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Intel Core i7-7500U
A modest clock-speed refresh of the Skylake dual-core recipe for 2016 laptops. The i7-7500U runs faster than its i7-6500U predecessor and adds native 10-bit HEVC and VP9 decode, but keeps the same two-core, four-thread ceiling that limited multitasking a year earlier.
Pros
- Higher 2.7-3.5GHz clocks than the outgoing i7-6500U
- 15W TDP suits thin ultrabooks and 2-in-1 convertibles
- Native 10-bit HEVC and VP9 hardware decode
- HD Graphics 620 handles everyday and light gaming use
Cons
- Still only two cores, well behind the quad-core U-series chips that followed a year later
- Small generational gain over Skylake in review testing
- Weak integrated graphics limit it to older or simple 3D titles
- Long discontinued with no direct successor at this core count
Below average
Computed from specs & benchmarks via our public methodology.
Full specifications
Everything we track for the Intel Core i7-7500U
General
- Announced
- 2016
- Process
- 14 nm
- Base TDP
- 15 W
- Max TDP
- 25 W
Cores & Clocks
- Cores
- 2
- Threads
- 4
- Base clock
- 2.7 GHz
- Boost clock
- 3.5 GHz
- L3 cache
- 4 MB
Integrated GPU
- iGPU
- Intel HD Graphics 620
- iGPU clock
- 1,050 MHz
Memory
- Memory support
- DDR4-2133 / LPDDR3-1866 / DDR3L-1600
- Max memory
- 32 GB
Benchmarks
- PassMark
- 3,636Bottom 4%
- PassMark (single thread)
- 1,898Bottom 6%
- 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU)
- 320Bottom 4%
Quick answers
Is the Intel Core i7-7500U good in 2026?
The Intel Core i7-7500U earns an Inno Score of 30.3/100 (“Below average”) based on its specs and benchmark results. A modest clock-speed refresh of the Skylake dual-core recipe for 2016 laptops. The i7-7500U runs faster than its i7-6500U predecessor and adds native 10-bit HEVC and VP9 decode, but keeps the same two-core, four-thread ceiling that limited multitasking a year earlier.
Does the Intel Core i7-7500U count as "Core i7 or equivalent"?
Its PassMark CPU Mark average is 3,636 (cpubenchmark.net, retrieved Sep 26–Oct 8, 2026), which puts it in Tier D of our CPU tier checker: legacy Core i7 and budget chips, slower than recent Core i5 chips such as the i5-1235U. Requirement pages word this differently, so check the exact wording with your department.
What are the key specs of the Intel Core i7-7500U?
Cores: 2 · Threads: 4 · Boost clock: 3.5 GHz · Base TDP: 15 W
What are the closest alternatives to the Intel Core i7-7500U?
Its closest rivals on InnoReviews are Intel Celeron N4500, Intel Pentium Silver N6000, Intel Core i7-6500U — open the comparison pages for a spec-by-spec breakdown.
