Intel Core 5 315 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 245K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents a completely one-sided comparison. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K wins all 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core 5 315 records zero wins. This is not a close contest by any metric, and the use-case split is defined entirely by the scale of the Ultra 5 245K's advantage rather than by any workload where the Core 5 315 can claim superiority.

For multi-threaded and heavily parallel workloads, the Core Ultra 5 245K is the clear choice. The largest margins appear in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 5 245K leads by 72.9%, and in data compression, where it leads by 68.1%. The Cinebench multi-core results show a similar pattern, with the R15 test showing a 66% advantage and the R20 test showing a 64.5% advantage. These are workloads that scale with core count and memory bandwidth, and the Ultra 5 245K's 14 cores and dual-channel memory configuration provide the structural advantage.

For single-threaded responsiveness, the gap narrows considerably but still favors the Ultra 5 245K. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 5 245K leads by only 14.1%, and in PassMark single-thread, the lead is 14.7%. This indicates that the Core 5 315's Wildcat Lake architecture has competitive single-core efficiency, even though it cannot match the higher boost clock of the Ultra 5 245K. For workloads that are lightly threaded, the Core 5 315 is less disadvantaged, but it still loses every test.

The Core 5 315's only meaningful positioning is as a low-power mobile part. Its 15 W TDP and single-channel memory bus suggest a design goal of efficiency in compact systems, while the Ultra 5 245K's 125 W TDP and dual-channel support target desktop performance. The data confirms that the Core 5 315 is not competitive in absolute performance, but its power envelope positions it for a different class of device entirely.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the separation. The Core Ultra 5 245K posts an average score of 54053, which is 2.97 times higher than the Core 5 315's average of 18188. In percentile ranking across all CPUs, the Ultra 5 245K sits at the 91st percentile, while the Core 5 315 sits at the 72nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the Core 5 315 include the AMD EPYC 9274F, Intel Core i7-9700, Intel Core i7-1365U, and AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, all within 0.1% of its average score. The Ultra 5 245K's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6505P, Intel Core i7-14700F, and AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, showing it competes in a substantially higher performance tier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. In R15, it scores 3850 versus 1308 for the Core 5 315, a 66% lead. In R20, it scores 15368 versus 5452, a 64.5% lead. In R23, it scores 25066 versus 12981, a 48.2% lead.

Q: How close is the single-core performance?

A: The single-core gap is smaller than the multi-core gap but still favors the Ultra 5 245K. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 5 245K scores 2132 versus 1832, a 14.1% lead. In PassMark single-thread, the scores are 4714 versus 4021, a 14.7% lead.

Q: What is the largest performance margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark's find prime numbers test. The Ultra 5 245K scores 414 versus 112 for the Core 5 315, a 72.9% advantage.

Q: Do the processors use the same manufacturing process?

A: Both use a 3 nm process node, but they use different foundries. The Core 5 315 is manufactured by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 245K is manufactured by TSMC.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245K has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Core 5 315 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Neither processor supports simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What memory configurations do they support?

A: The Core Ultra 5 245K supports dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Core 5 315 supports single-channel DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern of dominance by the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K across every recorded test. The margins vary by workload, revealing where the architectural differences matter most.

The Cinebench suite provides the clearest picture of scaling behavior. In R15 multi-core, the Ultra 5 245K scores 3850 against 1308, a 66% advantage. The R20 multi-core test shows a 64.5% advantage with scores of 15368 and 5452. The R23 multi-core test shows a smaller 48.2% advantage, with the Ultra 5 245K at 25066 and the Core 5 315 at 12981. This narrowing from R15 to R23 suggests that the newer test places relatively more weight on single-core efficiency, where the gap is smaller.

Single-core Cinebench results confirm this interpretation. In R15 single-core, the Ultra 5 245K leads by 42.9% with 322 versus 184. In R20 single-core, the lead is 64.5% with 2169 versus 769. In R23 single-core, the lead shrinks to 14.1% with 2132 versus 1832. The R20 single-core result is anomalous compared to the other single-core tests, but the R23 result is consistent with the PassMark single-thread margin of 14.7%.

The PassMark suite shows the widest gaps in specialized workloads. Data compression favors the Ultra 5 245K by 68.1%, with scores of 458817 and 146143. Data encryption shows a 66.6% advantage, with 33286 versus 11119. Extended instructions show a 65.1% advantage, with 37617 versus 13143. Floating point math shows a 67.5% advantage, with 130678 versus 42441. Integer math shows a 67.8% advantage, with 98524 versus 31690. Random string sorting shows a 68.1% advantage, with 55098 versus 17551.

The remaining PassMark tests follow the same trend. Multithread scores favor the Ultra 5 245K by 64.5%, with 43047 versus 15272. Physics scores favor it by 62.3%, with 3081 versus 1163. Find prime numbers shows the largest margin at 72.9%, with 414 versus 112.

The average benchmark scores place these results in context. The Ultra 5 245K averages 54053 across all benchmarks, while the Core 5 315 averages 18188. The Ultra 5 245K's nearest rival by average score is the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, which is 1.3% ahead. The Core 5 315's nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 9274F, which is exactly tied at 0% delta. This places the Core 5 315 in the company of older desktop and mid-range mobile parts, while the Ultra 5 245K competes with high-end desktop processors.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Core Ultra 5 245K uses the Intel Socket 1851, while the Core 5 315 uses the Intel BGA 1516. This reflects their different market segments: the Ultra 5 245K is a desktop part, while the Core 5 315 is a mobile part.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Ultra 5 245K has 14 cores and 14 threads, while the Core 5 315 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Neither processor supports hyperthreading, so thread counts equal core counts.

Clock speeds show a significant gap. The Ultra 5 245K has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz. The Core 5 315 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The boost clock difference is 0.80 GHz, but the base clock difference is 2.70 GHz, which explains much of the multi-core performance gap.

Power targets are in different classes. The Ultra 5 245K has a 125 W TDP, while the Core 5 315 has a 15 W TDP. This is an 8.3x difference in thermal design power, reflecting the mobile versus desktop design goals.

Memory support differs in both type and width. The Ultra 5 245K supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Core 5 315 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel bus and 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The Ultra 5 245K also supports ECC memory, while the Core 5 315 does not.

PCIe capabilities differ by generation and lane count. The Ultra 5 245K supports Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Core 5 315 supports Gen 4 with 6 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics differ. The Ultra 5 245K uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units. The Core 5 315 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores.

The Ultra 5 245K has an unlocked multiplier, while the Core 5 315 does not. The Ultra 5 245K has a launch MSRP of $319, while the Core 5 315 has a launch MSRP of $340.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different architectural generations and design philosophies. The Core Ultra 5 245K uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the codename Arrow Lake-S, while the Core 5 315 uses the Wildcat Lake architecture. The generation labels confirm the separation: the Ultra 5 245K is from the Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) generation, while the Core 5 315 is from the Core 5 (Wildcat Lake) generation.

The process node is nominally the same at 3 nm, but the foundries differ. The Core 5 315 is manufactured by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 245K is manufactured by TSMC. The Ultra 5 245K has published transistor and die size data: 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The Core 5 315 does not have transistor or die size data recorded.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The Ultra 5 245K has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 5 315 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2 cache, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The L3 cache difference is 4x, which contributes to the performance gap in cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and random string sorting.

The Ultra 5 245K is based on the Arrow Lake-S architecture, which is designed for desktop performance with high core counts and large caches. The Core 5 315's Wildcat Lake architecture targets mobile efficiency, with fewer cores and a smaller cache footprint. The 14-core configuration of the Ultra 5 245K versus the 6-core configuration of the Core 5 315 is the most fundamental architectural difference.

The integrated graphics also reflect different generations. The Ultra 5 245K uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, while the Core 5 315 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The Xe3 naming suggests a newer generation, but the execution unit count difference indicates the Ultra 5 245K has a substantially larger graphics engine.

The release dates show the Core 5 315 is a later product. The Core 5 315 has a release date of 2026-04-15, while the Ultra 5 245K has a release date of 2024-10-23. The Core 5 315 is the newer design but targets a lower performance tier, while the Ultra 5 245K remains the higher-performing part despite being older.

Both processors are listed as active in production. The Ultra 5 245K has the part number SRQCT, while the Core 5 315 has the part number SAEFC.