CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-8265U vs Intel Core i5-8350U
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-8265U is a 4-core, 8-thread low-power mobile processor from the Whiskey Lake family, designed for thin-and-light laptops prioritizing battery life.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Good for daily office tasks and web apps.
Highly capable for office suites, heavy browsing, and daily multitasking.
Gaming
Only capable of very light or old games.
Limited to very light or older games due to basic UHD 620 graphics.
Virtualization
Can run light VMs but limited by RAM and power.
Can handle light VMs for development, but limited by thermal constraints.
Efficiency
Excellent efficiency for all-day battery life.
Mature 14nm process offers excellent battery life in ultrabooks.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- Not suitable for AI workloads
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Relies on CPU AVX2 instructions
Content Creation
Gaming
- Integrated graphics too weak for modern gaming
- Good for indie games
- No dedicated gaming features
- Relies on Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Only suitable for 2D or highly optimized older games
- Lacks hardware support for modern DirectX 12 Ultimate features
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Excellent power efficiency
- 4 cores and 8 threads
- Good burst performance
- Wide OEM adoption
Cons
- Soldered to motherboard
- Weak integrated graphics
- Only PCIe 3.0
- End-of-life
Pros
- Reliable quad-core performance for everyday tasks
- High boost clock of 3.6 GHz
- Good multitasking with 8 threads
- Wide compatibility with DDR4 and LPDDR3
Cons
- Built on aging 14nm process
- Weak integrated graphics
- No support for PCIe 4.0
- Quickly overshadowed by Whiskey Lake
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-8265U
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- Intel Core i7-8565URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 7 3700URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- Intel Core i5-8250URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 2500URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
Slightly faster with better efficiency.
Compare head-to-headModern dual-core with vastly better single-core speed.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Hex-core mobile chip with much better performance.
Massive IPC and iGPU upgrade with modern features.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i5-8350U
- AMD Ryzen 5 2500URival
Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 7 2700URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-8550URival
Mobile
- Intel Core i5-8250URival
Mobile
- Intel Core i5-7200URival
Mobile
Better turbo frequencies on Whiskey Lake.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 3500UAlt
More cores and better Vega graphics.
- Intel Core i3-8130UAlt
Cheaper alternative for basic tasks.
- Alt
Vastly superior battery life and performance.
Compare head-to-head - AMD Ryzen 3 3200UAlt
Budget-friendly with modern Vega graphics.
Our Verdict on Each
A reliable and efficient mobile CPU that brought 4 cores to thin-and-light laptops, still serviceable for basic tasks today.
Best for: Buying a cheap used laptop for basic tasks
Read the full reviewA solid quad-core low-power processor that brought significant multi-threaded gains to ultrabooks, though its integrated graphics remain a limiting factor.
Best for: Purchasing a heavily discounted used business laptop for basic office work.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-8265U or Intel Core i5-8350U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-8265U comes out ahead with a score of 7.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-8265U or Intel Core i5-8350U?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-8350U leads with a gaming performance score of 35/100 among Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i5-8350U.
Do Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i5-8350U use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-8265U: Intel BGA 1528, Intel Core i5-8350U: Intel BGA 1356), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-8350U posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-8350U (6,100). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.