die size of 217 mm², while the Ultra 5's die size is not specified. The i7-1260P supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Ultra 5 supports PCIe Gen 4 with 12 lanes. The integrated graphics differ, with the Ultra 5 featuring Arc Xe-LPG 48EU and the i7-1260P featuring Iris Xe 96EU. The i7-1260P was released on 2022-02-22, while the Ultra 5 was released on 2023-12-13.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-1260P wins in nearly every measurable category. It is the better choice for multi-core workloads like video editing, 3D rendering, and software compilation, as shown by its 22.4% lead in Cinebench R20 multi-core and its 22.4% lead in Passmark multi-thread. It is also superior for single-threaded tasks, with a 36.6% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and a 5.9% lead in Passmark single-thread. The i7-1260P is the winner for data-heavy tasks, including compression (22.4% faster), encryption (23.4% faster), and integer math (34.1% faster). Its higher core count and clock speeds make it the default pick for any application that can use more than a few threads.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U wins only in Cinebench R23 multi-core, with an 11.8% advantage. This indicates that it may have a specific architectural advantage in certain modern, heavily threaded rendering workloads. However, this is an isolated result. For users who specifically run Cinebench R23, the Ultra 5 is the better option. For all other tested workloads, the i7-1260P is the clear winner. The Ultra 5's lower TDP of 15 W versus 28 W suggests it may be more power-efficient, but the benchmark data does not include power consumption measurements to confirm this. Based strictly on performance, the i7-1260P is the superior choice.