Intel Core 9 273PE vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225H Comparison

The Intel Core 9 273PE and Intel Core Ultra 5 225H occupy different corners of the Intel lineup: one is a desktop processor built for maximum throughput, the other a mobile chip designed for efficiency. The benchmark data shows a decisive overall victory for the Core 9 273PE, which wins 14 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, but the Ultra 5 225H claims three specific wins that highlight its own strengths. The average benchmark scores reflect the gap: the Core 9 273PE posts an average of 49,845, while the Ultra 5 225H averages 31,508. The Core 9 273PE also sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, compared to the 82nd percentile for the Ultra 5 225H.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single-core advantage in the entire comparison appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Core 9 273PE scores 4,417 against 1,969 for the Ultra 5 225H, a delta of 124.3%. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test tells a similar story, with the Core 9 273PE at 31,288 and the Ultra 5 225H at 14,629.5, a 113.9% lead. These are the two biggest margins in the dataset, and they establish the Core 9 273PE as the dominant processor for rendering workloads.

The Cinebench R15 tests show a smaller but still substantial gap. In multi-core, the Core 9 273PE scores 3,153 against 2,397.5, a 31.5% advantage. In single-core, it scores 445 against 288.5, a 54.2% lead. Cinebench R20 results are nearly identical in percentage terms: multi-core shows 13,140 versus 10,041, a 30.9% delta, and single-core shows 1,855 versus 1,417, also a 30.9% delta.

PassMark integer math is another blowout. The Core 9 273PE scores 139,410, more than double the Ultra 5 225H's 68,520, a 103.5% difference. Floating-point math also favors the desktop chip, with 107,884 versus 86,540, a 24.7% delta. Data compression favors the Core 9 273PE at 405,885 versus 283,451, a 43.2% lead. Random string sorting shows a 34% advantage for the Core 9 273PE, with scores of 45,098 and 33,654.

The physics test is one of the more lopsided results. The Core 9 273PE scores 3,120, while the Ultra 5 225H manages 1,877, a 66.2% delta. Extended instructions go to the Core 9 273PE by 12.4%, with 24,630 versus 21,915. Data encryption is the closest Core 9 273PE win, at 22,719 versus 21,428, a 6% margin. Multi-thread performance in PassMark shows 36,810 versus 28,119, a 30.9% delta.

The Ultra 5 225H wins three tests, and two of them are the same metric reported twice. PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread both record 4,258 for the Ultra 5 225H against 3,650 for the Core 9 273PE, a 14.3% advantage for the mobile chip. The third win is PassMark find prime numbers, where the Ultra 5 225H scores 220 against 203, a 7.7% edge. These wins are notable because they show the Ultra 5 225H can outpace the Core 9 273PE in specific integer workloads and in single-threaded PassMark testing, despite losing most other comparisons.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 9 273PE is the clear choice for multi-threaded, compute-heavy tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31,288 is more than double the Ultra 5 225H's 14,629.5, which makes it the stronger processor for rendering, video encoding, and other workloads that scale across cores. The PassMark integer math result, 139,410 versus 68,520, reinforces that position, as does the floating-point math score of 107,884 versus 86,540. Data compression and random string sorting also go to the Core 9 273PE, with 405,885 versus 283,451 and 45,098 versus 33,654 respectively, indicating it handles file compression and data manipulation tasks faster.

The physics test result, 3,120 versus 1,877, suggests the Core 9 273PE delivers more computational muscle for simulation-style workloads. Extended instructions, 24,630 versus 21,915, favor the desktop chip for workloads using newer instruction sets. Even the smallest win, data encryption at 22,719 versus 21,428, points in the same direction: the Core 9 273PE is consistently ahead in throughput-oriented tasks.

The Ultra 5 225H wins in PassMark single-threaded testing by 14.3%, with 4,258 versus 3,650. That result indicates the mobile chip has a stronger single-threaded PassMark performance profile, which can benefit lightly threaded applications that depend on one core. Its find prime numbers score of 220 versus 203 shows an advantage in one specific integer calculation test, even though it loses integer math overall by a wide margin. These wins are narrow in absolute terms, but they do demonstrate that the Ultra 5 225H is not universally slower.

For users focused on battery-powered or thermally constrained systems, the Ultra 5 225H's profile is more relevant, but the benchmark data alone does not quantify power efficiency. The Core 9 273PE wins the overwhelming majority of tests, so the Ultra 5 225H is only preferable in scenarios where its specific single-threaded PassMark and prime number advantages matter more than the large multi-core deficits.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families. The Core 9 273PE is a Bartlett Lake part built on a 10 nm process at Intel's foundry. The Ultra 5 225H is an Arrow Lake-H part from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC. The process node difference is substantial, but the benchmark results do not show a direct performance benefit for the smaller node in most tests.

Core counts differ as well. The Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Ultra 5 225H has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Core 9 273PE uses simultaneous multithreading, which explains why its thread count is double its core count. The Ultra 5 225H has more physical cores but no additional threads, so its thread count equals its core count. Despite having fewer cores, the Core 9 273PE wins most multi-threaded tests, which points to higher per-core performance and the benefit of its 24 threads in threaded workloads.

Cache layouts are also different. The Core 9 273PE has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225H has more L1 and L2 per core, but the Core 9 273PE has twice the shared L3, 36 MB versus 18 MB. The larger L3 cache likely contributes to the Core 9 273PE's strong performance in data compression and random string sorting, where larger working sets can fit in cache.

Memory support differs. The Core 9 273PE supports DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Ultra 5 225H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, with a higher bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Ultra 5 225H has the higher memory bandwidth figure, but the Core 9 273PE still wins memory-sensitive benchmarks like data compression. ECC memory is supported on the Core 9 273PE but not on the Ultra 5 225H.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The Core 9 273PE provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes, while the Ultra 5 225H provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes. The desktop chip offers more PCIe lanes for expansion. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 9 273PE uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 225H uses Arc Graphics 130T. The Core 9 273PE uses an Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 225H uses Intel BGA 2049, reflecting the desktop versus mobile split.

Clock speeds show the Core 9 273PE with a base of 2.30 GHz and a boost of 5.70 GHz, versus 1.70 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost for the Ultra 5 225H. The Core 9 273PE has the higher boost clock by 0.80 GHz, which helps explain its large single-core leads in Cinebench tests. The TDP figures are 65 watts for the Core 9 273PE and 28 watts for the Ultra 5 225H, a difference that reflects the desktop and mobile design targets.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward split. The Intel Core 9 273PE is the stronger processor for almost every measured workload. It wins 14 of 17 head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench tests, all PassMark math and compression tests, and the PassMark multi-thread and physics tests. Its Cinebench R23 single-core lead of 124.3% and multi-core lead of 113.9% are the defining results of this comparison. The average benchmark score of 49,845 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is the better choice only in a narrow set of conditions. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4,258 beats the Core 9 273PE's 3,650 by 14.3%, and its find prime numbers score of 220 beats 203 by 7.7%. These are the only tests it wins. It also carries a lower TDP of 28 watts versus 65 watts, which matters for mobile systems, but the benchmark data does not include power consumption measurements.

Users who need maximum rendering performance, heavy integer math, or large-cache data workloads should choose the Core 9 273PE. Users who need a mobile processor and can accept lower multi-core scores should consider the Ultra 5 225H, especially if their workloads favor its PassMark single-thread advantage. The Core 9 273PE is a desktop part with a launch MSRP of $549, while the Ultra 5 225H has no recorded launch MSRP. The performance gap is large, and the Core 9 273PE is the dominant part in this comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has an average benchmark score of 49,845, compared to 31,508 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H. The Core 9 273PE also ranks at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, while the Ultra 5 225H ranks at the 82nd percentile.

Q: How large is the Cinebench R23 multi-core gap?

A: The Core 9 273PE scores 31,288 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Ultra 5 225H scores 14,629.5. This gives the Core 9 273PE a 113.9% advantage.

Q: Does the Ultra 5 225H win any tests?

A: Yes, the Ultra 5 225H wins three recorded tests: PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread, both with 4,258 versus 3,650, and PassMark find prime numbers with 220 versus 203.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Ultra 5 225H has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Q: How do the cache sizes compare?

A: The Core 9 273PE has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Core 9 273PE has a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, while the Ultra 5 225H has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The base clocks are 2.30 GHz and 1.70 GHz respectively.