Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX socket: BGA 2114
The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX uses BGA 2114, the 2,114-ball soldered package for Arrow Lake-HX mobile processors. It is a 20-core processor with a 55 W base power for performance laptops that need HX throughput at a lower price.
- Socket
- BGA 2114
- Launched
- January 2025
- Cores and threads
- 20 and 20
- Base power
- 55 W
- Codename
- Arrow Lake-HX
- Segment
- Mobile (soldered)
- Family
- Intel Core Ultra 7
- Clocks
- 2.4 / 5.2 GHz
Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX specifications
| Cores | 20 (8 Performance-cores plus 12 Efficient-cores) |
|---|---|
| Threads | 20 |
| P-core clocks | 2.4 GHz base, up to 5.2 GHz turbo |
| E-core clocks | up to 4.5 GHz turbo |
| Cache | 30 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3) plus 36 MB L2 |
| Processor base power (TDP) | 55 W |
| Maximum turbo power | 160 W |
| Manufacturing process | 3 nm (TSMC) |
| Memory support | DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s, two channels |
| PCI Express | PCIe 5.0 x20 plus PCIe 4.0 x4 from the CPU |
| Platform AI throughput | 33 TOPS (Int8) |
| Package | FCBGA2114 (37.5 × 30.2 mm) |
| Multiplier | Unlocked |
Motherboard compatibility
Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX needs a motherboard with a BGA 2114 socket. Chipset by chipset data for this codename is not recorded yet. See the BGA 2114 chipset list and the board maker's CPU support list.
BGA 2114 at a glance
| Type | BGA, 2,114 contacts |
|---|---|
| Package size | 30.2 × 37.5 mm |
| Introduced | January 2025 |
| Memory | DDR5 (speeds and capacity per laptop design) |
| Cooler mounting holes | Not applicable (soldered) |
What the Core Ultra 7 255HX is
The Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX is the entry 20-core member of the Arrow Lake-HX mobile stack on BGA 2114. It runs 20 cores at 2.4 GHz Performance-core base with boost to 5.2 GHz alongside Efficient-core turbo to 4.5 GHz, backed by 30 MB of Intel Smart Cache plus 36 MB of L2 and a 55 W base power with 160 W maximum turbo power. Intel launched the HX range in January 2025, building the compute tile on TSMC 3 nm.
Twenty desktop-derived cores suit gaming notebooks and creator laptops where parallel throughput matters more than top-bin frequency. The 2.4 GHz P-core base keeps sustained work moving under full cooling, while bursts to 5.2 GHz clear interactive spikes. Platform AI throughput of 33 TOPS covers on-device assistance beside CPU and GPU.
Against the 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX above it, the 255HX gives up base frequency across the cores for a lower price. Against the 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX below it, the 255HX adds 6 cores for heavier parallel loads. Unlocked multipliers invite tuning where firmware allows. See CPU cooler compatibility by socket for how soldered mobile cooling differs from socketed desktops.
Socket and motherboard compatibility
The 255HX fits BGA 2114, a 2,114-ball soldered package measuring 37.5 × 30.2 mm. The chip is soldered once at the factory and stays with the board for life, so there is no retention mechanism and no aftermarket mounting choice. Cooling is part of the laptop design for the 55 W base with 160 W turbo headroom and a 105 degree junction limit, usually dual-fan heat pipe assemblies.
Board choice means laptop choice. Memory is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels, and the chipset rides alongside as WM880 or HM870 depending on the design. A chassis revision needs firmware that knows the Arrow Lake-HX stepping. Moving from any other package is a full system change with memory and thermal design replaced together.
Memory, PCIe and cooling
Memory on BGA 2114 is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels with up to 102.4 GB per second of bandwidth. Two channels keep 20 cores supplied in gaming and creation mixes where the working set fits laptop memory sizes. Capacity and ECC behavior follow the laptop spec sheet, so buyers confirm each model.
PCI Express connectivity is Gen 5 with x20 lanes from the CPU plus x4 Gen 4 lanes for board devices. That lane budget feeds discrete graphics over a Gen 5 x16 link plus NVMe storage without strain. Lane splits between graphics, NVMe and Thunderbolt follow the board layout, so buyers confirm slot wiring before counting on multi-drive arrays.
Cooling follows the maker specification for the 55 W class with 160 W turbo headroom. Firmware power limits can cap draw below the default in quieter profiles, at some cost in sustained clocks. Minimum assured power of 45 W keeps the chip usable in thinner HX chassis with reduced sustained clocks.
Upgrade paths
On the same package, the path up from the 255HX starts with the 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX for higher clocks on BGA 2114 where cooling allows. The 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX follows for more E-cores. Each move needs a chassis with matching thermal headroom.
The step down to the 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX trims cores for a lower price. A move to BGA 2049 Arrow Lake-H is a different soldered platform with fewer cores and lower power for thin laptops. That change means a whole new system.
Frequently asked questions
What socket does the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX use?
BGA 2114 (FCBGA2114), the soldered 2,114-ball package for Arrow Lake-HX parts. The chip cannot be removed, so the laptop is chosen with the final CPU.
How are the 20 cores of the 255HX arranged?
Eight Lion Cove Performance-cores plus 12 Skymont Efficient-cores with no low-power island cores, giving 20 cores and 20 threads. There is no Hyper-Threading, so each core runs one thread.
What memory does the 255HX need?
DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in two channels. Exact speeds and capacity follow the laptop design.
Can the 255HX be overclocked?
Yes, the multiplier is unlocked, which permits overclocking where the laptop firmware exposes it. Sustained clocks still follow the cooling and the 160 W turbo limit.
Sources and verification
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX (Arrow Lake-HX, 20 cores to 5.2 GHz, 30 MB, 55 W, FCBGA2114)
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX benchmarks and specs (Arrow Lake-HX family clocks, Jan 2025, 55 W)
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX versus 245HX (Arrow Lake-HX family, FCBGA2114, 55 W)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .