Intel Core i5-1345U

The Intel Core i5-1345U is a Raptor Lake-U mobile processor launched on 2023-01-03, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It packs 10 cores and 12 threads with a 1.60 GHz base clock and a 4.70 GHz boost clock, backed by 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The chip fits the Intel BGA 1744 socket, supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory without ECC, and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 8 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, and the market segment is Mobile. It carries a launch MSRP of $309, remains in active production, and its average benchmark score of 19691 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

Benchmark Performance

The i5-1345U's average benchmark score of 19691 puts it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, an unusually high position for a 15 W mobile part. Its four nearest rivals are all established processors, and the deltas are minuscule. Against the Intel Core i5-11600KF (average score 19740), the 1345U trails by just 0.2%. Against the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (19616), it leads by 0.4%. The Core i5-11600K (19771) is 0.4% ahead, and the Core i7-9700 (19831) is 0.7% ahead. None of these gaps exceed a single percentage point, meaning the 1345U delivers essentially the same aggregate throughput as chips that occupy a much higher power class.

Drilling into specific benchmarks, the Cinebench R23 run yields 12325 multi-core and 1740 single-core. R20 gives 5176 multi and 730 single, while R15 gives 1242 multi and 175 single. These scores scale consistently across the three Cinebench versions, suggesting the chip holds its relative position regardless of workload length. In PassMark, the multithread score is 14511 and the single-thread score is 3415. The sub-tests reveal architectural strengths: integer math scores 52847, floating-point math scores 35939, data compression scores 164005, and data encryption scores 10288. The weakest sub-test is find prime numbers at 47, and random string sorting comes in at 18888. Extended instructions score 9178, and physics scores 818.

The percentile position is the headline. At 77%, the 1345U beats roughly three-quarters of all CPUs in the database, and it does so within a 15 W envelope. The near-tie with chips like the i5-11600K and i7-9700 is remarkable because those parts are not constrained by mobile thermal limits.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 15 W, which classifies the 1345U as a low-power U-series part. This is the single most important thermal fact about the chip: it is designed for laptops where cooling is limited. A 15 W TDP means a modest cooling solution is sufficient — the kind of small fan and heatpipe assembly found in ultraportables. No high-end air tower or liquid cooler is needed, and in many chassis the chip can sustain its boost clock of 4.70 GHz for short bursts without thermal throttling.

The 10 nm process node, fabricated by Intel, is the enabler. A 10 nm process allows the 10 cores and 12 threads to fit into a package that stays within the 15 W envelope. The production status is Active, which means the chip is still being made and remains a current option for laptop OEMs. The low TDP also has implications for system design — a laptop built around the 1345U can use a smaller power delivery system, which translates to lighter machines. The trade-off is that sustained all-core workloads will be limited by the power budget, not by the silicon's theoretical capability.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The split between single-thread and multi-thread performance is clear from the benchmark ratios. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score of 12325 is roughly 7.1 times the single-core score of 1740. R20 shows the same ratio: 5176 divided by 730 is about 7.1. R15 also lands at 1242 divided by 175, again about 7.1. PassMark's multithread score of 14511 is about 4.25 times the single-thread score of 3415. The consistency across Cinebench versions indicates that the chip scales predictably with thread count, and the PassMark ratio is lower because that suite's multithread test includes memory and OS overhead.

A 7.1x scaling from 10 cores and 12 threads is solid but not perfect — perfect scaling on 12 threads would be 12x. The gap is due to the 15 W TDP, which caps how fast all cores can run simultaneously. Single-thread performance, by contrast, is strong: a PassMark single-thread score of 3415 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1740 are competitive numbers for a mobile chip. The 4.70 GHz boost clock is the reason. For everyday workloads — web browsing, office documents, light coding — the single-thread performance is what you feel, and it is more than adequate.

The sub-test scores reinforce this. Integer math (52847) and floating-point math (35939) are strong, which helps in spreadsheets, compilers, and scientific calculations. Data compression (164005) and encryption (10288) are also respectable, making the chip useful for file archiving and disk-encryption workloads. The low find-prime-numbers score of 47 suggests the chip is not optimized for that specific pattern, but that is a niche workload.

How It Compares

Intel Core i5-11600KF: The 1345U trails this chip by 0.2% in average score (19691 vs 19740). The 11600KF is a chip that sits at a similar aggregate performance level, and the 1345U comes within a rounding error of it. In real terms, the two are indistinguishable in throughput.

AMD Ryzen 5 2600: The 1345U leads by 0.4% (19691 vs 19616). The Ryzen 5 2600 is a chip that the 1345U edges out despite the 1345U's mobile positioning. This is a clear win for the mobile chip on aggregate performance.

Intel Core i5-11600K: The 1345U is 0.4% behind (19691 vs 19771). The 11600K is a fully unlocked part, yet the 1345U is within half a percentage point. For a laptop chip, that is a strong showing.

Intel Core i7-9700: The 1345U trails by 0.7% (19691 vs 19831). The i7-9700 is a chip that the 1345U stays within a single point of. Again, the mobile part holds its own against a chip from a different power class.

Who Should Consider It

For gaming, the i5-1345U is a mixed proposition. The CPU side is strong enough — Cinebench R23 multi-core of 12325 and PassMark physics of 818 indicate the processor can feed a discrete GPU without bottlenecking in most titles. However, the integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, which is not a gaming-class solution for modern 3D titles. If the laptop includes a discrete GPU, the 1345U will handle the CPU side; if it relies on the iGPU, expect only light or older games to run smoothly.

For content creation, the 1345U is a capable choice. The multi-core scores — 12325 in Cinebench R23, 5176 in R20, and 14511 in PassMark multithread — support video encoding, photo editing, and 3D rendering at a hobbyist or prosumer level. The integer math score of 52847 and floating-point score of 35939 help with code compilation and simulation workloads. Data compression at 164005 makes it good for large archive operations.

For office and general productivity, the single-thread performance is the key. A PassMark single-thread score of 3415 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1740 mean responsive behavior in word processors, browsers, and email clients. The 15 W TDP also suits a thin-and-light chassis, which is ideal for mobile professionals. The encryption score of 10288 is useful for corporate laptops with full-disk encryption.

Platform and Compatibility

The 1345U uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket, which is a soldered, non-upgradeable package. Once the laptop is built, the CPU cannot be swapped. This is standard for U-series mobile parts. The chip supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory, but no ECC. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 8 lanes from the CPU only, which is enough for a discrete GPU or a fast NVMe SSD, but not for multi-GPU configurations.

Integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, which handles display output and light acceleration. The architecture is Raptor Lake, codename Raptor Lake-U, and it is built on Intel's 10 nm process. The market segment is Mobile, and the release date is 2023-01-03. The production status is Active, so the chip remains available for new designs. The upgrade path is effectively zero — buyers should choose the configuration at purchase time, since the BGA socket precludes later CPU upgrades. Memory and storage are the only user-upgradeable components in a typical laptop built around this chip.