SOLVED: What’s The Difference Between an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U & 155H

It’s easy to not understand the difference between the U and H series in the Intel CPU line. We have several articles explaining what the different suffix letters mean in Intel CPU’s but at the request of one of our clients we produced this short explanation of the technical differences.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155U and Intel Core Ultra 7-155H are from the same “Core Ultra” generation (Meteor Lake architecture), but with different power envelopes (TDP) and thus different performance targets.

Put simply, the “U” series is designed for ultra-low power and efficiency, while the “H” series is for high performance.

A Little More Detail on Intel’s Latest CPU’s

1 – Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (High-Performance)

• Target Devices: Found in more performance-oriented laptops, gaming laptops (though often paired with a discrete GPU), and mobile workstations where sustained performance is prioritized. These laptops generally have more robust cooling solutions
• Core Configuration:
  • Total Cores: 16 (6 Performance-cores + 8 Efficient-cores + 2 Low Power Efficient-cores)
  • Total Threads: 22
  • The higher number of Performance-cores (P-cores) is a key differentiator, allowing for significantly better raw CPU performance in demanding, multi-threaded workloads
• Integrated Graphics (iGPU): Features the more powerful Intel Arc Graphics with 8 Xe-cores. This offers superior integrated graphics performance, making it better for light to moderate gaming, more intensive video editing, and graphic design tasks without a dedicated GPU
• Cache: 24 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache). More cache generally means faster data access for the CPU
• Thermal Design Power (TDP):
  • Processor Base Power: 28W
  • Maximum Turbo Power: Up to 115W
  • This higher power allowance means the 155H can boost to higher clock speeds and sustain them for longer periods, resulting in much better performance under heavy load
• PCIe Version: PCIe 5.0, offering faster bandwidth for cutting-edge NVMe SSDs
• Overall Performance: Significantly higher multi-core CPU performance and better integrated graphics performance compared to the 155U, especially in benchmarks and real-world tasks that can fully utilize the increased core count and power budget

2 – Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (Ultra-Low Power)

• Target Devices: Designed for ultra-portable laptops, thin and light notebooks, 2-in-1s, and devices where maximum battery life and silent operation are paramount. These laptops often have smaller batteries and less elaborate cooling
• Core Configuration:
  • Total Cores: 12 (2 Performance-cores + 8 Efficient-cores + 2 Low Power Efficient-cores)
  • Total Threads: 14
  • Noticeably fewer Performance-cores compared to the 155H. This means it will perform well for everyday tasks but will be slower in CPU-intensive applications
• Integrated Graphics (iGPU): Features a less powerful version of Intel Arc Graphics with 4 Xe-cores. While still capable for basic graphical tasks and media consumption, its gaming and demanding creative performance will be considerably lower than the 155H
• Cache: 12 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3 Cache). Half the cache of the 155H
• Thermal Design Power (TDP):
  • Processor Base Power: 15W
  • Maximum Turbo Power: Up to 57W
  • This much lower power consumption is the key to its excellent battery life and ability to be integrated into very thin form factors. However, it also limits its sustained performance capabilities
• PCIe Version: PCIe 4.0. Still fast, but not the absolute latest
• Overall Performance: Excellent for general productivity, web Browse, streaming media, and light multitasking. It prioritizes power efficiency and battery life over raw, sustained computational power

3 – Shared Features (Meteor Lake Architecture):

Both the 155U and 155H, being part of the Core Ultra (Meteor Lake) series, share important modern features:

• Tile-based Architecture: For optimized power delivery and modularity
• Dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit): Both have the Intel AI Boost NPU for accelerating AI workloads like background blur in video calls, AI photo enhancements, and local AI model inference. This is a significant advantage over older generations
• Improved Efficiency Cores: The “Low Power Efficient-cores” (LP E-cores) located on a dedicated “Low Power Island” allow the processor to handle light tasks with extreme efficiency, contributing to longer battery life when not under heavy load
• Advanced Integrated Graphics: Both benefit from the Arc graphics architecture, though the 155H has a more powerful version
• Modern Connectivity: Both support features like Wi-Fi 6/6E and Thunderbolt 4 (where implemented by the laptop manufacturer)

So What Does All That Mean

The choice between the 155U and 155H comes down to your priorities and usage patterns:

• Intel Core Ultra 7 155H: Choose this if you need maximum CPU and integrated graphics performance for demanding tasks like content creation, gaming (without a discrete GPU, or to complement one), video editing, or heavy multitasking, and you’re willing to trade some battery life and potentially a thicker/heavier laptop for it
• Intel Core Ultra 7 155U: Choose this if battery life, portability, and a thin/light design are your top priorities. It’s more than capable for everyday computing, office work, web Browse, and consuming media, with the added benefit of AI acceleration for supported tasks. It’s designed to offer a premium experience without sacrificing portability