Key Takeaways
1. Laptops with Panther Lake Series 3 Core processors are now available, including Core Ultra 5 325, Core Ultra 7 355, and Core Ultra X7 358H models.
2. The performance difference between Core Ultra 5 325 and Core Ultra 7 355 is minimal, with only a 4% advantage for the more expensive Ultra 7.
3. Integrated graphics performance is similar for both Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7, with no noticeable difference in everyday applications.
4. The Core Ultra X7 358H offers significant performance improvements, with multi-thread performance and graphics capabilities up to 75% and 2.5 times faster, respectively.
5. Core Ultra 5 325 and Core Ultra 7 355 have similar specifications, resulting in comparable performance until upgrading to the Core Ultra X7 358H, which features more cores.
Laptops featuring the Panther Lake Series 3 Core are now available for purchase, with popular choices such as the Core Ultra 5 325, Core Ultra 7 355, and Core Ultra X7 358H. Following our latest review of the 2026 XPS 16, we now have a representative model for each processor, allowing us to compare the three CPUs. Sadly, the performance differences observed can vary from minimal to significant.
Performance Comparison
Benchmarks indicate that the Core Ultra 5 325 and Core Ultra 7 355 show nearly the same performance levels, even though the Core Ultra 7 comes at a higher price. Our tests suggest that the Core Ultra 7 has an average performance edge of about 4 percent, but this small difference is usually not noticeable during daily tasks or in most practical situations.
Graphics Performance
In terms of integrated graphics performance, the results are similarly aligned. The Core Ultra 7 manages to secure just a few percentage points ahead of the Core Ultra 5 in 3DMark tests, which again is insufficient to create a noticeable difference in everyday applications.
The transition from Core Ultra 5 325 to the Ultra 7 355 is rather underwhelming, being effectively a negligible upgrade.
Upgrading for Better Performance
For those looking for a more distinct performance enhancement, it is better to opt for the Core Ultra X7 358H model. This configuration offers multi-thread performance and graphics capabilities that can be as much as 75 percent and 2.5 times faster, respectively, compared to the Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7.
A glance at the specifications shows why the Core Ultra 5 325 and Core Ultra 7 355 perform so similarly. Both processors have the same amount of cores, cache sizes, integrated Xe3 4 GPU, NPU, and target TGP, which results in comparable performance. It isn’t until you upgrade to the Core Ultra X7 358H that you get a significant increase in cores for both the CPU and GPU, leading to much higher performance levels.
Leave a Reply