Intel Core 5 223PE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data positions the Intel Core 5 223PE as the dominant processor in this pairing. It wins 13 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T takes 4. The average benchmark score tells a similar story: the Core 5 223PE records 40585, against 30468 for the Core Ultra 5 225T, a gap of roughly 33%. The Core 5 223PE also holds a higher percentile rank, sitting at the 87th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core Ultra 5 225T sits at the 82nd.

The Core 5 223PE is the choice for workloads that rely on multi-threaded throughput, integer math, and data compression. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 26455 exceeds the Core Ultra 5 225T's 21971 by 20.4%. The PassMark integer math result is even more lopsided: 99819 versus 59543, a 67.6% advantage. Data compression favors the Core 5 223PE by 48.1%, with scores of 346623 and 233998. The Core Ultra 5 225T does not counter in these areas; its wins are limited to prime number finding, floating point math, and single-thread PassMark tests. The floating point win is modest at 82751 versus 76468, a 7.6% margin. The prime number test is the largest reversal, with the Core Ultra 5 225T scoring 284 against 159, which the database records as a -44% delta from the Core 5 223PE's perspective.

For users selecting between these two, the data points clearly to the Core 5 223PE for general desktop work, content creation, and any task that scales with cores and threads. The Core Ultra 5 225T justifies consideration only when the specific workload profile matches its narrow set of wins: prime number searching, floating point math, and the PassMark single-thread metric. In the Cinebench suite, the Core 5 223PE leads every single test by a consistent 20.4% to 20.5% margin. The Core Ultra 5 225T offers no Cinebench advantage whatsoever.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different foundries and process nodes. The Core 5 223PE uses Intel's 10 nm process, while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses a 3 nm process fabricated by TSMC. The Core Ultra 5 225T integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Core 5 223PE has no transistor or die size figures recorded in the database.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Core 5 223PE has 8 cores and 16 threads, meaning each core supports two threads. The Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores but only 10 threads, indicating no simultaneous multi-threading. The Core 5 223PE's boost clock reaches 5.20 GHz, higher than the Core Ultra 5 225T's 4.90 GHz. The base clocks are 2.90 GHz and 2.50 GHz respectively. Both processors carry a 65 W TDP.

Cache hierarchies are built differently. The Core 5 223PE uses 80 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per core, with 24 MB of shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 225T uses larger per-core caches: 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2, but a smaller shared L3 at 20 MB. The Core Ultra 5 225T's larger per-core L2 and L1 suggest a design that favors per-core performance in certain access patterns, yet its lower thread count and lower clock speeds limit the overall effect.

Memory support differs. The Core 5 223PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 5 225T supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The Core Ultra 5 225T records a higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s, against 89.6 GB/s for the Core 5 223PE. The Core 5 223PE supports ECC memory; the Core Ultra 5 225T does not.

PCIe connectivity also diverges. The Core Ultra 5 225T provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, while the Core 5 223PE provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics differ: the Core 5 223PE uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU.

Sockets are not interchangeable. The Core 5 223PE uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Core Ultra 5 225T uses Intel Socket 1851. The codenames are Bartlett Lake for the Core 5 223PE and Arrow Lake-S for the Core Ultra 5 225T. Release dates differ as well, with the Core 5 223PE appearing in March 2026 and the Core Ultra 5 225T in December 2024. The Core 5 223PE has a recorded launch MSRP of $232. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core 5 223PE wins 13 of the 17 recorded comparisons. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins 4.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core 5 223PE scores 26455 versus 21971 for the Core Ultra 5 225T, a 20.4% advantage. The pattern repeats across R15 and R20 multi-core tests with the same 20.4% delta.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 5 225T win any benchmark categories?

A: Yes. It wins PassMark find prime numbers (284 versus 159), floating point math (82751 versus 76468), and the PassMark single-thread test (4348 versus 4219). It also edges out the Core 5 223PE in data encryption, 18289 versus 18448 from the Core 5 223PE's perspective, a 0.9% delta.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Core 5 223PE has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads, so it lacks simultaneous multi-threading.

Q: What are the process node differences?

A: The Core 5 223PE is built on Intel's 10 nm process. The Core Ultra 5 225T is built on a 3 nm process at TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Core 5 223PE supports ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 225T does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field. The Core 5 223PE uses 8 cores and 16 threads; the Core Ultra 5 225T uses 10 cores and 10 threads. Base clocks are 2.90 GHz versus 2.50 GHz. Boost clocks are 5.20 GHz versus 4.90 GHz. Both have a 65 W TDP.

Sockets differ: Intel Socket 1700 for the Core 5 223PE, Intel Socket 1851 for the Core Ultra 5 225T. Process nodes differ: 10 nm for the Core 5 223PE, 3 nm for the Core Ultra 5 225T. The Core Ultra 5 225T records 17,800 million transistors and a 243 mm² die; no such figures exist for the Core 5 223PE.

Cache configurations differ at every level. The Core 5 223PE has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 225T has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs: DDR4 and DDR5 for the Core 5 223PE, DDR5 only for the Core Ultra 5 225T. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s versus 102.4 GB/s. ECC support is present on the Core 5 223PE and absent on the Core Ultra 5 225T. PCIe lane counts are 16 on the Core 5 223PE and 20 on the Core Ultra 5 225T, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. Release dates are March 2026 and December 2024. The Core 5 223PE has a launch MSRP of $232; the Core Ultra 5 225T has no recorded MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a uniform pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core 5 223PE scores 2666 against 2214, a 20.4% lead. The R15 single-core test gives 376 versus 312, a 20.5% lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 11111 versus 9227, another 20.4% gap. R20 single-core shows 1568 versus 1302, again 20.4%. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 26455 versus 21971, and R23 single-core shows 3734 versus 3101, both at 20.4%. The consistency of these margins across different Cinebench versions indicates a stable performance difference in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

The PassMark suite provides a more varied picture. The Core 5 223PE leads data compression by 48.1%, scoring 346623 against 233998. Integer math shows the largest single delta: 99819 versus 59543, a 67.6% advantage for the Core 5 223PE. Extended instructions favor the Core 5 223PE by 22.9% (24672 versus 20083). The multithread score leans 22.7% toward the Core 5 223PE (31124 versus 25358). Physics gives the Core 5 223PE a 21.4% edge (2493 versus 2053). Random string sorting favors the Core 5 223PE by 24.4% (35798 versus 28774). Data encryption is nearly a tie: 18448 versus 18289, a 0.9% delta in favor of the Core 5 223PE.

The Core Ultra 5 225T takes the remaining PassMark tests. Find prime numbers is its best result: 284 versus 159, which the database records as a -44% delta from the Core 5 223PE's position. Floating point math goes to the Core Ultra 5 225T at 82751 versus 76468, a 7.6% margin. The PassMark single-thread test and its duplicate entry both show 4348 versus 4219, a 3% edge for the Core Ultra 5 225T.

The data indicates that the Core 5 223PE's thread count and higher clocks produce broad wins across most measured categories, while the Core Ultra 5 225T's wins concentrate in specific math operations and one single-thread metric. The Core Ultra 5 225T's larger L1 and L2 per core may contribute to its prime number and floating point results, but the effect does not translate into Cinebench or integer workloads. The overall benchmark average confirms the direction: 40585 for the Core 5 223PE, 30468 for the Core Ultra 5 225T.