Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E records an average benchmark score of 40144, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V records 19368. The 221E sits in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 73rd percentile for the 226V.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E leads in every single-thread test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 3661 versus 1744 for the 226V, a 109.9% advantage. PassMark single-thread shows a narrower gap: 4147 versus 3754, a 10.5% lead.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each processor according to the database?

A: For the Intel Core 5 221E, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (0.2% higher average score), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 9 270 (0.3% lower), and Intel Core i9-13905H (0.4% lower). For the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS (0% difference), Intel Core i7-8700K (0.7% higher), Intel Core i5-1345U (0.2% lower), and Intel Core i7-10700F (0.7% lower).

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V does not support ECC memory.

Q: What integrated graphics does each processor use?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E uses UHD Graphics 730. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V uses Arc 130V.

Q: What is the release date for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E was released on 2025-01-12. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V was released earlier, on 2024-09-23.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 5 221E and Intel Core Ultra 5 226V represent two fundamentally different design approaches from Intel. The 221E is a Bartlett Lake desktop part built on Intel's 10 nm process with a 257 mm² die size. The 226V is a Lunar Lake mobile processor fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm node, and the database does not list a die size for it.

Core counts diverge sharply. The 221E provides 14 cores and 20 threads, indicating a hybrid arrangement with performance and efficiency cores. The 226V provides 8 cores and 8 threads, with no hyper-threading support. This difference alone explains much of the multicore performance gap.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The 221E allocates 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3. The 226V allocates 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, but only 8 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L1 and L2 on the 226V reflect a design optimized for latency-sensitive single-thread work within a tighter power envelope.

The memory controller tells a similar story. The 221E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode with a measured memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The 226V lists memory support as depending on the motherboard, also dual-channel, but the database records no memory bandwidth figure for it. The 221E also supports ECC memory, while the 226V does not.

PCIe connectivity is another differentiator. The 221E offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The 226V offers Gen 5 with only 4 lanes from the CPU. This positions the 221E for discrete GPU and expansion-heavy desktop builds, while the 226V targets compact mobile platforms.

The market segments confirm the intent: the 221E is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1700, while the 226V is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 2833. The 221E has a 65 W TDP and a launch MSRP of $232. The 226V has a 17 W TDP and no launch MSRP recorded in the database. Both processors have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons between these two processors. The Intel Core 5 221E wins all 17. No benchmark in the set favors the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V.

The largest margin appears in PassMark integer math. The 221E scores 117813 against 38647 for the 226V, a 204.8% advantage. This result reflects the 221E's higher core count and thread count in a workload that scales well with parallel integer execution.

Cinebench R23 multicore shows the second-largest gap. The 221E scores 25933 versus 9848, a 163.3% delta. This is the most representative result for heavily threaded rendering workloads. The R23 single-core test also favors the 221E significantly: 3661 versus 1744, a 109.9% lead. That single-core margin is notable because the 226V uses a newer 3 nm process and larger per-core caches, yet it still trails by more than double.

The Cinebench R15 and R20 suites confirm the pattern. In R15 multicore, the 221E scores 2613 versus 1501, a 74.1% advantage. In R15 single-core, it scores 368 versus 267, a 37.8% lead. In R20 multicore, the 221E scores 10891 versus 6381, a 70.7% lead. In R20 single-core, it scores 1537 versus 900, a 70.8% lead.

PassMark data compression shows a 90% advantage for the 221E: 324285 versus 170687. Data encryption shows a 51.1% lead: 19205 versus 12710. Extended instructions favor the 221E by 23.7%: 18216 versus 14724.

Floating point math gives the 221E a 51.2% edge: 79028 versus 52270. The multithread test shows a 70.9% lead: 30510 versus 17850. Physics simulation favors the 221E by 53.9%: 2230 versus 1449. Random string sorting gives an 81.1% margin: 37686 versus 20813.

The closest result in the entire comparison is PassMark find prime numbers. The 221E scores 173 against 166, a modest 4.2% advantage. This suggests that the 226V's per-core cache design narrows the gap in cache-sensitive prime computation, though it does not overcome the 221E's clock advantage.

The PassMark single-thread tests, recorded twice in the database with identical results, show a 10.5% lead for the 221E: 4147 versus 3754. This is the smallest single-thread margin after the prime numbers result.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification field recorded in the database.

Core count: 14 cores for the 221E, 8 cores for the 226V. Thread count: 20 for the 221E, 8 for the 226V. The 226V has no hyper-threading, while the 221E provides 20 threads from 14 cores.

Base clock: 2.70 GHz for the 221E, 2.10 GHz for the 226V. Boost clock: 5.20 GHz for the 221E, 4.50 GHz for the 226V. The 221E holds a 0.60 GHz base clock advantage and a 0.70 GHz boost clock advantage.

TDP: 65 W for the 221E, 17 W for the 226V. The 226V draws substantially less power, aligning with its mobile market segment.

Socket: Intel Socket 1700 for the 221E, Intel BGA 2833 for the 226V. These are incompatible platforms.

Process node: 10 nm for the 221E, 3 nm for the 226V. Foundry: Intel for the 221E, TSMC for the 226V.

Cache: L1 is 80 KB per core for the 221E versus 192 KB per core for the 226V. L2 is 2 MB per core for the 221E versus 2.5 MB per core for the 226V. L3 is 24 MB shared for the 221E versus 8 MB shared for the 226V.

Memory support: DDR4 and DDR5 for the 221E, motherboard-dependent for the 226V. Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s for the 221E, not recorded for the 226V. ECC: supported on the 221E, not supported on the 226V.

PCIe: Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the 221E, Gen 5 with 4 lanes for the 226V.

Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 730 for the 221E, Arc 130V for the 226V.

Market segment: Desktop for the 221E, Mobile for the 226V. Release date: 2025-01-12 for the 221E, 2024-09-23 for the 226V.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 221E wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split depends on factors outside raw performance scores.

The 221E dominates in multicore workloads. Cinebench R23 multicore shows a 163.3% advantage, and PassMark integer math shows a 204.8% advantage. These results indicate the 221E is the stronger choice for rendering, video encoding, compilation, scientific computing, and any workload that scales across many threads. Its 14 cores and 20 threads provide a clear parallel execution advantage over the 226V's 8 cores and 8 threads.

The 221E also wins in single-thread performance, though by a smaller margin. PassMark single-thread shows only a 10.5% lead, while Cinebench R23 single-core shows a much larger 109.9% lead. The 226V's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches help close the gap in some workloads, but the 221E's higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz versus 4.50 GHz provides the winning edge.

The 226V wins on power efficiency. Its 17 W TDP is far lower than the 221E's 65 W TDP. For battery-powered mobile devices, thermal-constrained compact systems, or fanless designs, the 226V is the only viable option between the two. The database does not record any performance-per-watt benchmarks, but the TDP figures alone indicate a clear efficiency advantage for the 226V.

The 226V also wins on platform portability. It uses a 3 nm process from TSMC, which represents a more advanced manufacturing node. Its BGA 2833 socket is designed for integrated mobile platforms. The 221E requires a desktop Socket 1700 platform with more PCIe lanes and higher power delivery.

The 221E wins on expansion capability. Its Gen 5 PCIe with 16 lanes supports discrete GPUs and multiple high-bandwidth devices. The 226V's 4 lanes limit it to integrated or low-lane-count configurations.

The 221E wins on memory flexibility. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the 226V's memory support depends on the motherboard. The 221E also offers ECC memory, which the 226V lacks. This makes the 221E suitable for workstation-class reliability requirements.

The 226V wins on launch timing. It was released on 2024-09-23, roughly four months before the 221E's 2025-01-12 release. For a buyer choosing at a specific point in time, the 226V was available earlier.

In summary, the 221E is the performance leader across all measured benchmarks, with particular strength in multicore and integer-heavy workloads. The 226V is the efficiency leader, with a dramatically lower TDP and a more advanced process node, suited for mobile and power-constrained environments where the 221E's desktop platform cannot apply.