Intel Core i5-8265UC vs Intel Core i7-8550U

Processor comparisons   18-01-2022
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-8265UC vs Intel Core i7-8550U tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, programming, machine learning, streaming, rendering. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, 3DMark, 7zip, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, Furmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, PCMark 10, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, RealBench, SuperPi, PassMark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Rainbow Six Siege
Cyberpunk 2077
Apex Legends
Valorant
Grand Theft Auto V
Borderlands 3
Death Stranding
Fallout 76
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Overwatch
Valheim
Red Dead Redemption 2
Halo Infinite
Fortnite
Watch Dogs Legion
DOOM: Eternal
Last Man Standing

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8550U or Intel Core i5-8265UC.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-8265UC

51%

Core i7-8550U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-8265UC

51%

Core i7-8550U

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Hitman 3, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	90.8	91.9
Valorant	103.2	104.4
Cyberpunk 2077	57.8	58.5
Apex Legends	97.0	98.1
Call of Duty Warzone	77.4	78.3
Overwatch	83.6	84.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.2	72.0
DOOM Eternal	51.6	52.2
Warzone	80.5	81.4
Assassin's Creed	86.7	87.7
Valheim	85.6	86.6

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-8265UC

224%

Core i7-8550U

228%

To make a finishing decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-8550U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-8265UC since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-8265UC	Intel Core i7-8550U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	157	167
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	548	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	348	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1507	1211
Cinbench 23 Single-core	896	979
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3115	3111

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-8265UC	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	2222	2072
Multi-Core	6005	5970

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-8265UC	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	1011	1027
Multi-Core	2749	3788

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-8265UC	Intel Core i7-8550U
Announcement date	November 07, 2018	April 01, 2017
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1528	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Whiskey Lake	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	8	8
Turbo Frequency	3.9 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	1.6 MHz	1.8 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	4 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	1900 millions	1820 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i7-8550U is 11% better than Core i5-8265UC in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8265UC is better: 7
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8550U is better: 21
Although it should be understood that all the number in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-8265UC and Intel Core i7-8550U before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-8265UC - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-8265UC specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8550U specs and review.