Intel Core i7-1355U vs Intel Core 7 150U: how much did Intel actually change?

The Core 7 150U sounds like a clear successor to the Core i7-1355U, but the specifications tell a different story. Both are Raptor Lake mobile processors with the same 10-core, 12-thread configuration, the same cache capacity and the same power limits. The newer Core 7 150U raises clock speeds, but benchmarks show that the advantage is much less consistent than the 400 MHz increase might suggest.

The specifications are almost identical

Both processors combine 2 performance cores with 8 efficient cores for 10 cores and 12 threads. They have 12MB of L3 cache, use the Intel 7 process and carry a 15W base power rating with a maximum turbo power of 55W.

*Intel's current ARK page lists LPDDR5/X-5200 for the Core 7 150U, while Intel's Series 1 launch documentation lists LPDDR5/X-6400. The two official sources therefore disagree on this specification.

What actually changed

The clearest hardware difference is clock speed.

The Core i7-1355U reaches 5.0 GHz on its P-cores and 3.7 GHz on its E-cores. The Core 7 150U raises those limits to 5.4 and 4.0 GHz respectively. The increase affects both core types rather than just the headline P-core turbo frequency.

That is roughly an 8% increase in maximum turbo frequency, but maximum clocks do not translate directly into the same percentage gain in benchmarks. Sustained performance depends on the workload, power limits and cooling of the laptop.

No missing virtualization or security features

Some comparison databases make the Core 7 150U look cut down because fields such as VT-x, VT-d, AES-NI or Hyper-Threading are left blank.

Intel's specifications do not support that conclusion. Both processors list the expected virtualization, encryption and threading features. Empty fields in third-party tables should not be interpreted as disabled hardware.

The graphics name changed, the EU count did not

The Core i7-1355U is listed as "Iris Xe Graphics eligible," while the Core 7 150U uses the simpler "Intel Graphics" name.

Both specifications list 96 execution units and a maximum graphics frequency of 1.3 GHz. The different branding therefore does not indicate a faster integrated GPU on the newer processor.

Actual graphics performance can still vary between laptops because memory configuration and power limits matter significantly for an integrated GPU.

Intel contradicts itself on LPDDR5/X support

The strangest difference appears in the memory specifications.

Intel's current ARK listing gives the Core i7-1355U support for LPDDR5/X-6400 but lists only LPDDR5/X-5200 for the Core 7 150U.

Taken alone, that would make the newer processor look like a downgrade.

However, Intel's Series 1 launch documentation lists the Core 7 150U with LPDDR5/X-6400 as well. Two official Intel sources therefore give different limits for the same processor.

The 5200 MT/s figure should not be treated as a confirmed hardware downgrade. For a laptop with soldered LPDDR5 or LPDDR5X memory, the specification of the actual machine is more useful than the generic processor page.

Benchmarks: the 150U is faster, but not by a fixed percentage

A broader set of benchmarks changes the picture considerably. The Core 7 150U generally leads in single-core tests, but the multi-core gap ranges from practically zero to around 10% depending on the workload.

The single-core results are the most consistent. Geekbench 6, Cinebench R23, Cinebench 2024 and PassMark put the Core 7 150U roughly 3-4% ahead.

That is noticeably less than the 8% increase in maximum P-core frequency. The processor does not run at its advertised peak clock throughout every workload, so a 400 MHz higher maximum does not become an automatic 8% performance gain.

Multi-core performance is much less predictable.

Geekbench 6 shows the two processors effectively tied, while Cinebench R23 gives the 150U only about a 1% lead. PassMark widens the gap to around 6%, and the available Cinebench 2024 and Blender results put the newer chip closer to 9-10% ahead.

That spread is important. These are 15W U-series processors, and their sustained performance depends heavily on how much power and cooling the laptop manufacturer gives them.

The laptop can matter more than the CPU refresh

A concrete example shows how large that effect can be.

In one tested Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 with the Core 7 150U, 3DMark CPU Profile produced 4718 points with the maximum thread count and 1089 with one thread. An Asus Zenbook S 13 using the Core i7-1355U scored 4151 and 999 respectively.

It would be wrong to call the 14% difference in the maximum-thread score a pure processor advantage. The two CPUs were tested in different laptops with different sustained power limits and cooling systems.

That is exactly the problem with comparing U-series processors by model name alone. A well-cooled Core i7-1355U can outperform a more restricted Core 7 150U in sustained workloads, while a 150U allowed to run at higher power can open a much larger gap.

The aggregate results therefore support a narrower conclusion: the Core 7 150U has a small and repeatable single-core advantage, while its multi-core advantage depends heavily on the laptop.

Laptop prices matter more than the CPU name

Both processors now appear mainly in mainstream, office and discounted laptops. Their prices vary much more with the laptop itself than with the CPU.

These prices should not be read as a direct measure of CPU value. The table mixes consumer, refurbished, clearance and business systems, and differences in display, chassis, storage, warranty and memory can easily outweigh the processor itself.

That is precisely why paying a large premium just to move from an i7-1355U to a Core 7 150U makes little sense.

Which one should you get?

The Core 7 150U is a modest Raptor Lake-U refresh rather than a major generational upgrade over the Core i7-1355U.

Its most consistent advantage appears in single-core performance, where several benchmarks put it around 3-4% ahead. Multi-core results are less clear: Geekbench 6 and Cinebench R23 show little difference, while PassMark, Blender and Cinebench 2024 give the 150U a larger lead.

That variation matters more than the processor names suggest. In this power class, cooling and manufacturer-defined power limits can easily change sustained performance by more than the difference between the two CPUs.

The graphics specifications are essentially unchanged, while the apparent LPDDR5/X downgrade cannot be confirmed because Intel's own documents disagree.

If two otherwise similar laptops cost about the same, the Core 7 150U is the better pick because its higher clocks provide a small performance advantage. If the i7-1355U model is noticeably cheaper or comes with a better display, more memory or a larger SSD, the newer processor name is not enough reason to pay extra.

The Core 7 150U is faster. The important part is that the difference is usually small, and the laptop around the processor can matter more than the refresh itself.