Intel Core 5 223PE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF Comparison

The Verdict

The data in this comparison shows two desktop processors with fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core 5 223PE and Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF compete in the same market segment but deliver distinctly different performance profiles, with the Core Ultra 5 245KF winning 16 of 17 recorded benchmarks. The single victory for the Core 5 223PE comes in PassMark integer math, where it edges ahead by 1 percent, scoring 99,819 against 98,854. That is the entirety of its wins.

The Core Ultra 5 245KF is the clear choice for workloads that scale across cores and for single-threaded responsiveness. Its average benchmark score of 55,093 places it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Core 5 223PE sits at an 87th percentile with an average score of 40,585. The performance gap is substantial and consistent across Cinebench and PassMark suites. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 36,647 against 26,455, a 27.8 percent advantage. In single-core R23, it scores 5,173 versus 3,734, again a 27.8 percent margin.

The Core 5 223PE does offer features the Core Ultra 5 245KF lacks. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, includes integrated UHD Graphics 730, and supports ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 245KF has no integrated graphics and only supports DDR5. For builds that require onboard display output or ECC memory, the Core 5 223PE is the only option between these two. For all other workloads, the Core Ultra 5 245KF delivers meaningfully higher performance.

The Core Ultra 5 245KF also carries a launch MSRP of $294. The Core 5 223PE has a launch MSRP of $232.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF wins every multi-threaded benchmark in the recorded data. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 36,647 versus 26,455 for the Core 5 223PE, a 27.8 percent advantage. PassMark multithread shows 43,110 against 31,124, also a 27.8 percent margin.

Q: Does the Core 5 223PE win any benchmark at all?

A: Yes, it wins PassMark integer math with a score of 99,819, which is 1 percent higher than the Core Ultra 5 245KF's 98,854. That is its only victory across the 17 head-to-head benchmark results.

Q: What is the difference in single-threaded performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245KF leads in every single-threaded test. PassMark single-thread shows 4,715 against 4,219, a 10.5 percent gap. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 5,173 versus 3,734, a 27.8 percent gap.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Core 5 223PE supports ECC memory. The Core Ultra 5 245KF does not.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Core 5 223PE includes UHD Graphics 730. The Core Ultra 5 245KF has no integrated graphics, as indicated by "N/A" in the database.

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245KF has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Core 5 223PE has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Core Ultra 5 245KF also has a higher base clock at 4.20 GHz versus 2.90 GHz for the Core 5 223PE. Both share a 5.20 GHz boost clock.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The Core 5 223PE is based on Bartlett Lake, a codename that places it in the Core 5 generation. Its process node is 10 nm, fabricated by Intel. The Core Ultra 5 245KF uses Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-S, and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2. Its process node is 3 nm, fabricated by TSMC, and the database records 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

The core topology differs significantly. The Core 5 223PE has 8 cores and 16 threads, indicating hyperthreading support. The Core Ultra 5 245KF has 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning each core maps to a single thread without hyperthreading. Despite having fewer threads than the Core 5 223PE's 16, the Core Ultra 5 245KF delivers far higher multi-threaded throughput in every recorded benchmark, which points to architectural efficiency gains per core.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Core 5 223PE has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 245KF has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and the same 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations on the Core Ultra 5 245KF likely contribute to its single-threaded advantage.

Memory support diverges. The Core 5 223PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core Ultra 5 245KF exclusively supports DDR5. The recorded memory bandwidth for the Core 5 223PE is 89.6 GB/s, while the Core Ultra 5 245KF reaches 102.4 GB/s. The Core 5 223PE supports ECC memory, a feature absent from the Core Ultra 5 245KF. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The Core 5 223PE provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. The Core Ultra 5 245KF provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU only. The extra four lanes on the Core Ultra 5 245KF give it additional expansion headroom.

The Core Ultra 5 245KF has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking, while the Core 5 223PE has a locked multiplier. Socket compatibility differs as well: the Core 5 223PE uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF uses Intel Socket 1851.

Specification Differences

The table below lists the fields where the two processors differ, based solely on the recorded data.

| Specification | Intel Core 5 223PE | Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.20 GHz | 5.20 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 125 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-S |

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

| Process Node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not recorded | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 243 mm² |

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

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

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

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 | N/A |

| Launch MSRP | $232 | $294 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Release Date | 2026-03-08 | 2024-10-23 |

| Part Number | SA4QF | SRQCY |

Both processors share the same 24 MB of shared L3 cache, dual-channel memory bus, desktop market segment, and active production status. The Core Ultra 5 245KF was released earlier, on 2024-10-23, while the Core 5 223PE arrived later on 2026-03-08.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a dominant performance profile for the Core Ultra 5 245KF. Across all Cinebench tests, the Core Ultra 5 245KF wins by a consistent margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 3,693 against 2,666, a 27.8 percent lead. The single-core R15 test shows 521 versus 376, also a 27.8 percent gap. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 15,391 versus 11,111, and single-core shows 2,172 versus 1,568. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 36,647 versus 26,455, and single-core shows 5,173 versus 3,734. Every Cinebench result carries the same 27.8 percent delta in favor of the Core Ultra 5 245KF. This uniformity indicates a consistent per-clock performance advantage rather than a workload-specific edge.

PassMark results show a wider spread of margins. The largest gap appears in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 416 against 159, a 61.8 percent lead. This test measures heavily on integer and branch-heavy workloads, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF's architectural improvements show strongly here. PassMark data encryption shows a 44.7 percent lead, with scores of 33,381 versus 18,448. Floating point math shows a 41.9 percent lead, with 131,546 versus 76,468. Random string sorting shows a 35.2 percent lead, with 55,206 versus 35,798. Extended instructions show a 34.9 percent lead, with 37,912 versus 24,672.

The smallest wins for the Core Ultra 5 245KF come from PassMark single-thread tests, where it scores 4,715 versus 4,219, a 10.5 percent lead, and PassMark physics, where it scores 2,998 versus 2,493, a 16.8 percent lead. Data compression shows a 24.7 percent lead, with 460,123 versus 346,623. PassMark multithread shows 43,110 versus 31,124, a 27.8 percent lead, matching the Cinebench margin.

The Core 5 223PE's sole win is PassMark integer math, where it scores 99,819 against 98,854, a 1 percent lead. This is a narrow victory and the only benchmark where the Core 5 223PE outperforms its rival. Notably, this result appears in a test that typically scales with core count and clock speed, yet the Core 5 223PE's 16 threads beat the Core Ultra 5 245KF's 14 threads in this specific workload.

The nearest rivals for each processor provide context. The Core 5 223PE's average score of 40,585 places it within 0.1 percent of the Intel Core 7 253PE (40,557) and within 0.1 percent of the Intel Xeon 6357P (40,630). The Core Ultra 5 245KF's average score of 55,093 places it 0.6 percent ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54,762) and 1.9 percent ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54,053). The Core Ultra 5 245KF also trails the Intel Core 7 253PQE by 1.5 percent and the Intel Core i9-14900HX by 1.6 percent. These figures show the Core Ultra 5 245KF competing at a higher performance tier than the Core 5 223PE.