Intel Core 7 251TE vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Comparison

Intel Core 7 251TE and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K are both 24-core desktop processors, but the recorded benchmark data places them in entirely different performance classes. The Core Ultra 9 285K holds a 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs, while the Core 7 251TE sits at the 88th percentile. The average benchmark score for the Ultra 9 is 83807, nearly double the 41650 average of the 251TE. This gap appears across nearly every measured workload, though the 251TE does claim two specific wins in the head-to-head data.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark results show the Core Ultra 9 285K winning 15 of the 17 recorded comparisons. The largest margins appear in compute-heavy and data-intensive workloads. In PassMark extended instructions, the Ultra 9 scores 62277 against 16974 for the 251TE, a delta of 72.7 percent. PassMark find prime numbers shows a 74.1 percent advantage, with scores of 541 and 140 respectively. Data encryption favors the Ultra 9 by 61.6 percent (57745 vs 22176), and data compression favors it by 57.7 percent (790052 vs 334399).

The Core 7 251TE wins the two remaining tests. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 362 versus 359 for the Ultra 9, a 0.8 percent margin. The larger single-core win comes in Cinebench R23, where the 251TE scores 3602 against 2377 for the Ultra 9, a 51.5 percent advantage. These results indicate the 251TE has a meaningful single-threaded advantage in the Cinebench suite, while the Ultra 9 dominates in multi-threaded and PassMark workloads.

The workload split is clear. The Ultra 9 285K is the choice for multi-threaded rendering, encryption, compression, physics calculations, and integer or floating-point math. The 251TE shows a narrow but consistent edge in specific single-threaded Cinebench tests, which may matter for lightly threaded applications that rely on that benchmark's rendering path.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families. The Core 7 251TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is built on a 10 nm process at Intel's foundry. The Core Ultra 9 285K uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC. The Ultra 9 integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the 251TE has a 215 mm² die with no transistor count recorded.

Both chips have 24 cores, but the thread counts differ. The 251TE supports 32 threads, indicating it includes hyper-threading on some cores. The Ultra 9 supports 24 threads, one per core, with no hyper-threading in the recorded data. Cache configurations also differ. The 251TE provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 9 provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and the same 36 MB of shared L3.

The memory subsystems differ as well. The 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 9 supports DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Ultra 9 has a higher recorded memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for the 251TE. Both support ECC memory. The 251TE uses Intel Socket 1700 with 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while the Ultra 9 uses Intel Socket 1851 with 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The integrated graphics differ: the 251TE has UHD Graphics 770, and the Ultra 9 has Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

The Ultra 9 has an unlocked multiplier, making it suitable for overclocking, while the 251TE does not. The Ultra 9 also has higher base and boost clocks at 3.70 GHz and 5.70 GHz, compared to 1.40 GHz and 5.40 GHz for the 251TE. The 251TE has a 45 W TDP, while the Ultra 9 has a 125 W TDP.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the Core Ultra 9 285K for workloads that scale across cores. Its multi-threaded Cinebench scores are substantially higher: 42522 in R23 versus 25518 for the 251TE, and 24003 in R20 versus 10717. The PassMark multithread score of 67260 versus 30022 reinforces this pattern. The Ultra 9 also leads in every PassMark subtest except none, including integer math (172379 vs 125739) and floating-point math (224324 vs 85607).

The Core 7 251TE is the better option only for the specific single-threaded Cinebench tests where it leads. Its R23 single-core score of 3602 is 51.5 percent ahead of the Ultra 9's 2377, and its R15 single-core score of 362 narrowly edges the Ultra 9's 359. For users running applications that mirror those exact workloads, the 251TE delivers the higher single-threaded performance. The Ultra 9 still wins PassMark single-thread (5087 vs 3568), so the 251TE's advantage does not extend to that benchmark suite.

The 251TE's lower TDP and support for DDR4 memory make it a less demanding platform choice, but the performance data shows it cannot match the Ultra 9 in overall compute throughput. The Ultra 9's 96th percentile ranking and average score of 83807 place it in a higher tier than the 251TE's 88th percentile and 41650 average.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core 7 251TE has 32 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has 24 threads. Both have 24 cores.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 9 285K support DDR4 memory?

A: No. The Core Ultra 9 285K supports DDR5 only. The Core 7 251TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K wins with a score of 42522, compared to 25518 for the Core 7 251TE, a 40 percent difference.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, while the Core 7 251TE has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The Core Ultra 9 285K has an unlocked multiplier, while the Core 7 251TE does not.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Core 7 251TE has an average benchmark score of 41650, and the Core Ultra 9 285K has an average benchmark score of 83807.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single margin in the head-to-head data belongs to PassMark find prime numbers, where the Ultra 9 leads by 74.1 percent. The second-largest margin is 72.7 percent in PassMark extended instructions. Data encryption shows a 61.6 percent lead for the Ultra 9, followed by floating-point math at 61.8 percent and data compression at 57.7 percent. Random string sorting shows a 58.2 percent lead, and Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a 60.4 percent lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core and PassMark multithread both show 55.4 percent leads for the Ultra 9. Physics shows a 50.8 percent lead, and integer math shows a 27.1 percent lead. PassMark single-thread shows a 29.9 percent lead for the Ultra 9.

The Core 7 251TE wins two tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 51.5 percent lead for the 251TE, with scores of 3602 and 2377. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 0.8 percent lead, with scores of 362 and 359. These are the only two head-to-head tests where the 251TE comes out ahead. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Ultra 9 wins with a 55.4 percent margin, scoring 3388 against 1512 for the 251TE.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification. The Core 7 251TE has 24 cores and 32 threads, while the Core Ultra 9 285K has 24 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are 1.40 GHz for the 251TE and 3.70 GHz for the Ultra 9. Boost clocks are 5.40 GHz and 5.70 GHz respectively. TDP is 45 W for the 251TE and 125 W for the Ultra 9.

Sockets differ: the 251TE uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Ultra 9 uses Intel Socket 1851. The process node is 10 nm for the 251TE and 3 nm for the Ultra 9, with the latter built by TSMC. Die size is 215 mm² for the 251TE and 243 mm² for the Ultra 9. The Ultra 9 has 17,800 million transistors, while the 251TE has no transistor count recorded.

Cache configurations differ per core. The 251TE has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core, while the Ultra 9 has 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core. Both share 36 MB of L3. Memory support is DDR4 and DDR5 for the 251TE, and DDR5 only for the Ultra 9. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for the 251TE and 102.4 GB/s for the Ultra 9. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe lanes differ: the 251TE has 16 Gen 5 lanes, and the Ultra 9 has 20 Gen 5 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 for the 251TE and Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU for the Ultra 9. The Ultra 9 has an unlocked multiplier, while the 251TE does not. The release dates are January 2025 for the 251TE and October 2024 for the Ultra 9. The launch MSRP is $384 for the 251TE and $589 for the Ultra 9.