Intel Core 5 221TE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 236V Comparison

Intel Core 5 221TE and Intel Core Ultra 5 236V represent two very different approaches to modern x86 processing. The data shows a clear split: the Core Ultra 5 236V, a mobile-first part, dominates the overwhelming majority of benchmark scenarios, while the Core 5 221TE, a desktop processor, secures a single, narrow victory. The recorded measurements indicate that the Core Ultra 5 236V is the superior performer for nearly all tasks, with the Core 5 221TE holding a specific, if limited, advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are categorical in their verdict. Of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V claims victory in 16, while the Intel Core 5 221TE wins only one. The single win for the Core 5 221TE comes in the PassMark integer math test, where it scores 42303 against the Core Ultra 5 236V's 38765, a 9.1 percent advantage. This indicates that the Core 5 221TE's architecture or configuration handles integer-heavy workloads with slightly better efficiency per unit of offered performance.

Every other category, including all Cinebench multi-core and single-core tests, belongs to the Core Ultra 5 236V. The margin is often substantial. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 15628 versus 11305 for the Core 5 221TE, a 27.7 percent deficit for the latter. The gap is even more pronounced in single-threaded PassMark tests, where the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 3893 compared to 1734, a 55.5 percent difference. This pattern holds across data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating-point math, multithreaded performance, physics, and random string sorting. The data suggests the Core Ultra 5 236V is the clear choice for users prioritizing raw computational speed, while the Core 5 221TE's lone win points to a niche in specific integer-related tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The Intel Core 5 221TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is fabricated on a 10 nm process node by Intel itself. It is a desktop part designed for the Intel Socket 1700. In contrast, the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V is part of the Core Ultra Series 2, uses the Lunar Lake architecture, and is built on a 3 nm process node by TSMC. It is a mobile processor using the Intel BGA 2833 socket. These differences explain much of the performance disparity, as the newer, denser 3 nm process allows the Core Ultra 5 236V to achieve higher efficiency and performance despite a lower power envelope.

The core configuration also differs significantly. The Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 236V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Despite having fewer cores and threads, the Core Ultra 5 236V still manages to outperform the Core 5 221TE in multi-threaded workloads like Cinebench R23, which indicates that its individual cores are substantially more capable. Cache hierarchies also diverge. The Core 5 221TE provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 236V offers 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, but only 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the Core Ultra 5 236V likely contribute to its strong single-threaded performance, while the Core 5 221TE's larger shared L3 cache does not compensate for the slower core architecture.

Other architectural differences are evident in memory and I/O support. The Core 5 221TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 236V's memory support is listed as unknown and depends on the motherboard, though it maintains a dual-channel bus; it does not support ECC. The PCIe configurations also differ: the Core 5 221TE provides 16 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Core Ultra 5 236V provides only 4 Gen 5 lanes. This makes the Core 5 221TE more suitable for expansion-heavy desktop builds, while the Core Ultra 5 236V is constrained to a mobile form factor. The integrated graphics also differ, with the Core 5 221TE using UHD Graphics 730 and the Core Ultra 5 236V using Arc 130V.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent and significant lead for the Core Ultra 5 236V. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 1575 against 1139, a 27.7 percent lead. The single-core test shows a similar pattern: 222 versus 160, a 27.9 percent deficit for the Core 5 221TE. Moving to Cinebench R20, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 6563 in multi-core versus 4748, and 926 in single-core versus 670, both around a 27.6 to 27.7 percent gap. Cinebench R23 confirms the trend with a multi-core score of 15628 versus 11305 and a single-core score of 2206 versus 1596, again a 27.7 percent difference. These numbers indicate that the Core Ultra 5 236V's architectural efficiency provides a consistent uplift across all Cinebench versions.

PassMark tests reveal where the Core Ultra 5 236V excels even more dramatically. The floating-point math test shows a 40 percent advantage: 52774 versus 31661. Encryption performance is 31.3 percent better, with scores of 13049 against 8963. Extended instructions see a 37.5 percent advantage, 15451 versus 9655. The most extreme difference is in the find prime numbers test, where the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 171 versus just 59, a 65.5 percent lead. This suggests the Core Ultra 5 236V has a substantially stronger arithmetic logic unit or better branch handling. Even in multithreaded PassMark, which favors more cores, the Core Ultra 5 236V wins with 18375 versus 13301, a 27.6 percent margin. The single-thread PassMark result is stark: 3893 versus 1734, a 55.5 percent difference, reinforcing that the Core Ultra 5 236V has vastly superior per-core performance.

The only test where the Core 5 221TE wins is PassMark integer math, with a score of 42303 versus 38765, a 9.1 percent lead. This is a notable outlier given the Core Ultra 5 236V's dominance elsewhere, but it is a clear result in the data. The Core 5 221TE also comes closer in random string sorting, though it still loses, 21628 versus 16929, a 21.7 percent deficit. Overall, the head-to-head data shows that the Core Ultra 5 236V is the stronger processor in almost every measurable way, with the Core 5 221TE's single victory standing as an isolated data point.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V is significantly faster. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2206 versus 1596 for the Intel Core 5 221TE, a 27.7 percent lead. PassMark single-thread results show an even larger gap: 3893 versus 1734, a 55.5 percent difference.

Q: Does the Core 5 221TE have more cores than the Core Ultra 5 236V?

A: Yes. The Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 236V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the Core Ultra 5 236V still wins in multi-threaded benchmarks like Cinebench R23, scoring 15628 versus 11305.

Q: What is the only benchmark where the Core 5 221TE wins?

A: The Core 5 221TE wins the PassMark integer math test with a score of 42303, compared to 38765 for the Core Ultra 5 236V, a 9.1 percent advantage.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same socket?

A: No. The Core 5 221TE uses the Intel Socket 1700, while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses the Intel BGA 2833 socket.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Core 5 221TE has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, which is larger than the 8 MB of shared L3 cache on the Core Ultra 5 236V.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Core 5 221TE supports ECC memory, while the Core Ultra 5 236V does not.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 10 (Core 5 221TE) vs 8 (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Threads: 16 (Core 5 221TE) vs 8 (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Base Clock: 1.80 GHz (Core 5 221TE) vs 2.10 GHz (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Boost Clock: 5.00 GHz (Core 5 221TE) vs 4.70 GHz (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• TDP: 45 W (Core 5 221TE) vs 17 W (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1700 (Core 5 221TE) vs Intel BGA 2833 (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Codename: Bartlett Lake (Core 5 221TE) vs Lunar Lake (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Process Node: 10 nm (Core 5 221TE) vs 3 nm (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Foundry: Intel (Core 5 221TE) vs TSMC (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Die Size: 215 mm² (Core 5 221TE) vs not provided (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• L1 Cache: 80 KB per core (Core 5 221TE) vs 192 KB per core (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• L2 Cache: 1.25 MB per core (Core 5 221TE) vs 2.5 MB per core (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• L3 Cache: 24 MB shared (Core 5 221TE) vs 8 MB shared (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Memory Support: DDR4, DDR5 (Core 5 221TE) vs unknown, depends on motherboard (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Memory Bandwidth: 76.8 GB/s (Core 5 221TE) vs not provided (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• ECC Memory: True (Core 5 221TE) vs False (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• PCIe Lanes: 16 Gen 5 (Core 5 221TE) vs 4 Gen 5 (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics 730 (Core 5 221TE) vs Arc 130V (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Market Segment: Desktop (Core 5 221TE) vs Mobile (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Release Date: 2025-01-12 (Core 5 221TE) vs 2024-09-23 (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Launch MSRP: $232 (Core 5 221TE) vs not provided (Core Ultra 5 236V)
• Part Number: SRVQS (Core 5 221TE) vs SRPN2SRPN3 (Core Ultra 5 236V)

The Verdict

The data directs a clear conclusion: the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V is the stronger processor for nearly all computational tasks. Its wins in 16 of 17 benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and a 55.5 percent lead in PassMark single-thread, confirm that its 3 nm process and larger per-core caches deliver superior performance. Its lower 17 W TDP also indicates higher efficiency compared to the Core 5 221TE's 45 W TDP. The Core 5 221TE, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, offers a larger shared L3 cache, ECC memory support, and 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, making it a more flexible desktop platform component. However, its only benchmark victory is a 9.1 percent edge in PassMark integer math, which is a narrow and isolated result. Users prioritizing raw speed, especially in single-threaded or floating-point workloads, should select the Core Ultra 5 236V. Users needing a desktop processor with ECC support, more PCIe lanes, and a specific integer math advantage, while accepting lower overall performance, should consider the Core 5 221TE.