Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Comparison
Intel Core 5 221E
Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus
The Verdict
The recorded data places the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus firmly ahead of the Intel Core 5 221E in every single benchmark comparison. Across 17 head-to-head tests, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins all of them, with the Core 5 221E taking zero victories. The average benchmark score for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is 61834, while the Core 5 221E sits at 40144, a gap that places the Ultra part in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs versus the 87th percentile for the Core 5. The closest rival to the Core 5 221E is the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 at a 0.2% delta, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus matches the Intel Core i9-13900KF with a 0% delta, meaning buyers of the Ultra part effectively get desktop-class i9 performance in a mobile package. The Core 5 221E remains a capable desktop chip for less demanding workloads, but the data shows the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing raw compute throughput.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from entirely different design lineages. The Intel Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename on a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus belongs to the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh family, built on a 3 nm node by TSMC. This process gap explains much of the performance disparity, as the Ultra 7 packs 17,800 million transistors into a 243 mm² die, whereas the Core 5 221E has no listed transistor count but uses a 257 mm² die. The Core 5 221E features 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and also 20 threads, meaning the Ultra part adds more physical cores without adding extra threads, a design choice that favors multi-threaded throughput over SMT flexibility.
Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The Core 5 221E offers 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus more than doubles L1 to 192 KB per core, increases L2 to 3 MB per core, and expands L3 to 30 MB shared. These larger caches directly benefit workloads that reuse data, such as compression and encryption tasks, where the benchmark deltas are particularly large. Memory support also diverges: the Core 5 221E accepts both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel access at 89.6 GB/s, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus supports only DDR5 but at a higher 102.4 GB/s. The Core 5 221E includes ECC memory support, but the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus does not. PCIe connectivity favors the mobile part, with Gen 5 and 20 lanes versus Gen 5 and 16 lanes on the desktop chip.
Integrated graphics differ as well. The Core 5 221E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus carries Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, a more capable GPU that could matter for light gaming or media tasks. The sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 1700 for the Core 5 221E and Intel BGA 2114 for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus, which is a mobile package. The Core 5 221E has a locked multiplier, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has an unlocked multiplier, though the latter is soldered into a mobile board, limiting practical overclocking. The release dates show the Core 5 221E arriving in January 2025 and the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus following in March 2026. The Core 5 221E has a launch MSRP of $232, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has no listed launch MSRP.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The Cinebench suite reveals the most dramatic gaps. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 4224 against 2613 for the Core 5 221E, a 38.1% deficit for the latter. Single-core R15 shows 596 versus 368, also a 38.3% gap. These percentages repeat almost exactly in R20 and R23, with the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus delivering 17603 versus 10891 in R20 multicore (38.1% ahead) and 2485 versus 1537 in R20 single-core (38.1% ahead). In R23 multicore, the Ultra part hits 41913 versus 25933, again a 38.1% lead, while single-core R23 shows 5917 versus 3661, a 38.1% advantage. This consistent delta across Cinebench versions indicates that the performance gap scales evenly with workload intensity rather than favoring a specific instruction set or cache behavior.
PassMark tests show even larger divergences in specific tasks. The biggest single deficit for the Core 5 221E comes in the find prime numbers test, where the Ultra part scores 482 against 173, a 64.1% lead. Extended instructions show a 53.6% gap (39283 versus 18216), and floating point math reveals a 51.7% difference (163567 versus 79028). Data encryption shows a 49.2% gap (37813 versus 19205), while data compression favors the Ultra part by 34.2% (493179 versus 324285). Physics tests show 3843 versus 2230, a 42% deficit, and random string sorting shows 60020 versus 37686, a 37.2% gap. The multithread PassMark score is 48270 versus 30510, a 36.8% difference. The narrowest margin appears in integer math, where the Ultra part scores 122449 versus 117813, only a 3.8% lead, indicating that integer-heavy workloads do not benefit as much from the Ultra architecture. Single-thread PassMark shows 4764 versus 4147, a 13% lead, which is a modest advantage compared to the multi-threaded results.
The overall pattern shows the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus excels in workloads that stress floating point, encryption, and compression, while its advantage narrows in integer math and single-threaded tasks. The Core 5 221E does not win any category, but its integer math score is relatively close, suggesting that for basic office or database workloads, the performance delta would be less noticeable than in rendering or scientific computing.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in nearly every major specification field. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz versus 2.40 GHz, favoring the Core 5 in base frequency, but boost clocks are 5.20 GHz versus 5.30 GHz, favoring the Ultra part. TDP ratings show 65 watts for the Core 5 221E and 55 watts for the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus, meaning the mobile chip delivers higher performance at lower power. The Core 5 221E uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses Intel BGA 2114. Process nodes are 10 nm versus 3 nm. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has a listed transistor count of 17,800 million, while the Core 5 221E has none. Die sizes are 257 mm² versus 243 mm². L1 cache is 80 KB per core versus 192 KB per core, L2 is 2 MB per core versus 3 MB per core, and L3 is 24 MB shared versus 30 MB shared. Memory support is DDR4 and DDR5 versus DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s. ECC support is present on the Core 5 221E but absent on the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. PCIe lanes are 16 versus 20, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. Market segments are Desktop versus Mobile. Release dates are January 2025 versus March 2026. The multiplier is locked versus unlocked. Part numbers are SRQDVQ659 versus SADST. The Core 5 221E has a launch MSRP of $232, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has no launch MSRP listed.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has more cores?
A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores, while the Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores. Both have 20 threads.
Q: What is the performance gap in multi-threaded workloads?
A: In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 41913 against 25933 for the Core 5 221E, a 38.1% advantage. PassMark multithread shows 48270 versus 30510, a 36.8% lead.
Q: Does the Core 5 221E support ECC memory?
A: Yes, the Core 5 221E has ECC memory support. The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus does not support ECC.
Q: Which processor has a smaller manufacturing process?
A: The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC, while the Core 5 221E uses a 10 nm process by Intel.
Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?
A: No. The Core 5 221E uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus uses Intel BGA 2114, which are incompatible sockets.
Q: How does the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus compare to desktop i9 processors?
A: The Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has an average benchmark score of 61834, with a 0% delta against the Intel Core i9-13900KF and a 0.1% delta against the Intel Core i9-13900K, indicating performance parity with those desktop parts.