Intel Core i9-13900KF vs Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two Intel parts into very different use-case profiles. The Core i9-13900KF takes the overwhelming majority of head-to-head tests, winning 14 of 17 comparisons, while the Core Ultra 7 265HX wins only 3. That lopsided count, however, hides a meaningful specialization story.

The i9-13900KF is the clear winner for heavily threaded productivity and content-creation workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 48,855 against the Ultra 7’s 40,642 — a 16.8% advantage. That same 16.8% delta appears across every Cinebench test, both single and multi-core, indicating a consistent clock-speed and thread-count edge. The i9 also dominates integer math (206,859 vs 126,954, a 38.6% lead), data compression (786,218 vs 511,817, a 34.9% lead), and random string sorting (86,510 vs 62,458, a 27.8% lead). If your work involves compilation, rendering, or heavy spreadsheet crunching, the data points squarely at the desktop part.

The Ultra 7 265HX, despite being a mobile chip, wins in specific scalar and floating-point workloads. Its most dramatic victory is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where it scores 406 versus the i9’s 225 — an 80.4% advantage. That’s not a typo; the mobile part more than doubles the desktop part’s efficiency in that particular brute-force integer loop. It also wins floating-point math (161,605 vs 150,869, a 7.1% lead) and physics (2,978 vs 2,956, a marginal 0.7% lead). These wins suggest the Arrow Lake architecture handles certain instruction patterns better despite lower raw clocks.

The single-thread picture is close. The i9 wins PassMark single-thread 4,584 vs 4,500, a narrow 1.8% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap widens to 6,897 vs 5,737, a 16.8% difference. So for lightly threaded tasks like web browsing or office apps, both are competitive, but the i9 holds a consistent edge in the Cinebench family.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different Intel design eras and foundries. The Core Ultra 7 265HX uses the Arrow Lake-HX architecture on a 3nm process manufactured by TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. The Core i9-13900KF uses Raptor Lake-S on Intel’s 10nm process, with a slightly larger die at 257 mm². The transistor count for the i9 is not listed in the data.

Core configuration differs substantially. The Ultra 7 has 20 cores and 20 threads — no hyperthreading — while the i9 has 24 cores and 32 threads, meaning it uses simultaneous multithreading. The i9’s extra 12 threads are a major reason for its multi-core wins. Base clocks also favor the i9 at 3.00 GHz versus the Ultra 7’s 2.60 GHz, and boost clocks favor it at 5.80 GHz versus 5.30 GHz. Both have unlocked multipliers.

Cache layouts are distinct. The Ultra 7 has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The i9 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The i9’s larger L3 pool likely helps in data-heavy workloads, while the Ultra 7’s larger per-core L1 and L2 reflect a newer design philosophy.

Memory support diverges. The Ultra 7 supports only DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The i9 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but no bandwidth figure is listed. The i9 also supports ECC memory, while the Ultra 7 does not. Both use PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. The Ultra 7 includes integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units; the i9 has no integrated graphics listed.

Sockets and market segments differ as expected. The Ultra 7 uses Intel BGA 2114 and is a mobile part, while the i9 uses Intel Socket 1700 and is desktop. The Ultra 7 released on 2025-01-12; the i9 released on 2022-09-26. Both are listed as Active in production. The i9 has a launch MSRP of $564; the Ultra 7 has no listed launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for multi-threaded performance: choose the Core i9-13900KF. It wins every Cinebench test by 16.8%, wins PassMark multi-thread by 16.9%, and crushes the Ultra 7 in integer math, compression, and sorting by margins ranging from 27.8% to 38.6%. For a desktop workstation handling rendering, compilation, or data processing, the i9 is the stronger pick based on every relevant benchmark.

The Core Ultra 7 265HX makes sense in a different context. It is a mobile processor on a BGA socket, so it belongs in laptops. Its wins in prime number finding (80.4% ahead), floating-point math (7.1% ahead), and physics (0.7% ahead) show it handles certain computational patterns more efficiently. If you are buying a high-performance laptop and these specific workloads matter, the Ultra 7 is not a compromise — it is the better part in those categories.

For single-thread performance, the i9 leads in all listed tests, but the margin is small in PassMark (1.8%) and large in Cinebench (16.8%). If your primary use is lightly threaded and you are choosing between a desktop and a laptop, the i9 still wins on paper, but the Ultra 7’s single-thread scores are respectable given its mobile power envelope.

The i9’s ECC support and dual memory type flexibility (DDR4 and DDR5) add practical value for desktop builders with existing memory or reliability requirements. The Ultra 7’s integrated graphics are a notable feature for a mobile part, eliminating the need for a discrete GPU in basic display tasks. The i9 has no integrated graphics.

FAQ

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

A: The Core i9-13900KF scores 48,855 versus the Core Ultra 7 265HX’s 40,642, a 16.8% advantage for the i9.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 7 265HX win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark find prime numbers by 80.4% (406 vs 225). It also wins floating-point math by 7.1% and physics by 0.7%.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The Ultra 7 has 20 cores and 20 threads. The i9 has 24 cores and 32 threads.

Q: Do both CPUs support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR5. The i9 also supports DDR4, while the Ultra 7 supports only DDR5.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265HX has Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The Core i9-13900KF has no integrated graphics listed.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds?

A: The Ultra 7 boosts to 5.30 GHz. The i9 boosts to 5.80 GHz.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the entire comparison belongs to the Core Ultra 7 265HX in PassMark’s find prime numbers test. The Ultra 7 scores 406 against the i9’s 225, a 80.4% victory. This test measures brute-force prime calculation, and the Arrow Lake architecture clearly handles this loop pattern far more efficiently than Raptor Lake, even at lower clock speeds.

The i9’s biggest margin is in PassMark integer math, where it scores 206,859 versus 126,954 — a 38.6% lead. This is a massive gap that reflects both the i9’s higher clock speeds and its 32 threads versus 20. Data compression follows closely, with the i9 at 786,218 against the Ultra 7’s 511,817, a 34.9% difference. Random string sorting also favors the i9 heavily: 86,510 vs 62,458, a 27.8% margin.

The Cinebench suite is uniformly in the i9’s favor. Across R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core tests show the exact same 16.8% delta. For multi-core, the scores range from R15’s 4,924 vs 4,096 to R23’s 48,855 vs 40,642. For single-core, R15 shows 695 vs 578, R20 shows 2,896 vs 2,409, and R23 shows 6,897 vs 5,737. This consistency suggests a fundamental clock and thread advantage rather than any workload-specific quirk.

PassMark multi-thread shows the i9 at 57,729 versus the Ultra 7’s 47,985, a 16.9% lead. Data encryption favors the i9 by 14.5% (46,186 vs 39,472), and extended instructions favor it by 11.6% (46,084 vs 40,741). Single-thread scoring is the closest category: the i9 leads 4,584 vs 4,500, just a 1.8% margin.

The Ultra 7’s other wins are narrower. Floating-point math goes to the mobile chip at 161,605 vs 150,869, a 7.1% margin. Physics is nearly a tie: 2,978 vs 2,956, a 0.7% edge for the Ultra 7. These wins, combined with the prime number result, show the Ultra 7 is not merely a scaled-down i9 — it has genuine architectural strengths in specific computational areas.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX | Intel Core i9-13900KF |

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

| Cores | 20 | 24 |

| Threads | 20 | 32 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.30 GHz | 5.80 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 125 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2114 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Arrow Lake | Raptor Lake |

| Process Node | 3 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Die Size | 243 mm² | 257 mm² |

| Transistors | 17,800 million | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 3 MB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 30 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 only | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 102.4 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2025-01-12 | 2022-09-26 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $564 |

| Part Number | SRVFH | SRMBJ |