Core Ultra 7 255U vs Xeon Phi 7290

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 255U

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.3% higher average FPS across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 14W instead of 245W, a 231W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,834 vs 17,839).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Phi 7290, which brings 72 cores / 288 threads.

Xeon Phi 7290

2016

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 72 cores / 288 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 255U across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌1650% higher power demand at 245W vs 14W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 255U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 7 255U

2025

Xeon Phi 7290

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +28.3% higher average FPS across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 14W instead of 245W, a 231W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 72 cores / 288 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,834 vs 17,839).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Phi 7290, which brings 72 cores / 288 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 255U across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌1650% higher power demand at 245W vs 14W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 7 255U moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 255U better than Xeon Phi 7290?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Phi 7290 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 7 255U is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Phi 7290 is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 72 cores and 288 threads.

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

Core Ultra 7 255U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 7 255U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 28.3% average FPS lead across 16 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core Ultra 7 255U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2016) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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 255U Benchmark Check

Xeon Phi 7290 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255U	Xeon Phi 7290
1080p
low	292 FPS	177 FPS
medium	256 FPS	143 FPS
high	216 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	243 FPS	141 FPS
medium	192 FPS	111 FPS
high	157 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	168 FPS	66 FPS
medium	134 FPS	56 FPS
high	104 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255U Open Xeon Phi 7290

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255U	Xeon Phi 7290
1080p
low	446 FPS	136 FPS
medium	399 FPS	120 FPS
high	348 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	445 FPS	120 FPS
medium	367 FPS	108 FPS
high	322 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	276 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	331 FPS	87 FPS
medium	285 FPS	81 FPS
high	265 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	228 FPS	56 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255U Open Xeon Phi 7290

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255U	Xeon Phi 7290
1080p
low	446 FPS	446 FPS
medium	446 FPS	446 FPS
high	446 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	446 FPS
1440p
low	446 FPS	446 FPS
medium	446 FPS	434 FPS
high	446 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	446 FPS	394 FPS
medium	446 FPS	306 FPS
high	446 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	379 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255U Open Xeon Phi 7290

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255U	Xeon Phi 7290
1080p
low	446 FPS	446 FPS
medium	446 FPS	446 FPS
high	446 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	446 FPS
1440p
low	446 FPS	446 FPS
medium	446 FPS	446 FPS
high	446 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	446 FPS	420 FPS
4K
low	446 FPS	446 FPS
medium	446 FPS	405 FPS
high	446 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	310 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255U Open Xeon Phi 7290

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 255U and Xeon Phi 7290

Core Ultra 7 255U

The Core Ultra 7 255U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,834 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon Phi 7290

The Xeon Phi 7290 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Knights Landing (2016) architecture. It features 72 cores and 288 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 245 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,839 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 7 255U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Xeon Phi 7290 offers 72 cores / 288 threads — the Xeon Phi 7290 has 60 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255U versus 1.7 GHz on the Xeon Phi 7290 — a 101.4% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 255U (base: 3.8 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 255U uses the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon Phi 7290 uses Knights Landing (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 255U scores 17,834 against the Xeon Phi 7290's 17,839 — a 0% lead for the Xeon Phi 7290. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core Ultra 7 255U vs 0 kB (total) on the Xeon Phi 7290.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 255U	Xeon Phi 7290
Cores / Threads	12 / 14	72 / 288+500%
Boost Clock	5.2 GHz+206%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+153%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB	0 kB (total)
L2 Cache	—	512 kB (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-U (2025)	Knights Landing (2016)
PassMark	17,834	17,839

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 255U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Phi 7290 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.