Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive picture: the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 wins 16 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, with the Intel Core 5 221E taking a single victory. The most striking pattern is the consistency of the Ultra 5's advantage across Cinebench workloads. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, the Ultra 5 245 leads by 21.2% in each instance. The single-core Cinebench results show a nearly identical margin, with the Ultra 5 winning by 21.4% in R15, 21.3% in R20, and 21.2% in R23. This uniform delta across all six Cinebench tests suggests a fundamental architectural advantage rather than workload-specific quirks.

The PassMark suite reveals a more varied performance landscape. The Ultra 5 245's largest win comes in the extended instructions test, where it scores 33,304 against the 221E's 18,216, a 45.3% advantage. The find prime numbers test shows an even wider gap in percentage terms: the Ultra 5 scores 365 versus 173, a 52.6% difference. Data encryption also favors the Ultra 5 heavily, with 30,236 points against 19,205, a 36.5% margin. Floating point math sees the Ultra 5 lead by 34.4% (120,548 versus 79,028), while random string sorting shows a 23.3% gap (49,140 versus 37,686).

The Core 5 221E's single victory is in integer math, where it scores 117,813 against the Ultra 5's 91,187, a 29.2% advantage. This is a notable outlier. The 221E also delivers competitive results in data compression, though it still trails by 19.1% (324,285 versus 400,942). The multi-thread PassMark score shows the Ultra 5 ahead by 21.2% (38,706 versus 30,510), while physics testing reveals a narrower 13.2% gap (2,569 versus 2,230). Single-thread performance in PassMark is the closest contest overall, with the Ultra 5 leading by only 5.6% (4,394 versus 4,147).

The average benchmark scores place the Ultra 5 245 at 48,995, compared to the 221E's 40,144. This translates to a 22% overall advantage. The percentile rankings reinforce this: the Ultra 5 sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, while the 221E ranks at the 87th percentile. When examining the nearest rivals, the Ultra 5's average score places it within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and just 0.4% below the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G. The 221E's average score sits within 0.2% of both the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, and within 0.4% of the Intel Core i9-13905H.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct architectural generations from Intel. The Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is built on a 10 nm process node manufactured by Intel. The Core Ultra 5 245 belongs to the Arrow Lake family, specifically the Arrow Lake-S codename, and uses a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC. This process difference likely explains much of the Ultra 5's efficiency and performance advantage, though the data does not directly measure power consumption.

Both processors feature 14 cores, but the thread counts differ significantly. The 221E supports 20 threads, while the Ultra 5 245 supports 14 threads. This means the 221E has 6 additional threads, yet it still loses in most multi-threaded workloads. The core configuration appears to differ in composition, with the 221E relying on a mix that produces more threads, while the Ultra 5 uses a configuration that yields higher performance per thread.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The 221E provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, while the Ultra 5 245 offers 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 per core. Both share 24 MB of L3 cache. The larger per-core caches in the Ultra 5 likely contribute to its single-thread performance lead. The transistor counts reflect the process node difference: the Ultra 5 packs 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the 221E's die size is 257 mm² with no transistor count recorded in the data.

Memory support separates the two clearly. The 221E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 245 supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Ultra 5 achieves 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth against the 221E's 89.6 GB/s. Both processors support ECC memory. PCIe lane counts also differ: the Ultra 5 provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes, while the 221E offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics represent another generational jump. The 221E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 245 employs Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The sockets differ as well: the 221E uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Ultra 5 uses Intel Socket 1851. The Ultra 5's base clock is 3.50 GHz versus 2.70 GHz for the 221E, though the 221E boosts slightly higher at 5.20 GHz against the Ultra 5's 5.10 GHz. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 records an average benchmark score of 48,995, which is 22% higher than the Intel Core 5 221E's average of 40,144.

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

A: Yes, the 221E wins the PassMark integer math test with a score of 117,813, which is 29.2% higher than the Ultra 5 245's 91,187.

Q: How do the single-thread scores compare?

A: The Ultra 5 245 leads in all single-thread tests. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 4,648 versus 3,661, a 21.2% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, the gap narrows to 5.6%, with scores of 4,394 and 4,147.

Q: What is the thread count difference between the two?

A: The Core 5 221E supports 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 245 supports 14 threads. Despite having 6 fewer threads, the Ultra 5 wins the multi-thread Cinebench tests by 21.2%.

Q: Which processor uses a more advanced manufacturing process?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245 uses a 3 nm process node from TSMC, while the Core 5 221E uses a 10 nm process node from Intel.

Q: Are both processors currently in production?

A: Yes, both the Core 5 221E and the Core Ultra 5 245 have an active production status. The 221E was released on 2025-01-12, and the Ultra 5 was released on 2025-01-06.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 221E | Intel Core Ultra 5 245 |

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

| Threads | 20 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 2.70 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.10 GHz |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-S |

| 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 |

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

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Launch MSRP | $232 | $270 |

Both processors share the same core count (14), TDP (65 watts), L3 cache (24 MB), dual-channel memory bus, ECC support, desktop market segment, and locked multiplier. The release dates are close, with the 221E launching on 2025-01-12 and the Ultra 5 on 2025-01-06.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 dominates nearly every measured workload. Cinebench tests, which reflect general CPU rendering and compute capability, show a consistent 21.2% lead in both single and multi-threaded scenarios. This makes the Ultra 5 the clear choice for rendering, video encoding, and other heavily threaded content creation tasks. The data compression test shows a 19.1% advantage, indicating strong performance in file archiving and data-heavy workflows. The encryption test shows a 36.5% lead, and the extended instructions test shows a 45.3% lead, both pointing to superior performance in security-related computations and SIMD-heavy code.

The physics test shows a 13.2% advantage for the Ultra 5, which suggests better performance in simulation and scientific workloads. Random string sorting shows a 23.3% lead, relevant for database and sorting operations. The multi-thread PassMark score confirms the Ultra 5's overall multi-threaded superiority with a 21.2% margin. Even in single-thread performance, where the gap is smallest at 5.6%, the Ultra 5 holds the advantage.

The Intel Core 5 221E wins specifically in integer math, with a 29.2% lead. This suggests a niche advantage in workloads that rely heavily on integer arithmetic, such as certain financial calculations or legacy applications. The 221E also holds a smaller gap in data compression compared to other tests, though it still loses that test. Its higher thread count (20 versus 14) does not translate into wins in multi-threaded benchmarks, indicating that the Ultra 5's architectural efficiency overcomes the thread deficit.

The Verdict

The data directs a clear conclusion: the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 outperforms the Intel Core 5 221E in 16 of 17 benchmark tests. The Ultra 5's consistent 21.2% lead across all Cinebench multi-core tests establishes it as the stronger processor for rendering and multi-threaded productivity. Its 45.3% lead in extended instructions and 52.6% lead in prime number finding indicate substantial advantages in specialized compute tasks. The single-thread PassMark gap of 5.6% is the closest contest recorded, yet even there the Ultra 5 wins.

The Core 5 221E's integer math win by 29.2% is the only area where it demonstrates clear superiority. Users running integer-heavy workloads may find this relevant, but the broader benchmark suite shows the Ultra 5 ahead in every other category. The 221E's support for DDR4 memory could appeal to systems with existing DDR4 infrastructure, and its lower launch MSRP of $232 versus $270 offers a price distinction. However, the Ultra 5's higher average score of 48,995 against 40,144, combined with its 90th percentile ranking versus the 87th percentile for the 221E, places it firmly ahead in overall capability.

The Ultra 5's 3 nm TSMC process, larger per-core caches, higher memory bandwidth, and additional PCIe lanes all contribute to its benchmark dominance. The 221E's 20 threads do not compensate for these architectural differences. For any workload represented in the measured benchmarks, the Core Ultra 5 245 delivers superior performance, with the sole exception of integer math. The recorded data supports selecting the Ultra 5 245 for general computing, content creation, and multi-threaded tasks, while the 221E retains a narrow specialization in integer math workloads.