Intel Core 7 251E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235 Comparison

Intel Core 7 251E and Intel Core Ultra 5 235 are two desktop processors from Intel’s 2025 lineup, but they target very different design philosophies. The Core 7 251E is a 24-core, 32-thread part built on Intel’s Bartlett Lake architecture, while the Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread Arrow Lake-S processor. The data shows a clear split: the Core 7 251E offers substantially higher core counts and a higher boost clock, while the Core Ultra 5 235 counters with a more advanced 3 nm process node, higher base clock, and a stronger measured benchmark profile. The Core 7 251E holds a 50th percentile rank among all CPUs, whereas the Core Ultra 5 235 sits at the 89th percentile, and the recorded average benchmark score for the Core Ultra 5 235 is 46,062, with no comparable average score recorded for the Core 7 251E in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data available in the database is limited to the Core Ultra 5 235, which has a full suite of recorded scores across Cinebench and Passmark tests. The Core 7 251E has no benchmark entries in the database, so direct head-to-head comparisons rely on the Core Ultra 5 235’s measured performance and its position relative to other processors.

The Core Ultra 5 235 delivers an average benchmark score of 46,062. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 at 46,030 (0.1% behind), the Intel Core i9-13900HX at 46,098 (0.1% ahead), the AMD EPYC 4364P at 45,970 (0.2% behind), and the AMD EPYC 7303 at 45,960 (0.2% behind). This places the Core Ultra 5 235 in a tight cluster where the delta between it and its nearest competitors is no larger than 0.2%, indicating that its overall average performance is effectively on par with these four processors.

Looking at specific workloads, the Core Ultra 5 235 records a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,769 and a single-core score of 2,085. In Cinebench R20, it scores 6,202 multi-core and 875 single-core, while in Cinebench R15 it scores 1,488 multi-core and 210 single-core. These results show a consistent scaling pattern across Cinebench versions, with the multi-core scores approximately 7.1 times the single-core scores in R23, 7.1 times in R20, and 7.1 times in R15. The Passmark suite shows variation across workloads: multi-thread scores 37,816, single-thread scores 4,516, physics scores 2,570, integer math scores 87,948, floating point math scores 117,951, data encryption scores 29,293, data compression scores 390,711, extended instructions scores 32,752, find prime numbers scores 371, and random string sorting scores 48,980.

The Core 7 251E has no recorded benchmark scores, which means the database does not contain a direct performance comparison between the two. The Core 7 251E’s 50th percentile rank and zero average benchmark score indicate that its measured performance is not represented in the database, so any performance claims for it would lack the necessary data. The Core Ultra 5 235’s 89th percentile rank, by contrast, shows that its recorded performance places it in the top 11% of all CPUs in the database, and its average score of 46,062 is nearly identical to the scores of its four nearest rivals, all of which fall within a 0.2% band.

Architecture Differences

The two processors differ fundamentally in their underlying architecture. The Core 7 251E uses the Bartlett Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node manufactured by Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 235 uses the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process node manufactured by TSMC. This process difference is significant: the 3 nm node is a more advanced fabrication technology than the 10 nm node, which typically enables higher transistor density and improved power efficiency. The Core Ultra 5 235 contains 17,800 million transistors on a die size of 243 mm², whereas the Core 7 251E has a die size of 257 mm² with no transistor count listed in the database.

Core configuration also differs sharply. The Core 7 251E has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Core 7 251E thus supports simultaneous multithreading, giving it 8 additional threads beyond its core count, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has a 1:1 core-to-thread ratio. Cache hierarchies are different as well: the Core 7 251E has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache; the Core Ultra 5 235 has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 7 251E’s larger shared L3 cache (36 MB vs. 24 MB) contrasts with the Core Ultra 5 235’s larger per-core L1 and L2 caches.

Clock speeds show a trade-off. The Core 7 251E has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Core 7 251E boosts 0.60 GHz higher, but the Core Ultra 5 235 runs at a 1.30 GHz higher base clock. Both processors have a TDP of 65 W, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Memory support diverges. The Core 7 251E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus, with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and ECC memory support. The Core Ultra 5 235 supports only DDR5, also on a dual-channel bus, with a higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and no ECC support. PCIe connectivity differs: the Core 7 251E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Core Ultra 5 235 provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics also differ, with the Core 7 251E using UHD Graphics 770 and the Core Ultra 5 235 using Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU. Sockets are incompatible: the Core 7 251E uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Core Ultra 5 235 uses Intel Socket 1851.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher core count?

A: The Intel Core 7 251E has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Core 7 251E has 10 more cores and 18 more threads.

Q: How do their clock speeds compare?

A: The Core 7 251E has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 235 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Core Ultra 5 235 has a 1.30 GHz higher base clock, while the Core 7 251E has a 0.60 GHz higher boost clock.

Q: What is the difference in process node and foundry?

A: The Core 7 251E is built on a 10 nm process node at Intel, while the Core Ultra 5 235 is built on a 3 nm process node at TSMC. The Core Ultra 5 235 also has a listed transistor count of 17,800 million, whereas the Core 7 251E has no transistor count in the database.

Q: How do their benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 has a recorded average benchmark score of 46,062 and an 89th percentile rank. The Core 7 251E has no recorded benchmark scores and a 50th percentile rank, so no direct performance comparison is available from the database.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Core 7 251E has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core 7 251E has 12 MB more L3 cache. However, the Core Ultra 5 235 has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches: 192 KB and 3 MB per core, respectively, versus 80 KB and 2 MB per core for the Core 7 251E.

Q: What are the memory and PCIe differences?

A: The Core 7 251E supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and ECC memory, while the Core Ultra 5 235 supports only DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and no ECC memory. Both use dual-channel memory. The Core 7 251E provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), and the Core Ultra 5 235 provides PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only).

The Verdict

The database contains no benchmark scores for the Intel Core 7 251E, which makes a direct performance verdict impossible from the recorded data. Its 50th percentile rank and zero average benchmark score stand in contrast to the Core Ultra 5 235’s 89th percentile rank and average score of 46,062. For workloads measured by the database, the Core Ultra 5 235 is the only one of the two with verified performance data, and its scores place it within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, Intel Core i9-13900HX, AMD EPYC 4364P, and AMD EPYC 7303.

The Core 7 251E’s specifications indicate it is designed for high core-count scenarios: 24 cores, 32 threads, 36 MB of L3 cache, and a 5.60 GHz boost clock. The Core Ultra 5 235’s specifications indicate a focus on single-thread efficiency and modern platform features: 14 cores, 14 threads, a 3 nm process node, a 3.40 GHz base clock, 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Core 7 251E offers ECC memory support and DDR4 compatibility, which the Core Ultra 5 235 lacks, while the Core Ultra 5 235 offers a higher memory bandwidth and more PCIe lanes.

Users who require the higher core count, larger L3 cache, DDR4 support, or ECC memory of the Core 7 251E would select it based on those specifications. Users who prioritize the only measured performance data available, the 3 nm process node, higher base clock, or broader PCIe connectivity would select the Core Ultra 5 235. The launch MSRP for the Core 7 251E is $384, and the launch MSRP for the Core Ultra 5 235 is $257. Both processors are active production parts with locked multipliers, and both are desktop market segment processors.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 7 251E | Intel Core Ultra 5 235 |

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

| Cores | 24 | 14 |

| Threads | 32 | 14 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.60 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 17,800 million |

| Die Size | 257 mm² | 243 mm² |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 36 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| 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 770 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-S |

| Generation | Core 7 (Bartlett Lake) | Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) |

| Launch MSRP | $384 | $257 |

| Percentile vs. All CPUs | 50 | 89 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 0 | 46,062 |