Core Ultra 7 255HX vs Core Ultra 7 265F

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 255HX

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Xe-LPG, while Core Ultra 7 265F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,923 vs 3,000).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (16,885 vs 20,000).

Core Ultra 7 265F

2025

Why buy it

✅+2.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $369 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 255HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 7 255HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 7 255HX

2025

Core Ultra 7 265F

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Xe-LPG, while Core Ultra 7 265F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+2.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,923 vs 3,000).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (16,885 vs 20,000).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $369 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 255HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 7 255HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 265F better than Core Ultra 7 255HX?

Yes. Core Ultra 7 265F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 18.4% better Geekbench multi-core, 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 265F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.3% more average FPS across 50 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 265F is the better fit. You are getting 18.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core Ultra 7 265F is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 7 265F is at an unclear MSRP at $369 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (133.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core Ultra 7 265F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 20 threads instead of 20/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 255HX Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 7 265F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
1080p
low	280 FPS	280 FPS
medium	272 FPS	273 FPS
high	228 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	226 FPS
medium	193 FPS	194 FPS
high	156 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	151 FPS	151 FPS
medium	129 FPS	129 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255HX Open Core Ultra 7 265F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
1080p
low	673 FPS	695 FPS
medium	574 FPS	593 FPS
high	483 FPS	498 FPS
ultra	438 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	584 FPS	605 FPS
medium	515 FPS	539 FPS
high	434 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	384 FPS
4K
low	345 FPS	356 FPS
medium	310 FPS	324 FPS
high	292 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	254 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255HX Open Core Ultra 7 265F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
1080p
low	839 FPS	839 FPS
medium	685 FPS	685 FPS
high	610 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	727 FPS	727 FPS
medium	596 FPS	596 FPS
high	519 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	515 FPS	515 FPS
medium	434 FPS	434 FPS
high	394 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	336 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255HX Open Core Ultra 7 265F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
1080p
low	995 FPS	995 FPS
medium	901 FPS	901 FPS
high	782 FPS	782 FPS
ultra	709 FPS	709 FPS
1440p
low	814 FPS	814 FPS
medium	724 FPS	724 FPS
high	627 FPS	627 FPS
ultra	555 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	555 FPS
medium	501 FPS	501 FPS
high	449 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	396 FPS

Open Core Ultra 7 255HX Open Core Ultra 7 265F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 7 255HX and Core Ultra 7 265F

Core Ultra 7 255HX

The Core Ultra 7 255HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2025-01-01. It is based on the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2114. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 49,765 points. Launch price was $450.

Core Ultra 7 265F

The Core Ultra 7 265F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 49,161 points. Launch price was $379.

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Processing Power

Both the Core Ultra 7 255HX and Core Ultra 7 265F share an identical 20-core/20-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255HX versus 5.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265F — a 1.9% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265F (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core Ultra 7 255HX uses the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 265F uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 7 255HX scores 49,765 against the Core Ultra 7 265F's 49,161 — a 1.2% lead for the Core Ultra 7 255HX. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,923 vs 3,000, a 2.6% lead for the Core Ultra 7 265F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 16,885 vs 20,000 (16.9% advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265F). Both processors carry 30 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
Cores / Threads	20 / 20	20 / 20
Boost Clock	5.2 GHz	5.3 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	30 MB (total)
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm	3 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-HX (2025)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	49,765+1%	49,161
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	25,459
Geekbench 6 Single	2,923	3,000+3%
Geekbench 6 Multi	16,885	20,000+18%

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 7 255HX uses the FCBGA2114 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 7 265F uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6400 memory speed. The Core Ultra 7 265F supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel HM870,Intel WM880 (Core Ultra 7 255HX) and Z890,B860,H810 (Core Ultra 7 265F).

Feature	Core Ultra 7 255HX	Core Ultra 7 265F
Socket	FCBGA2114	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	24	24

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Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core Ultra 7 255HX) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 265F). The Core Ultra 7 255HX includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Xe-LPG), while the Core Ultra 7 265F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 7 265F targets High Performance Gaming. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 7 255HX rivals Ryzen 9 9850HX.