[Comparison] Intel Core i7-1255U vs Core i7-1165G7 – both chips look good
U-series CPUs have developed a lot over the years. What were previously chips that were only good for preserving battery life, nowadays, we see that these efficient CPUs also perform very well, giving smaller laptops some much-needed punch. Today we will see the improvement that a single generation can make, by comparing the Core i7-1255U against the Core i7-1165G7.
You can take a look at our Top Laptop CPU Ranking, where we showcase the best and the newest laptop processors.
You can find more information about both CPUs here: Intel Core i7-1255U / Core i7-1165G7
Specs table
Intel Core i7-1255U | Intel Core i7-1165G7 | |
---|---|---|
Architecture | Alder Lake-U | Tiger Lake-U |
Cores / Threads | 10/12 | 4/8 |
Clock Speeds – Base/Boost | 1.20 – 4.70GHz | 2.80 – 4.40GHz |
Cache | 12MB | 12MB |
Lithography | 10nm | 10nm |
TDP | 15W | 15W |
Memory type |
DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267 |
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267 |
Integrated GPU | Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) | Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) |
CPU benchmarks
In the CPU benchmarks, the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU dominates, scoring 48% higher in Cinebench 20, while also being 1.6 seconds quicker in Adobe Photoshop.
Results are from the Cinebench R23 CPU test (the higher the score, the better)
Results are from our Photoshop benchmark test (the lower the score, the better)
GPU benchmarks
On the GPU end, both processors have the same Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 96 Execution Units. However, the unit inside the Core i7-1165G7 brings better performance, offering 41% and 27% higher performance in 3DMark Fire Strike and Unigine Superposition, respectively.
Results are from the 3DMark: Time Spy (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the 3DMark: Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the 3DMark: Wild Life benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the Unigine Superposition benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Gaming tests
CS:GO | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, MAX (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) – Core i7-1255U | 106 fps | 93 fps | 48 fps |
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) – Core i7-1165G7 | 198 fps (+87%) | 151 fps (+62%) | 81 fps (+69%) |
DOTA 2 | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Normal (Check settings) | HD 1080p, High (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) – Core i7-1255U | 100 fps | 69 fps | 42 fps |
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EU) – Core i7-1165G7 | 148 fps (+48%) | 107 fps (+55%) | 70 fps (+67%) |
Conclusion
While there have been some definitive improvements, in terms of computational performance with the new Alder Lake CPU, the GPU performance is much better on the older 11th Gen CPU, both in synthetic benchmarks and in gaming tests. Of course, performance will vary from laptop to laptop, but the leads that the Iris Xe Graphics G7 in the Core i7-1165G7 was able to generate were massive. However, gaming performance is not what people are looking for from these CPUs, and we should expect other laptops with the same Core i7-1255U, which might offer different levels of power, thanks to better cooling, or general tweaks done to the chip itself.
All laptops with the Intel Core i7-1255U: