Intel Core 5 221TE vs Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data shows a clear performance hierarchy between these two desktop processors. The Intel Core 5 221TE wins 15 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL wins only the two PassMark single-thread tests. The Core 5 221TE reaches the 71st percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the Core Ultra 3 105UL sits at the 68th percentile. Their average benchmark scores diverge substantially: the Core 5 221TE records 17860 points, and the Core Ultra 3 105UL records 13061 points, a difference of roughly 36.7 percent in favor of the Core 5. For workloads that stress multiple cores, sustained throughput, or data-intensive operations, the Core 5 221TE is the appropriate pick. For workloads that depend heavily on a single thread in PassMark's specific test methodology, the Core Ultra 3 105UL delivers a higher raw score, though this advantage does not extend to Cinebench single-core tests, where the Core 5 leads by 29.3 percent. The Core Ultra 3 105UL also offers a dramatically lower thermal design point of 15 watts versus 45 watts for the Core 5, so systems prioritizing power efficiency over peak performance would select the Ultra part.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families and use different manufacturing processes. The Core 5 221TE belongs to the Bartlett Lake generation, built on a 10 nm process node, and fits the Intel Socket 1700. The Core Ultra 3 105UL belongs to the Core Ultra Series 1, uses the Meteor Lake architecture with the Meteor Lake-PS codename, and fits the Intel Socket 1851. The process node for the Ultra part is 7 nm, which indicates a denser transistor layout than the Core 5's 10 nm node.

Core and thread counts differ. The Core 5 221TE provides 10 cores and 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 3 105UL provides 8 cores and 10 threads. Cache hierarchies also diverge. The Core 5 uses 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 3 uses 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and only 10 MB of shared L3 cache. Despite having a smaller total L3, the Ultra part has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, which can benefit certain access patterns.

Memory support differs as well. The Core 5 221TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core Ultra 3 105UL supports DDR5 only, with the specific configuration depending on the motherboard. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the bandwidth figures differ: the Core 5 records 76.8 GB/s, and the Core Ultra 3 records 89.6 GB/s, giving the Ultra part a higher theoretical memory bandwidth. ECC memory is supported on the Core 5 but not on the Core Ultra 3.

PCIe capabilities also separate the two. The Core 5 221TE provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Core Ultra 3 105UL provides PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ: the Core 5 uses UHD Graphics 730, and the Core Ultra 3 uses Arc Xe-LPG 48EU, a more capable integrated GPU in terms of feature set, though no graphics benchmarks are recorded in the database.

Clock speeds are another differentiator. The Core 5 221TE has a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Core Ultra 3 105UL has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Core 5's higher boost clock aligns with its strong single-core Cinebench results. Both processors have locked multipliers, and both are listed as Active in production status. The Core 5 launched on 2025-01-12, while the Core Ultra 3 launched earlier on 2024-04-07. The launch MSRP for the Core 5 is $232, and for the Core Ultra 3 it is $295.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core 5 221TE scores 1139 versus 881 for the Core Ultra 3, a 29.3 percent advantage. In Cinebench R15 singlecore, the Core 5 scores 160 versus 124, a 29 percent advantage. Cinebench R20 multicore repeats the 29.3 percent gap: 4748 against 3671. Cinebench R20 singlecore also shows 29.3 percent: 670 versus 518. Cinebench R23 multicore again shows 29.3 percent: 11305 versus 8742. Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 1596 versus 1234, another 29.3 percent gap. Across every Cinebench test, the Core 5 221TE leads by nearly the same margin, indicating that both multi-core and single-core performance scale in favor of the Core 5.

PassMark results are more varied. In data compression, the Core 5 221TE scores 156682 against 93961, a 66.8 percent advantage. This is the largest relative win for the Core 5 in any benchmark. Data encryption shows 8963 versus 6354, a 41.1 percent lead. Extended instructions show 9655 versus 5634, a 71.4 percent lead, the largest margin in the entire comparison. Finding prime numbers shows 59 versus 44, a 34.1 percent lead. Floating point math shows 31661 versus 30750, a narrow 3 percent lead. Integer math shows 42303 versus 41171, a 2.7 percent lead. Multithread shows 13301 versus 10285, a 29.3 percent lead. Physics shows 977 versus 718, a 36.1 percent lead. Random string sorting shows 16929 versus 11179, a 51.4 percent lead.

The two PassMark single-thread tests break the pattern. In both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, the Core Ultra 3 105UL scores 3382, while the Core 5 221TE scores 1734, giving the Ultra part a 48.7 percent advantage. This is a substantial reversal, and it appears in both identically named test entries. The database records the same score for both tests, suggesting these are duplicate measurements of the same workload. The Core Ultra 3's higher memory bandwidth and larger per-core L1 and L2 caches may contribute to this specific result, though the Cinebench single-core tests contradict this advantage. The discrepancy between PassMark single-thread and Cinebench single-core indicates that the two processors respond differently to varying instruction mixes. The Core 5 wins the Cinebench single-core test by 29.3 percent, yet loses the PassMark single-thread test by 48.7 percent. This divergence is the defining feature of the head-to-head comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has 8 cores and 10 threads.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The Core 5 221TE records an average benchmark score of 17860, while the Core Ultra 3 105UL records 13061. The nearest rival to the Core 5 is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT with an average score of 17891, a difference of -0.2 percent. The nearest rival to the Core Ultra 3 is the Intel Core i5-9400F with an average score of 13041, a difference of 0.2 percent.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL does not support ECC memory.

Q: How do the boost clocks compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz.

Q: Which processor wins the PassMark single-thread test?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3382, compared to 1734 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 48.7 percent advantage. The Core Ultra 3 also wins the duplicate passmark_singlethread test with the same scores.

Q: What is the thermal design power of each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE has a thermal design power of 45 watts. The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has a thermal design power of 15 watts.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 221TE wins in the majority of recorded workloads. It leads in all three Cinebench versions, both multicore and singlecore, by 29.3 percent or close to it, which covers rendering workloads that use CPU ray tracing or image generation. It leads in PassMark data compression by 66.8 percent, making it the stronger choice for file archiving, backup tools, and database compression operations. It leads in data encryption by 41.1 percent, which matters for disk encryption, secure communication, and hashing. It leads in extended instructions by 71.4 percent, the largest margin in the data, indicating an advantage for workloads that use SIMD, cryptography extensions, or media codecs. It leads in prime number finding by 34.1 percent, which is relevant to certain mathematical and scientific computations. It leads in physics by 36.1 percent, which often correlates with gaming physics simulations or engineering solvers. It leads in random string sorting by 51.4 percent, benefiting sorting-heavy data processing pipelines. It leads in multithread by 29.3 percent, confirming general parallel throughput superiority. It also leads, though narrowly, in floating point math by 3 percent and integer math by 2.7 percent, so even in arithmetic-heavy workloads the Core 5 holds a small edge.

The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL wins in exactly two recorded tests: the PassMark single-thread test and its duplicate. The score of 3382 far exceeds the Core 5's 1734, a 48.7 percent margin. This result indicates that for a specific single-threaded PassMark workload, the Ultra part is substantially faster. The Core Ultra 3 also has the advantage of a lower thermal design power of 15 watts versus 45 watts, which does not appear as a benchmark win but is a recorded specification difference. For systems where power draw is the limiting factor, such as compact desktops or always-on servers, the Ultra part consumes less power while still providing 68th percentile overall performance. The Core Ultra 3 also provides higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s, though this does not translate into a win in any recorded benchmark except the single-thread PassMark test. The Core Ultra 3 uses a 7 nm process node, which may indicate better power efficiency per transistor, though no efficiency metrics are recorded.

Specification Differences

The following specification fields differ between the two processors. Core count: 10 for the Core 5 221TE, 8 for the Core Ultra 3 105UL. Thread count: 16 versus 10. Base clock: 1.80 GHz versus 1.50 GHz. Boost clock: 5.00 GHz versus 4.20 GHz. Thermal design power: 45 watts versus 15 watts. Socket: Intel Socket 1700 versus Intel Socket 1851. Codename: Bartlett Lake versus Meteor Lake-PS. Generation: Core 5 (Bartlett Lake) versus Ultra 3 (Meteor Lake-PS). Process node: 10 nm versus 7 nm. Die size: 215 mm² for the Core 5, no value recorded for the Core Ultra 3. L1 cache: 80 KB per core versus 112 KB per core. L2 cache: 1.25 MB per core versus 2 MB per core. L3 cache: 24 MB shared versus 10 MB shared. Memory support: DDR4 and DDR5 versus DDR5 only with motherboard dependence. Memory bandwidth: 76.8 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s. ECC memory: supported versus not supported. PCIe: Gen 5 with 16 lanes versus Gen 4 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 730 versus Arc Xe-LPG 48EU. Release date: 2025-01-12 versus 2024-04-07. Launch MSRP: $232 versus $295. Part number: SRVQS versus SRN9D. The average benchmark score: 17860 versus 13061. Percentile vs all CPUs: 71st versus 68th. The architecture field is null for the Core 5 and Meteor Lake for the Core Ultra 3. The series field is null for the Core 5 and Core Ultra Series 1 for the Core Ultra 3. The production status is Active for both, the market segment is Desktop for both, the multiplier is locked for both, and the memory bus is dual-channel for both.