Intel Core Ultra 5 325 vs Core Ultra 7 155H: New Panther Lake or Discounted Meteor Lake

The Intel Core Ultra 5 325 and Core Ultra 7 155H belong to different generations and serve different purposes. The new Core Ultra 5 325 is designed for modern thin laptops, with moderate power consumption and local AI capabilities. The Core Ultra 7 155H was released over two years earlier but has twice as many cores and is still better suited for prolonged multithreading tasks.

Novelty does not imply unconditional superiority here. The Core Ultra 5 325 is faster on a single core and features a significantly more powerful NPU. The Core Ultra 7 155H excels in scenarios where many applications run simultaneously, rendering, compiling, and other tasks that can fully utilize all cores.

Key Differences

The names Intel 18A and Intel 4 denote Intel's manufacturing processes. It is incorrect to directly translate them into conditional "2 nm" and "7 nm."

Architecture and Processor Cores

The Core Ultra 5 325 features four performance and four low-power efficiency cores. Hyper-Threading is not supported, so the processor handles eight threads simultaneously.

The Core Ultra 7 155H has a significantly larger configuration: six performance, eight efficiency, and two low-power cores. Hyper-Threading support on the P-cores increases the total number of threads to 22.

Core Ultra 5 325 focuses on single-core performance, short workloads, and operation at relatively low power consumption. The Core Ultra 7 155H can utilize significantly more computing resources when a task is well distributed across cores.

The nominal power difference is slight - 25 vs. 28 W. However, the maximum turbo power is 55 W for the Core Ultra 5 325 and 115 W for the Core Ultra 7 155H. Laptop manufacturers may set lower limits, which causes the performance of the same processor to change significantly depending on the chassis and cooling.

Performance in Geekbench 6

A mobile processor cannot be evaluated separately from the laptop. The result is influenced by power limits, temperature, memory, fan modes, and operating system settings. Thus, it is more useful to consider several specific devices rather than one averaged figure.

The tests were performed on different laptops and in different versions of Geekbench 6, so the table shows a characteristic range rather than a direct laboratory comparison.

In single-core mode, the Core Ultra 5 325 scores about 2370-2620 points, while the Core Ultra 7 155H results hover around 2270-2440 points. Based on the median values of the selected devices, the new processor is about 9% faster.

This advantage is more noticeable in short and weakly parallel operations: launching applications, browsing, document processing, and most everyday tasks.

In the multi-core test, the situation changes. The Core Ultra 5 325 scores around 9200-11,000 points, while the Core Ultra 7 155H ranges from approximately 12,100-12,750 points. Based on median results, the older Meteor Lake is about 32% faster.

The variance among laptops using the Core Ultra 5 325 approaches 20%. This illustrates how much power settings and cooling influence mobile processors.

Work, Editing, and Multitasking

For office applications, studying, browsing, video calls, and simple photo processing, the performance of both processors is adequate. The Core Ultra 5 325 even appears preferable in such scenarios due to its higher single-core speed.

The advantage of the Core Ultra 7 155H is evident under prolonged load:

• exporting and encoding video;
• rendering 3D scenes;
• compiling large projects;
• batch photo processing;
• running virtual machines;
• managing a large number of applications simultaneously.

The Core Ultra 7 155H is particularly appealing as the foundation for a heavy work laptop. Its 16 cores and 22 threads allow dozens of tabs, development environments, messengers, spreadsheets, image editors, and other applications to remain open simultaneously without the need to close them to free up resources.

For such scenarios, RAM size is also important. A configuration with 32 GB will be significantly more practical than a model with 16 GB, especially if the memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded.

Integrated Graphics

The Core Ultra 7 155H is equipped with Intel Arc Graphics featuring eight Xe cores and a frequency of up to 2.25 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 325 uses next-generation graphics but has only four Xe cores active at a frequency of up to 2.45 GHz.

The higher frequency and updated architecture moderately benefit the Core Ultra 5 325, but the Core Ultra 7 155H has twice the number of graphics units.

In one result of Geekbench 6 OpenCL, the graphics of Core Ultra 5 325 scored around 21,900 points, while Arc Graphics in the ASUS Zenbook 14 with the Core Ultra 7 155H exhibited about 27,800 points. The difference is approximately 27% in favor of the 155H.

This is a computing test, not a direct measure of frame rates, but it demonstrates the advantage of the larger graphics configuration. The Core Ultra 7 155H is better suited for casual gaming, photo processing acceleration, and video editing without a discrete graphics card.

The performance of integrated graphics depends on memory bandwidth. A dual-channel configuration with fast LPDDR5X or DDR5 can significantly outperform a laptop with less optimal memory organization.

NPU and Local AI Features

In terms of neural unit performance, the Core Ultra 5 325 is significantly stronger. Its NPU reaches 47 TOPS against 11 TOPS in the Core Ultra 7 155H.

The Core Ultra 5 325 meets Microsoft’s requirement for the Copilot+ PC class, which stipulates that the NPU must provide at least 40 TOPS. The specific laptop must also have an appropriate configuration of memory, storage, and operating system.

The powerful NPU will be beneficial for local Windows AI functions, noise cancellation, camera image processing, object recognition, and software capable of utilizing the neural accelerator.

However, TOPS do not replace regular CPU performance. If an application performs calculations on the CPU or GPU and does not utilize the NPU, the Core Ultra 5 325's advantage in this block will not accelerate its operation.

Power Consumption and Battery Life

It cannot be claimed that any laptop with the Core Ultra 5 325 lasts two or three times longer on battery than the model with the Core Ultra 7 155H. Battery life depends on the screen, battery capacity, firmware, memory, power mode, and background load.

Nonetheless, the official limits highlight the differences in positioning. The Core Ultra 5 325 can operate at lower power consumption levels, with a maximum turbo power limited to 55 W. The Core Ultra 7 155H reaches 115 W.

The Core Ultra 5 325 is easier to use in a thin laptop with quiet cooling and long battery life. The Core Ultra 7 155H requires a more powerful cooling system to maintain stable speeds under prolonged loads.

Comparing battery life should only be done between specific laptops tested using the same methodology.

Why the Older Core Ultra 7 155H Might Be a Better Deal

The age of the Core Ultra 7 155H is gradually shifting from a disadvantage to an advantage. Laptops with this processor have been released since 2024, so last-generation models increasingly appear on sales and in warehouse stocks.

For the price of a new compact laptop with the Core Ultra 5 325, one can occasionally obtain a larger system with effective cooling, 32 GB of memory, a quality screen, and more powerful integrated graphics.

One of the most interesting examples is the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16IMH9 without a discrete graphics card. In tests, the configuration with the Core Ultra 7 155H scores about 13,500 points in Geekbench 6 Multi-Core and 1014 points in Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core. This is one of the best results for this processor among mainstream laptops.

In comparison, the thinner IdeaPad Slim 5i on the same processor scores around 823 points in Cinebench 2024. The difference illustrates how crucial the chassis, power limits, and cooling are.

Another option is the Acer Swift Go 16 SFG16-72. It also utilizes only the integrated Intel Arc Graphics but features a dual-fan cooling system. Its results are slightly lower-around 12,800 points in Geekbench 6 Multi-Core and 905 points in Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core-but the laptop is lighter and better suited for regular travel.

The absence of a discrete graphics card in such models cannot be seen as a drawback. The integrated Arc Graphics remains sufficient for video processing, interface handling, photo work, and casual gaming. The laptop itself turns out to be cheaper, lighter, and more efficient than configurations with a separate GPU.

Such models are particularly interesting for those looking for a powerful work laptop rather than a gaming system. They allow for all necessary applications to remain open simultaneously without the need to constantly monitor the number of tabs or background processes.

Purchasing the Core Ultra 7 155H makes sense only in a well-cooled chassis. Installing this processor in a thin model with low power limits diminishes its advantage over the Core Ultra 5 325.

In Which Laptops the Processors Are Found

The Core Ultra 5 325 is found in devices from 2026. Among confirmed models, we find:

• Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 7;
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 7;
• Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 4;
• Lenovo ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 16 G9 IPL;
• HP OmniBook 7 14 and OmniBook 7 16;
• Samsung Galaxy Book6;
• Microsoft Surface Laptop for Business 13.

The selection of models with the Core Ultra 7 155H is significantly broader:

• Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 16IMH9;
• Acer Swift Go 16 SFG16-72;
• ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405;
• Dell XPS 13 9340;
• Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640;
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Gen 9;
• MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo.

Comparing the recommended prices of the processors themselves is meaningless: mobile chips are not sold separately from laptops. Evaluations should consider the complete configuration, taking into account the screen, memory, storage, battery, and cooling system.

What to Choose

Intel Core Ultra 5 325 is a better fit if:

• a thin and lightweight laptop is needed;
• high single-core speed is important;
• NPU of Copilot+ PC level is required;
• moderate power consumption and quiet operation are priorities;
• heavy multithreaded tasks are run infrequently.

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is worth choosing if:

• a large number of applications are used simultaneously;
• rendering, editing, or compiling tasks are regularly performed;
• more powerful integrated graphics are required;
• the laptop is equipped with quality cooling;
• a configuration with 32 GB of memory is available;
• the model is sold at a notable discount.

Conclusion

The Core Ultra 5 325 cannot be considered a complete replacement for the Core Ultra 7 155H. The new Panther Lake is approximately 9% faster based on the median single-core result from the selected laptops, has an NPU of 47 TOPS, and better meets the demands of modern thin AI-PCs.

The Core Ultra 7 155H, despite its age, maintains about a 32% advantage in multi-core Geekbench 6 and possesses twice the number of Xe cores. It is better suited for rendering, editing, compiling, and sustained work with many applications.

At the same price, the Core Ultra 5 325 is more logical to choose for mobile work, local AI functions, and prolonged battery operation.

However, a discounted laptop with the Core Ultra 7 155H, equipped with 32 GB of memory and good cooling, may represent a better purchase for heavy everyday work. Such a computer allows for all necessary applications to remain open and eliminates the need to constantly consider the number of tabs, running programs, and background processes.