Intel Core 7 253PE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225F Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a clear split between two very different design philosophies. The Intel Core 7 253PE wins 5 of the 17 recorded comparisons, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F takes 12. However, the magnitude of the wins on each side tells a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The Core 7 253PE delivers its most decisive victory in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 24880 against the Ultra 5 225F's 16467, a 51.1% advantage. That is the single largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The single-core R23 result is even more lopsided on a percentage basis: 3512 versus 1893, a 85.5% gap. Those two Cinebench R23 numbers dominate the narrative for the 253PE, but the older Cinebench R15 and R20 runs tell a different story. In R15 multi-core, the Ultra 5 225F leads 2660 to 2507, a 5.8% margin. In R20 multi-core, the Ultra 5 leads 11059 to 10449, a 5.5% margin. The R20 single-core result also goes to the Ultra 5, 1561 to 1475, again a 5.5% gap.

The Passmark suite reinforces the Ultra 5 225F's broader consistency. The largest Passmark win for the Ultra 5 comes in find prime numbers, where it scores 352 against 138, a 60.8% advantage. Data encryption shows an 18.8% lead (22648 versus 18385), and extended instructions shows a 22.2% lead (28027 versus 21806). Floating point math goes to the Ultra 5 by 12.6% (92554 versus 80870), physics by 24.1% (2430 versus 1845), and random string sorting by 12.2% (37325 versus 32777). The multithread Passmark test gives the Ultra 5 a 31004 to 29271 win, a 5.6% margin, and single-thread Passmark goes to the Ultra 5 at 4397 versus 3955, a 10.1% gap.

The Core 7 253PE counters with a 71.9% win in Passmark integer math (114158 versus 66417) and a 9.1% win in data compression (339133 versus 310843). Those two wins, combined with the R23 results, show that the 253PE excels in workloads that scale with thread count and integer throughput, while the Ultra 5 225F dominates encryption, instruction-heavy code, prime number generation, and floating point work.

The average benchmark scores place the 253PE at 40557 with an 87th percentile ranking across all CPUs, while the Ultra 5 225F sits at 37313 with an 85th percentile. The nearest rivals for the 253PE include the Intel Core 5 223PE at 40585 (-0.1%), the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H at 40518 (0.1%), the Intel Xeon 6357P at 40630 (-0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H at 40431 (0.3%). The Ultra 5 225F sits near the Intel Core i9-13900HK at 37425 (-0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 7 7735H at 37161 (0.4%), the Intel Core i7-13700 at 37135 (0.5%), and the AMD Ryzen 7 160 at 37117 (0.5%). Both processors land in the same competitive neighborhood, but the 253PE holds a roughly 8% higher aggregate score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PE wins by a wide margin, scoring 24880 versus 16467 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F, a 51.1% difference.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F have any multi-core wins?

A: Yes. It wins Cinebench R15 multi-core (2660 versus 2507, 5.8%) and Cinebench R20 multi-core (11059 versus 10449, 5.5%), plus Passmark multithread (31004 versus 29271, 5.6%).

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: The recorded data is mixed. The Core 7 253PE wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 85.5% (3512 versus 1893) and R15 single-core by 23.3% (354 versus 287), but the Ultra 5 225F wins R20 single-core by 5.5% (1561 versus 1475) and Passmark single-thread by 10.1% (4397 versus 3955).

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin in either direction?

A: The Core 7 253PE's 85.5% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is the largest delta. The next largest is its 71.9% lead in Passmark integer math, followed by its 51.1% lead in R23 multi-core.

Q: Which processor has the higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PE, at 40557 versus 37313 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F. The 253PE also ranks at the 87th percentile versus the 85th percentile for the Ultra 5.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor hold?

A: The Intel Core 7 253PE holds 5 wins, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F holds 12 wins out of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel product lines and are built on different manufacturing processes. The Intel Core 7 253PE uses the Bartlett Lake codename and is fabricated on a 10 nm node at Intel's own foundry. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225F belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2, uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, and is fabricated on a 3 nm node at TSMC. The 225F's transistor count is listed at 17,800 million with a die size of 243 mm², while the 253PE has no recorded transistor count or die size in the database.

Core and thread configurations differ sharply. Both have 10 cores, but the 253PE supports 20 threads while the 225F supports only 10 threads. The cache hierarchy also diverges. The 253PE carries 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The 225F carries 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The 225F has more per-core cache but less total L3.

Memory support is another split. The 253PE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the 225F supports DDR5 only. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but the 225F records a higher memory bandwidth at 102.4 GB/s versus 89.6 GB/s for the 253PE. ECC memory is supported on the 253PE but not on the 225F. PCIe connectivity also differs: the 253PE provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the 225F provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The 253PE includes integrated UHD Graphics 730, while the 225F has no integrated graphics (listed as N/A).

Clock speeds favor different aspects of each chip. The 253PE has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The 225F has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The 225F starts higher but boosts lower, while the 253PE has a larger boost headroom. Both processors have a 65 W TDP, both are desktop parts, both are currently active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The table below collects the fields where the two processors diverge:

| Specification | Intel Core 7 253PE | Intel Core Ultra 5 225F |

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

| Threads | 20 | 10 |

| Base clock | 2.50 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.50 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Codename | Bartlett Lake | Arrow Lake-S |

| Architecture | Not recorded | 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) |

| L3 cache | 33 MB (shared) | 20 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

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

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

| Release date | 2026-03-08 | 2025-01-06 |

| Launch MSRP | $384 | $231 |

| Part number | SA4QE | SRQD2SRVF9 |

Both processors share a 10-core count, 65 W TDP, dual-channel memory bus, desktop market segment, active production status, and a locked multiplier. The 225F launched over a year earlier, has a smaller launch MSRP, and uses a newer socket.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 7 253PE is the choice for workloads that depend on thread scaling and integer throughput. Its 20 threads against the Ultra 5 225F's 10 threads show up directly in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 51.1% lead is the largest multi-core margin recorded in the head-to-head set. The 71.9% win in Passmark integer math reinforces that strength, and the 9.1% lead in data compression indicates that compression tasks, which often scale with core count, also favor the 253PE. The R23 single-core result, an 85.5% margin, adds a single-thread dimension to its profile, although the older R15 single-core test also goes to the 253PE by 23.3%. Users running heavily threaded rendering, integer-heavy compilation, or compression workloads should look at the 253PE's record.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225F wins the majority of the head-to-head tests, and its wins cluster around instruction-level and floating point work. The 60.8% lead in find prime numbers is the clearest example of an instruction-heavy workload where the 225F dominates. Extended instructions show a 22.2% lead, data encryption shows an 18.8% lead, and floating point math shows a 12.6% lead. The physics test gives the 225F a 24.1% win, and random string sorting goes to it by 12.2%. The 225F also takes the Passmark single-thread test by 10.1% and the Passmark multithread test by 5.6%, giving it a more balanced overall profile across the Passmark suite. Its higher base clock of 3.30 GHz and larger per-core caches likely contribute to these wins, along with the 3 nm process node and higher memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

The socket difference matters for platform selection. The 253PE uses Intel Socket 1700, while the 225F uses Intel Socket 1851, so they are not interchangeable on a given motherboard. The 253PE's support for both DDR4 and DDR5, plus ECC memory, makes it more flexible for systems that need legacy memory or error correction. The 225F's DDR5-only support and lack of ECC narrow its memory options but pair with a higher bandwidth ceiling.

The aggregate data places the 253PE ahead in average score (40557 versus 37313) and percentile (87 versus 85), but the 225F wins more individual tests. The 253PE's wins are larger in magnitude, while the 225F's wins are more numerous and spread across a wider variety of Passmark subtests. That pattern suggests the 253PE is a specialist for thread-hungry and integer-heavy workloads, while the 225F offers broader consistency across encryption, floating point, physics, and general single-thread tasks. The R20 multi-core result, where the 225F leads by 5.5%, and the R15 multi-core result, where it leads by 5.8%, show that the 225F is not simply a single-thread specialist; it holds its own in older multi-core render tests as well.

For users prioritizing raw multi-core render performance and integer math, the Core 7 253PE's R23 and Passmark integer results are the standout numbers. For users prioritizing encryption, extended instructions, prime number calculation, floating point, and a broader spread of Passmark wins, the Core Ultra 5 225F's record is stronger. The 225F also offers a lower launch MSRP of $231 versus $384 for the 253PE, though both parts carry the same 65 W TDP and locked multiplier.