Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, which wins 16 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Core Ultra 5 235HX posts a 25.3% advantage in Cinebench R15 multicore (3500 vs 2613) and a 25.5% lead in R15 singlecore (494 vs 368). The pattern holds across every Cinebench iteration: R20 multicore shows a 25.3% edge (14587 vs 10891), R20 singlecore shows 25.4% (2059 vs 1537), and R23 multicore matches the same 25.3% delta (34731 vs 25933). R23 singlecore also lands at a 25.3% gap, with the Core Ultra 5 235HX scoring 4903 against the Core 5 221E's 3661.

The Passmark suite reveals where the Core Ultra 5 235HX is strongest. Its most lopsided win is in extended instructions, where it scores 34808 versus 18216, a 47.7% advantage. The find prime numbers test shows a 52.1% gap (361 vs 173), the largest relative delta in the entire comparison. Data encryption follows at 41.3% ahead (32697 vs 19205), and floating point math comes in 39.1% higher (129819 vs 79028). Data compression shows a 24% edge (426417 vs 324285), while random string sorting is 26% faster (50929 vs 37686).

The Core Ultra 5 235HX also leads in multithreaded Passmark, scoring 40849 against 30510, a 25.3% margin. Its single-thread Passmark score is 4683 versus 4147, an 11.4% advantage. The physics test shows a narrower 12.5% win (2550 vs 2230).

The Core 5 221E claims exactly one benchmark victory: Passmark integer math. It scores 117813 versus 97177, a 21.2% lead. This single win does not offset the broader trend. The average benchmark score tells the story: the Core Ultra 5 235HX averages 52073, while the Core 5 221E averages 40144, a difference of roughly 30%. The Core Ultra 5 235HX sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 5 221E sits in the 87th.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX dominates in nearly every measured workload category. Its 25.3% leads across all three Cinebench multicore tests indicate a substantial advantage in rendering and other heavily threaded content creation tasks. The single-core Cinebench results (25.3% to 25.5% ahead) confirm that the advantage is not limited to parallel workloads; lightly threaded tasks also run noticeably faster on the Core Ultra 5 235HX.

The Core Ultra 5 235HX is especially strong in cryptographic and compression workloads. The 41.3% edge in data encryption and 24% lead in data compression suggest it handles these tasks with significantly more headroom. The 47.7% advantage in extended instructions points to efficient handling of newer CPU instruction sets. The 52.1% lead in prime number finding, a test sensitive to both clock speed and architecture efficiency, reinforces this pattern. For scientific computing, the 39.1% advantage in floating point math makes the Core Ultra 5 235HX the clear choice.

The Core 5 221E's single area of demonstrated superiority is integer math, where its 21.2% lead suggests that certain integer-heavy applications, potentially including some database or financial workloads, may perform better on the desktop part. The Core 5 221E also trails by only 11.4% in single-thread Passmark and 12.5% in physics, making those the closest contests outside of integer math. However, with only one outright win across 17 tests, the Core 5 221E's practical advantages are narrow.

The average benchmark score comparison supports the same conclusion. The Core Ultra 5 235HX's 52073 average places it among rivals such as the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121, a 0.1% gap), the Intel Core i7-14700 (52301, a 0.4% gap), and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (51947, a 0.2% gap). The Core 5 221E's 40081-40313 rival band includes the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (40081, a 0.2% gap), AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048, a 0.2% gap), AMD Ryzen 9 270 (40246, a 0.3% gap), and Intel Core i9-13905H (40313, a 0.4% gap). These rival clusters show that each processor competes in a different performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors diverge sharply in manufacturing process. The Core 5 221E uses Intel's 10 nm node with a 257 mm² die, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX uses TSMC's 3 nm process with a 243 mm² die and 17,800 million transistors. The Core Ultra 5 235HX belongs to the Arrow Lake architecture (codename Arrow Lake-HX), while the Core 5 221E uses Bartlett Lake. Both are active production parts released on the same date.

Core and thread counts differ despite both having 14 cores. The Core 5 221E supports 20 threads, indicating Hyper-Threading support, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX supports 14 threads, meaning one thread per core. This makes the Core Ultra 5 235HX's multicore leads more notable, as it achieves them with fewer threads.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Core 5 221E has 80 KB of L1 per core, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX has 192 KB per core. L2 cache is 2 MB per core on the Core 5 221E versus 3 MB per core on the Core Ultra 5 235HX. Both share 24 MB of L3 cache.

Platform support differs completely. The Core 5 221E uses Intel Socket 1700 with dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory support, delivering 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Core Ultra 5 235HX uses Intel BGA 2114, supports dual-channel DDR5 only, and reaches 102.4 GB/s. The Core 5 221E supports ECC memory; the Core Ultra 5 235HX does not. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Core 5 221E provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX provides Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics are different as well. The Core 5 221E includes UHD Graphics 730, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 48EU. The Core Ultra 5 235HX has an unlocked multiplier; the Core 5 221E does not. Both are desktop and mobile parts respectively, with the Core 5 221E listed as a Desktop segment processor and the Core Ultra 5 235HX as Mobile.

Power targets also differ. The Core 5 221E has a TDP of 65, while the Core Ultra 5 235HX has a TDP of 55. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz for the Core 5 221E and 2.90 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 235HX. Boost clocks are 5.20 GHz and 5.10 GHz respectively.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX averages 52073, while the Intel Core 5 221E averages 40144. The Core Ultra 5 235HX also ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs versus the 87th percentile for the Core 5 221E.

Q: Does the Core 5 221E win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes. The Core 5 221E wins Passmark integer math with a score of 117813 versus 97177, a 21.2% advantage. It loses the other 16 head-to-head tests.

Q: How large is the Cinebench R23 multicore gap?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235HX scores 34731 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Core 5 221E scores 25933, a 25.3% difference.

Q: What are the thread counts of each processor?

A: The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads. The Core Ultra 5 235HX has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Core 5 221E supports ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 235HX does not.

Q: Which processor has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235HX has a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s with DDR5 support. The Core 5 221E has 89.6 GB/s and supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in the following recorded specifications:

| Field | Intel Core 5 221E | Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX |

|---|---|---|

| Threads | 20 | 14 |

| Base clock | 2.70 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.10 GHz |

| TDP | 65 | 55 |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 2114 |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-HX |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 17,800 million |

| Die size | 257 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes | Gen 5, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 730 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 48EU |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Multiplier unlocked | No | Yes |

| Launch MSRP | $232 | Not recorded |