Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus vs Intel Core i5-12450HX
79Single-core47.6
86.8Multi-core40.4
44.4Efficiencyspec-based28.9
60.5iGPU—
73.9Platformspec-based52.2
14 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus0 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12450HX
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins this laptop processor face-off, 73.9 to 42.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+46) and single-core (+31). Intel Core i5-12450HX still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 48
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 40
- 300% higher Efficiency cores: 16 vs 4
- 233% higher PassMark: 58,672 vs 17,605
- 200% higher cores: 24 vs 8
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12450HX
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
General
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2022 |
| Process | 3 nm+70% | 10 nm |
| Base TDP | 55 W | 55 W |
| Max TDP | 160 W+2% | 157 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24+200% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 8+100% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 16+300% | 4 |
| Threads | 24+100% | 12 |
| Base clock | 2.7 GHz+13% | 2.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.5 GHz+25% | 4.4 GHz |
| L3 cache | 36 MB+200% | 12 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) | Intel UHD Graphics (16 EU) |
| iGPU clock | 2,000 MHz | 1,300 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-6400 | DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 |
| Max memory | 256 GB+100% | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core i5-12450HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,198+45%Top 9% | 2,210Bottom 26% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,581+134%Top 7% | 9,230Bottom 34% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,340Top 2% | — |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 39,617Top 1% | — |
| PassMark | 58,672+233%Top 1% | 17,605Bottom 40% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | 1,855Top 37% | — |
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