Intel Core i7-8550U vs Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
37.7Single-core66.6
23.8Multi-core65.1
66.4Efficiencyspec-based44.4
25.8iGPU—
37.2Platformspec-based68.1
1 spec wins — Intel Core i7-8550U12 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX wins this laptop processor face-off, 62.6 to 35.9, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+41) and single-core (+29). Intel Core i7-8550U 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 i7-8550U
- 73% lower Base TDP: 15 W vs 55 W
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX
- Stronger single-core score: 67 vs 38
- Stronger multi-core score: 65 vs 24
- 792% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 26,001 vs 2,914
- 712% higher PassMark: 47,051 vs 5,794
- 700% higher Max memory: 256 GB vs 32 GB
General
| Spec | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2017 | 2026 |
| Process | 14 nm | 3 nm+79% |
| Base TDP | 15 W+73% | 55 W |
| Max TDP | 25 W | 160 W+540% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 4 | 18+350% |
| Performance cores | — | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | — | 12 |
| Threads | 8 | 18+125% |
| Base clock | 1.8 GHz | 2.9 GHz+61% |
| Boost clock | 4 GHz | 5.1 GHz+27% |
| L3 cache | 8 MB | 30 MB+275% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Intel Graphics (3 Xe) |
| iGPU clock | 1,150 MHz | 1,800 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR4-2400 / LPDDR3-2133 | DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 32 GB | 256 GB+700% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core i7-8550U | Intel Core Ultra 7 251HX |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | — | 2,762Top 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | — | 14,233Top 30% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,021Bottom 10% | 1,941+90%Top 26% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 2,914Bottom 6% | 26,001+792%Top 12% |
| PassMark | 5,794Bottom 8% | 47,051+712%Top 8% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | 389Bottom 8% | — |
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