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

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data leaves no ambiguity about the performance hierarchy between these two desktop processors. Across all 17 head-to-head comparisons, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 claims victory in every single test. The Intel Core 5 221TE does not secure a single win in any measured workload, whether single-threaded, multi-threaded, or specialized instruction tests.

The Core 5 221TE sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 17,860. Its nearest rivals cluster tightly around this figure: the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT scores 17,891 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core 5 120U scores 17,898 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core 7 350 scores 17,779 (0.5% behind), and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 scores 17,994 (0.7% behind). This places the 221TE firmly in the mid-range desktop tier, competing with older or lower-tier chips.

The Core Ultra 5 245, by contrast, reaches the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,995. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G at 49,196 (0.4% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 at 49,228 (0.5% ahead), the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at 48,698 (0.6% behind), and the Intel Core i5-14600K at 48,618 (0.8% behind). The delta between the two processors is enormous: the Ultra 5 245 delivers roughly 2.7 times the average benchmark score of the 221TE.

The use-case split is therefore not about which processor wins which category, but rather about the magnitude of the gap in different workload types. The smallest deficit for the 221TE appears in PassMark integer math, where it trails by 53.6%. The largest deficit appears in PassMark prime number finding, where it trails by 83.8%. This pattern suggests the 221TE is relatively less disadvantaged in simpler arithmetic operations, while the Ultra 5 245 pulls dramatically ahead in workloads that stress instruction throughput and complex computation.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different Intel design generations. The Core 5 221TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². The Core Ultra 5 245 uses the Arrow Lake-S codename, part of the Core Ultra Series 2, built on TSMC's 3 nm process with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. The shift from Intel's 10 nm node to TSMC's 3 nm node represents a major manufacturing transition, and the transistor count for the Ultra 5 245 is explicitly recorded while the 221TE's transistor count is not listed in the database.

Core counts differ significantly. The 221TE offers 10 cores and 16 threads, indicating that some cores support hyper-threading. The Ultra 5 245 offers 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning it has no hyper-threading and relies entirely on physical cores. Despite having fewer threads, the Ultra 5 245 still dominates every multi-threaded benchmark, which points to substantially higher per-core performance from the newer architecture.

Clock speeds follow the same pattern. The 221TE has a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Ultra 5 245 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The higher base clock of the Ultra 5 245 is particularly notable, as it suggests sustained performance under load is much better. The boost clocks are closer, but the Ultra 5 245 still holds a 0.10 GHz advantage.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The 221TE has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 245 has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and the same 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The per-core L1 and L2 cache increases are substantial, which helps explain the single-threaded performance gap.

Memory support diverges as well. The 221TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, with dual-channel memory and 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The Ultra 5 245 supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, but with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. The PCIe configurations differ: the 221TE has Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 5 245 has Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

The integrated graphics differ. The 221TE uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 245 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The sockets are incompatible: the 221TE uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Ultra 5 245 uses Intel Socket 1851.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a remarkably consistent performance gap. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 221TE scores 1,139 versus the Ultra 5 245's 3,318, a 65.7% deficit. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the scores are 160 versus 468, a 65.8% deficit. The pattern holds across every Cinebench version. In R20 multi-core, 4,748 versus 13,828 represents a 65.7% gap. In R20 single-core, 670 versus 1,952 is again 65.7%. In R23 multi-core, 11,305 versus 32,924 is 65.7%. In R23 single-core, 1,596 versus 4,648 is 65.7%.

The consistency of this 65.7% delta across all six Cinebench tests is striking. It indicates that the architectural advantage of the Ultra 5 245 is uniform across both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads. The newer core design delivers roughly triple the performance regardless of thread count.

PassMark results show a wider range of deltas. Data compression: 156,682 versus 400,942, a 60.9% deficit for the 221TE. Data encryption: 8,963 versus 30,236, a 70.4% deficit. Extended instructions: 9,655 versus 33,304, a 71% deficit. Prime number finding: 59 versus 365, an 83.8% deficit. Floating point math: 31,661 versus 120,548, a 73.7% deficit. Integer math: 42,303 versus 91,187, a 53.6% deficit. Multithread: 13,301 versus 38,706, a 65.6% deficit. Physics: 977 versus 2,569, a 62% deficit. Random string sorting: 16,929 versus 49,140, a 65.5% deficit. Single-thread: 1,734 versus 4,394, a 60.5% deficit.

The prime number finding test shows the largest gap at 83.8%. This workload is highly dependent on raw integer arithmetic and branch prediction, areas where the newer 3 nm architecture with larger caches clearly excels. The smallest gap is in integer math at 53.6%, suggesting that even the older architecture can handle basic integer operations reasonably well, though it still trails by more than half.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Intel Core 5 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. The 221TE has more threads than cores due to hyper-threading, while the Ultra 5 245 has equal core and thread counts.

Q: How much faster is the Core Ultra 5 245 in multi-core workloads?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ultra 5 245 scores 32,924 versus the 221TE's 11,305, a 65.7% advantage. In PassMark multithread, the Ultra 5 245 scores 38,706 versus 13,301, a 65.6% advantage.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core 5 221TE and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 support ECC memory. However, the 221TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 245 supports only DDR5.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 5 221TE is built on Intel's 10 nm process. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is built on TSMC's 3 nm process with 17,800 million transistors.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which is 0.10 GHz higher than the Intel Core 5 221TE's boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Ultra 5 245 also has a significantly higher base clock at 3.50 GHz versus 1.80 GHz.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48,995, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 221TE has an average score of 17,860, placing it in the 71st percentile.

The Verdict

The data points to a decisive recommendation for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 in nearly any scenario. Its 90th percentile standing versus the 221TE's 71st percentile, combined with a 65.7% or greater advantage across all Cinebench tests and a 53.6% to 83.8% advantage across all PassMark tests, leaves no workload category where the older chip is competitive.

The Core 5 221TE does offer one practical advantage beyond raw performance: memory flexibility. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5, which could matter for users upgrading from an existing DDR4 platform. It also has a lower TDP of 45 watts versus the Ultra 5 245's 65 watts. The 221TE uses the Intel Socket 1700, which is an older platform, while the Ultra 5 245 uses Intel Socket 1851.

For users building a new system, the Ultra 5 245's higher base clock, larger per-core caches, newer 3 nm process, and 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes make it the superior choice across every measured metric. The 221TE's only meaningful advantages are its lower power draw, its DDR4 compatibility, and its lower launch MSRP of $232 versus the Ultra 5 245's $270. Those factors might matter for specific upgrade paths, but they do not offset the performance gap.

The nearest rival data further contextualizes the Ultra 5 245's position. It trades blows with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.5% behind), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% behind), and slightly edges the Intel Core i5-14600K (0.8% ahead). The 221TE, by contrast, competes with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT and the Intel Core 7 350, both of which are older or lower-tier parts. The performance class difference is stark.

Specification Differences

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

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

| Series | Not specified | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Cores | 10 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 1.80 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.00 GHz | 5.10 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Not specified | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-S |

| Generation | Core 5 (Bartlett Lake) | Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 215 mm² | 243 mm² |

| Transistors | Not specified | 17,800 million |

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

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 24 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

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

| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | Active |

| Release Date | 2025-01-12 | 2025-01-06 |

| Launch MSRP | $232 | $270 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

| Part Number | SRVQS | SRVFE |

| Percentile vs All CPUs | 71 | 90 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 17,860 | 48,995 |