Intel Core i3-14100 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225T Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark comparison between the Intel Core i3-14100 and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is decisively one-sided. The data records 17 benchmark wins for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T and zero wins for the Intel Core i3-14100. The Ultra 5 225T takes every single test in the head-to-head comparison, covering Cinebench rendering workloads, PassMark computational tests, and single-threaded performance checks. The i3-14100 does not win a single recorded benchmark.

For single-threaded tasks, the Ultra 5 225T holds a meaningful but comparatively modest edge. The PassMark single-thread score of 4348 for the Ultra 5 225T is 13.5% ahead of the i3-14100's 3759. This represents the smallest advantage in the entire comparison. For everyday responsiveness and lightly threaded applications, the Ultra 5 225T still comes out ahead, but the gap is not overwhelming.

The largest advantage belongs to the Ultra 5 225T in prime number computation. The PassMark find prime numbers test shows the Ultra 5 225T scoring 284 versus the i3-14100's 55, which translates to an 80.6% deficit for the older chip. This type of workload, which stresses integer throughput and algorithmic efficiency, clearly favors the newer architecture.

Multithreaded rendering workloads also show a substantial gap. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Ultra 5 225T scores 21971 while the i3-14100 scores 12820, a 41.7% difference. The Cinebench R20 multicore result follows the same pattern: 9227 versus 5384, again a 41.6% difference. The Cinebench R15 multicore test shows 2214 versus 1292, a 41.6% deficit for the i3-14100.

Floating-point math performance heavily favors the Ultra 5 225T. The PassMark floating point math score for the Ultra 5 225T is 82751, while the i3-14100 manages 35266. That is a 57.4% gap. The physics simulation test shows a similar story: 2053 for the Ultra 5 225T versus 958 for the i3-14100, a 53.3% difference. Data encryption performance also strongly favors the newer part, with 18289 versus 8838, a 51.7% gap.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T also dominates in extended instruction workloads, scoring 20083 against 11865, a 40.9% advantage. Data compression shows 233998 versus 174115, a 25.6% gap. Random string sorting delivers 28774 versus 17397, a 39.5% difference. Integer math is the second-smallest gap, with 59543 versus 45329, a 23.9% advantage for the Ultra 5 225T.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has an average benchmark score of 30468, while the Intel Core i3-14100 has an average benchmark score of 18318. The Ultra 5 225T also sits at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs, compared to the 72nd percentile for the i3-14100.

Q: How does the single-core performance compare?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins every single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 3101 versus 1809 for the i3-14100, a 41.7% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, the Ultra 5 225T scores 4348 versus 3759, a 13.5% edge.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads. The Ultra 5 225T has more physical cores but no hyperthreading, while the i3-14100 uses hyperthreading to reach 8 threads from 4 cores.

Q: Which processor uses a newer manufacturing process?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core i3-14100 uses Intel's 10 nm process. The Ultra 5 225T also has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the i3-14100 has a 163 mm² die size with no transistor count listed in the database.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T supports DDR5 only. The Ultra 5 225T has a listed memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, while the i3-14100 has no bandwidth figure recorded.

Q: Which processor sits higher in the nearest rival rankings?

A: The Ultra 5 225T ranks against CPUs like the Intel Core i9-11980HK and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS, with delta percentages of 0.2% and 0.3% respectively. The i3-14100 sits near the Intel Core 3 305 and Intel Core 5 330, with delta percentages of 0.1% and -0.1%. The Ultra 5 225T competes in a higher performance tier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clean sweep. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins all 17 recorded benchmark comparisons. The largest margins occur in compute-heavy tests. The PassMark find prime numbers test is the most lopsided, with the Ultra 5 225T scoring 284 against the i3-14100's 55, producing an 80.6% deficit for the older chip. That result suggests the Arrow Lake architecture handles algorithmic integer workloads far more efficiently than Raptor Lake.

Floating-point math also reveals a massive divide. The Ultra 5 225T posts 82751 in PassMark floating point math, while the i3-14100 finishes at 35266. The 57.4% gap indicates the newer processor carries substantially more compute throughput for scientific and simulation workloads. The physics test reinforces this, showing 2053 versus 958, a 53.3% difference.

Cinebench results cluster tightly around the same margin. Across R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core tests show the Ultra 5 225T leading by roughly 41.6% to 41.7%. The consistency of these deltas across different Cinebench versions suggests the performance advantage is structural rather than workload-specific. The R23 multicore score of 21971 versus 12820 and the R23 single-core score of 3101 versus 1809 both fall within that same band.

Encryption workloads show an even larger gap. The PassMark data encryption test records 18289 for the Ultra 5 225T versus 8838 for the i3-14100, a 51.7% difference. That result indicates the newer processor handles cryptographic operations with significantly more efficiency. Extended instructions follow with 20083 versus 11865, a 40.9% gap.

The smallest differences appear in integer math and single-thread tests. PassMark integer math shows 59543 versus 45329, a 23.9% advantage for the Ultra 5 225T. PassMark single-thread shows 4348 versus 3759, a 13.5% edge. These narrower margins mean the i3-14100 remains competitive in lightly threaded integer work, even though it still loses every recorded test.

Data compression and random string sorting show mid-range gaps. Compression delivers 233998 versus 174115, a 25.6% difference. Random string sorting shows 28774 versus 17397, a 39.5% difference. Multithread performance through PassMark lands at 25358 versus 15095, a 40.5% gap.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification. The Intel Core i3-14100 uses the Intel Socket 1700, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses the Intel Socket 1851. These are not interchangeable platforms. The i3-14100 belongs to the Core 14th Gen series with the Raptor Lake architecture, while the Ultra 5 225T belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 with Arrow Lake architecture.

Core counts differ substantially. The i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads. The i3-14100 relies on hyperthreading to double its thread count, while the Ultra 5 225T runs one thread per core. The base clock of the i3-14100 is 3.50 GHz, compared to 2.50 GHz for the Ultra 5 225T. The boost clock favors the Ultra 5 225T at 4.90 GHz versus 4.70 GHz for the i3-14100.

Thermal design power differs slightly. The i3-14100 has a TDP of 60, while the Ultra 5 225T has a TDP of 65. The manufacturing process also differs, with the i3-14100 on Intel's 10 nm node and the Ultra 5 225T on TSMC's 3 nm node. The Ultra 5 225T has a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. The i3-14100 has a die size of 163 mm² with no transistor count recorded.

Cache configurations show clear differences. The i3-14100 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 225T has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. Every level of cache favors the Ultra 5 225T.

Memory support diverges as well. The i3-14100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Ultra 5 225T supports DDR5 only, also dual-channel, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The i3-14100 has no memory bandwidth figure in the database. ECC memory support also differs: the i3-14100 supports ECC, while the Ultra 5 225T does not.

PCIe connectivity differs. The i3-14100 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 5 225T provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics differ as well: the i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 225T uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. The i3-14100 has a launch MSRP of $134, while the Ultra 5 225T has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is significant. The Intel Core i3-14100 uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh variant. It belongs to the Core i3 generation under the Raptor Lake Refresh umbrella. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses the Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-S, under the Ultra 5 generation.

The manufacturing process marks a generational shift. The i3-14100 is fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The Ultra 5 225T moves to TSMC's 3 nm process, a change that enables higher transistor density and improved power efficiency. The transistor count for the Ultra 5 225T is listed at 17,800 million, while the i3-14100 has no transistor count recorded. The die sizes reflect the complexity difference: 243 mm² for the Ultra 5 225T versus 163 mm² for the i3-14100.

The core layout strategy differs fundamentally. The i3-14100 uses 4 cores with hyperthreading to produce 8 threads, a classic efficiency approach for entry-level desktop parts. The Ultra 5 225T uses 10 physical cores with 10 threads, abandoning hyperthreading in favor of more physical cores. This explains the multi-core performance gap: the Ultra 5 225T has 6 additional physical cores to draw upon.

Cache architecture reflects the newer design. The Ultra 5 225T offers substantially more cache at every level. Its L1 cache of 192 KB per core is more than double the i3-14100's 80 KB per core. The L2 cache of 3 MB per core compares to 1.25 MB per core on the i3-14100. The shared L3 cache of 20 MB compares to 12 MB on the i3-14100. Larger caches reduce memory latency and improve throughput in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory architecture also diverges. The Ultra 5 225T commits exclusively to DDR5 memory with a recorded bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The i3-14100 retains support for both DDR4 and DDR5, offering flexibility for older platforms but without a recorded bandwidth figure. The Ultra 5 225T also drops ECC support, while the i3-14100 includes it.

The integrated graphics represent another architectural shift. The i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730, Intel's older graphics architecture. The Ultra 5 225T uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU, which belongs to Intel's newer Arc graphics family. This is a generational change in the GPU block, even though both are integrated solutions.

The PCIe implementation differs in lane count. The i3-14100 provides 16 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 5 225T provides 20 Gen 5 lanes from the CPU. This gives the Ultra 5 225T additional headroom for expansion devices and storage.

The nearest rival data places these processors in different performance tiers. The i3-14100 sits near the Intel Core 3 305 and Intel Core 5 330, with near-zero delta percentages. The Ultra 5 225T sits near the Intel Core i9-11980HK, AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS, and AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, all within 0.3% of its average score. This confirms the Ultra 5 225T operates in a higher performance class, matching the benchmark results that show it winning every head-to-head test.