Intel Core 5 330 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 228V Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two mobile processors is heavily lopsided. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V wins 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 330 wins only 4. This is not a close contest overall, but the specific wins for the Core 5 330 are concentrated in areas that matter for certain workloads.

The Core Ultra 5 228V dominates the PassMark suite. It wins data compression (173924 vs 145287, a 16.5% margin), data encryption (13032 vs 11076, 15% ahead), extended instructions (14801 vs 12808, 13.5% ahead), floating point math (53310 vs 43885, 17.7% ahead), integer math (39679 vs 33258, 16.2% ahead), multithread (18227 vs 15471, 15.1% ahead), physics (1538 vs 1201, 21.9% ahead), random string sorting (21254 vs 17771, 16.4% ahead), and prime number finding (168 vs 114, 32.1% ahead). These are substantial, consistent margins across the board.

The Core Ultra 5 228V also wins the older Cinebench R15 and R20 tests, both multi-core and single-core. In R15 multi-core it scores 1502.5 vs 1325 (11.8% ahead), and in R15 single-core it scores 267 vs 186 (30.3% ahead). In R20 multi-core it scores 6491 vs 5523 (14.9% ahead), and in R20 single-core it scores 916 vs 779 (15% ahead).

The Core 5 330's wins are narrower but notable. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 13150 vs 9932, a 32.4% advantage. This is its largest win anywhere. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 1856 vs 1758, a 5.6% margin. In PassMark single-thread tests (recorded twice under slightly different names), it scores 4088 vs 3836, a 6.6% advantage.

The pattern suggests the Core Ultra 5 228V is broadly faster in most throughput and legacy render workloads, while the Core 5 330 pulls ahead specifically in the newer Cinebench R23 generation and in single-threaded PassMark performance. The overall database percentile reflects this: the Core Ultra 5 228V sits at the 75th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 5 330 sits at the 72nd percentile. The average benchmark score for the Core Ultra 5 228V is 21440, versus 18345 for the Core 5 330.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design lineages. The Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake codename, belongs to the Core 5 generation, and is built on a 3 nm process by Intel's own foundry. The Core Ultra 5 228V uses the Lunar Lake codename, belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 generation, and is also built on a 3 nm process but by TSMC as the foundry.

Core counts differ. The Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Core Ultra 5 228V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Neither supports hyper-threading, so threads equal cores in both cases. The Core Ultra 5 228V uses a dual-channel memory bus, while the Core 5 330 uses a single-channel bus. The Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with a recorded bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The Core Ultra 5 228V's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, with no bandwidth figure recorded.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Core 5 330 has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 228V has 192 KB L1 per core, 2.5 MB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The per-core L2 allocation on the Lunar Lake part is notable, and the shared L3 is 2 MB larger.

PCIe support differs. The Core 5 330 uses Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes. The Core Ultra 5 228V uses Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the Core 5 330 has Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the Core Ultra 5 228V has Arc 130V.

Sockets are different. The Core 5 330 uses Intel BGA 1516, while the Core Ultra 5 228V uses Intel BGA 2833. Both are mobile parts with active production status. The Core Ultra 5 228V released on 2024-09-23, while the Core 5 330 released on 2026-04-15. The Core 5 330 has a launch MSRP of $309; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core Ultra 5 228V.

Clock speeds are close but favor the Core 5 330 on boost. The Core 5 330 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 228V has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. TDP is 15 W for the Core 5 330 and 17 W for the Core Ultra 5 228V. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single biggest margin in the entire comparison belongs to the Core 5 330 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its score of 13150 versus 9932 is a 32.4% advantage. That is a decisive win in a modern render workload. Yet this result sits oddly against the R15 and R20 multi-core results, where the Core Ultra 5 228V leads by 11.8% and 14.9% respectively. The R23 result suggests the Core 5 330 scales unusually well in that specific test, regardless of its losses in older Cinebench versions.

The Core Ultra 5 228V's largest single win is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 267 versus 186, a 30.3% margin. That is an enormous gap in a single-thread test. The Core 5 330's boost clock is 0.10 GHz higher, yet the measured single-core performance is far lower in this test. The Core Ultra 5 228V also wins R20 single-core by 15% (916 vs 779) and R15 multi-core by 11.8% (1502.5 vs 1325).

In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 228V's margins are consistently in the 13% to 32% range. The largest PassMark gap is in prime number finding, where it scores 168 versus 114, a 32.1% advantage. The smallest PassMark gap is in extended instructions at 13.5% (14801 vs 12808). Every PassMark throughput test goes to the Core Ultra 5 228V.

The Core 5 330's other wins are narrower. In Cinebench R23 single-core it wins by 5.6% (1856 vs 1758). In PassMark single-thread it wins by 6.6% (4088 vs 3836). Both of these are close margins, but they are consistent across the two single-thread tests in the database. The Core 5 330 also wins both PassMark single-thread entries, which are recorded as identical scores under two test names.

The overall win count is 13 for the Core Ultra 5 228V and 4 for the Core 5 330. The average benchmark score difference is 21440 versus 18345, a 16.9% gap in favor of the Core Ultra 5 228V. The nearest rivals for each CPU confirm their positioning: the Core 5 330 sits within 0.2% of the Intel Core 3 305, Intel Core 7 360, Intel Core i3-13100, and Intel Core i3-14100. The Core Ultra 5 228V sits within 1% of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600, Intel Core i9-11900H, Intel Xeon D-1746TER, and AMD EPYC 9454.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V wins 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests. The Intel Core 5 330 wins 4.

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

A: The Intel Core 5 330 leads by 32.4% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 13150 versus 9932. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V leads by 30.3% in Cinebench R15 single-core, scoring 267 versus 186.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V has 8 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: How do their single-thread scores compare?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 wins PassMark single-thread with 4088 versus 3836 (6.6% ahead), and wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 1856 versus 1758 (5.6% ahead). The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 267 versus 186 (30.3% ahead) and Cinebench R20 single-core with 916 versus 779 (15% ahead).

Q: What are the process nodes and foundries?

A: Both use a 3 nm process. The Intel Core 5 330 is fabricated by Intel. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V is fabricated by TSMC.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Intel Core Ultra 5 228V has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear overall winner for general throughput: the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V. Its 75th percentile ranking, 21440 average benchmark score, and 13 wins across 17 tests place it above the Core 5 330 in most workloads. The PassMark suite, which covers encryption, compression, math, sorting, and physics, favors the Core Ultra 5 228V by margins from 13.5% to 32.1%. Legacy Cinebench R15 and R20 also favor it by 11.8% to 30.3%.

The Intel Core 5 330 is not without a case. Its 32.4% win in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the largest margin recorded in this comparison, and it also wins Cinebench R23 single-core and PassMark single-thread. For workloads that rely on the R23 render engine or on single-threaded PassMark performance, the Core 5 330 delivers measurable advantages of 5.6% to 6.6% in those specific tests.

The Core Ultra 5 228V's 8 cores versus 6, its dual-channel memory bus versus single-channel, and its larger 8 MB shared L3 versus 6 MB likely contribute to its broad throughput lead. The Core 5 330's higher boost clock (4.60 GHz vs 4.50 GHz) and its Intel foundry process do not translate into wins outside the R23 and single-thread PassMark tests.

The percentile gap is small: 75th versus 72nd. But the average benchmark score gap is large: 21440 versus 18345. The Core Ultra 5 228V is the safer pick for mixed or heavy multi-threaded workloads. The Core 5 330 is the pick only for users whose primary benchmark is Cinebench R23 or whose workload is dominated by single-threaded PassMark performance.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 330 | Intel Core Ultra 5 228V |

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

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 6 | 8 |

| Base clock | 1.50 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 17 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1516 | Intel BGA 2833 |

| Codename | Wildcat Lake | Lunar Lake |

| Process node | 3 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| L1 cache | 192 KB | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 2.5 MB | 2.5 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 6 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory bus | Single-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory bandwidth | 59.7 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 6 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 4 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) | Arc 130V |

| Release date | 2026-04-15 | 2024-09-23 |

| Launch MSRP | $309 | Not recorded |