Core Ultra 7 155U vs Ryzen 5 4500

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.7% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 4500.

Ryzen 5 4500

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 155U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,049 vs 16,185).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 155U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 7 155U

2023

Ryzen 5 4500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.7% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 155U.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 4500.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 155U across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,049 vs 16,185).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $129 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 155U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 155U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 155U better than Ryzen 5 4500?

Yes. Core Ultra 7 155U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 15.7% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 7 155U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.7% more average FPS across 46 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 7 155U is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core Ultra 7 155U is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 4500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 7 155U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $129 MSRP, and it gives you a 15.7% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 4500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (124.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 7 155U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core Ultra 7 155U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 4500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	276 FPS	178 FPS
medium	248 FPS	142 FPS
high	209 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	152 FPS
medium	185 FPS	120 FPS
high	152 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	160 FPS	70 FPS
medium	130 FPS	59 FPS
high	100 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Ryzen 5 4500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	214 FPS	304 FPS
medium	176 FPS	261 FPS
high	159 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	198 FPS
1440p
low	181 FPS	266 FPS
medium	155 FPS	232 FPS
high	143 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	229 FPS
medium	124 FPS	205 FPS
high	118 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	155 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Ryzen 5 4500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	405 FPS	401 FPS
medium	405 FPS	401 FPS
high	405 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	401 FPS
1440p
low	405 FPS	401 FPS
medium	405 FPS	401 FPS
high	405 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	399 FPS
medium	405 FPS	337 FPS
high	405 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	230 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Ryzen 5 4500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	405 FPS	401 FPS
medium	405 FPS	401 FPS
high	405 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	401 FPS
1440p
low	405 FPS	401 FPS
medium	405 FPS	401 FPS
high	405 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	401 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	401 FPS
medium	405 FPS	401 FPS
high	405 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	403 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 155U Open Ryzen 5 4500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 155U and Ryzen 5 4500

Core Ultra 7 155U

The Core Ultra 7 155U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,185 points. Launch price was $490.

Ryzen 5 4500

The Ryzen 5 4500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,049 points. Launch price was $129.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 155U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 5 4500 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 7 155U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 155U versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4500 — a 15.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 155U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 4500 uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 155U scores 16,185 against the Ryzen 5 4500's 16,049 — a 0.8% lead for the Core Ultra 7 155U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 155U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4500.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+17%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	3.6 GHz+112%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	16,185	16,049
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	8,433
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,560
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	6,235

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 155U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 4500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 155U	Ryzen 5 4500
Socket	FCBGA2049	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core Ultra 7 155U) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 4500). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 4500 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 4500 rivals Core i5-10400F.