The Ultra 7 255U and 265U have similar specs — which one for AI?

  The 255U and the 265U are both thin-laptop parts at 12 cores/14 threads, 12MB of L3, VNNI INT8, AI Boost around 24 TOPS and an iGPU, with a 0.1GHz delta (5.3 on the 265, 5.2-class on the 255). On AI they're the same tier: light AI, small models and data work behave identically — differences are naming and fine tuning.

  Judge chassis and price: on the same body take the cheaper; the 255U mostly outfits older or promotional units. Their shared boundary is 24 TOPS and 12MB of L3 — the 'AI sufficient but unremarkable' tier of thin laptops; for more fluent local mid-models, look directly at the 90+ TOPS H-series or Ryzen AI 9.