Intel Core i5-11400F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 115U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive overall win for the Intel Core i5-11400F, taking 13 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons. The average benchmark score for the i5-11400F is 17,177, which places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 115U averages 16,753, sitting at the 70th percentile. The aggregate margin is modest, but the distribution across individual workloads tells a clearer story.

The largest single victory for the i5-11400F comes in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 14,976 against 8,620 for the Ultra 5 115U, a 73.7% advantage. This is followed by PassMark random string sorting, with the desktop chip at 24,124 versus 15,124, a 59.5% lead. PassMark integer math also favors the i5-11400F heavily, 57,624 to 41,043, a 40.4% gap. Data compression shows a 46.9% difference, 208,472 against 141,945. These are substantial margins, not marginal differences.

The Cinebench suite is uniformly in favor of the i5-11400F. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the score is 14,340 versus 10,855, a 32.1% lead. The single-core R23 result also goes to the i5-11400F, 2,024 versus 1,532, a 32.1% difference. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 6,022 against 4,559, again 32.1%. R20 single-core is 850 versus 643, a 32.2% edge. Cinebench R15 multicore is 1,445 against 1,094, and R15 single-core is 204 versus 154, with leads of 32.1% and 32.5% respectively. The consistency of roughly 32% across all Cinebench versions indicates a systematic performance advantage, likely tied to architectural throughput rather than workload-specific quirks.

PassMark multithread shows the i5-11400F at 16,908 versus 13,024, a 29.8% win. Floating point math goes to the i5-11400F, 34,127 to 30,538, an 11.8% margin. Data encryption also favors the desktop part, 10,247 versus 8,606, a 19.1% lead.

The Core Ultra 5 115U takes four wins, all of them narrow. PassMark physics is its best result, 898 versus 842, a 6.2% edge. PassMark single thread and singlethread (identical scores) both show 3,057 against 2,981, a 2.5% lead for the Ultra 5. PassMark find prime numbers is essentially a tie, 53 versus 51, a 3.8% margin for the Ultra 5. None of these victories approach the scale of the i5-11400F's wins, and the single-thread result is the only one that might matter for everyday responsiveness.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-11400F is a Rocket Lake desktop part, built on Intel's 14 nm process, with a die size of 276 mm². It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The cache hierarchy consists of 80 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. It supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode, with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The socket is Intel Socket 1200, and the chip carries a 65 W TDP. It has no integrated graphics, which is typical for an F-series part. The production status is end-of-life, and the release date is March 2021.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 115U is a Meteor Lake mobile processor, fabricated on Intel's 7 nm process. It has 8 cores and 10 threads, a base clock of 1500.00 MHz (1.50 GHz) and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The cache layout is different: 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 10 MB shared L3. It supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, with a higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The socket is Intel BGA 2049, and the TDP is just 15 W, reflecting its mobile target. It includes integrated graphics, specifically Arc Xe-LPG 48EU, which the i5-11400F lacks entirely. The production status is active, and the release date is December 2023.

The core count difference is notable: the Ultra 5 has 8 cores versus 6, but the thread count is lower, 10 versus 12. This indicates a hybrid or efficiency-oriented design where not all cores contribute equally to multithreaded work. The i5-11400F has more threads and a higher boost clock, which helps explain its dominance in threaded benchmarks. The Ultra 5's higher memory bandwidth (89.6 GB/s versus 51.2 GB/s) does not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data, likely because the workloads tested are compute-bound rather than memory-bound.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-11400F is the clear choice for compute-heavy, multithreaded tasks. Its wins in Cinebench R23 multicore, PassMark multithread, integer math, and data compression all point to sustained throughput under load. The 32% advantage across the Cinebench suite suggests that rendering workloads, which scale well with thread count and clock speed, will favor the desktop chip. The extended instructions result, a 73.7% lead, indicates that vectorized or SIMD-heavy code runs substantially better on the Rocket Lake part. The data compression and random string sorting wins, with margins of 46.9% and 59.5%, reinforce this pattern: the i5-11400F is built for raw computation.

The Core Ultra 5 115U wins in physics, prime number finding, and single-thread tests. The physics score of 898 versus 842 suggests an advantage in certain game physics simulations, though the margin is small. Prime number finding is essentially a tie, and the single-thread win is only 2.5%, so the Ultra 5's edge in these areas is marginal. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG 48EU graphics are a differentiator, but the benchmark data does not include graphics tests, so the impact cannot be quantified here. For a user who needs a CPU with built-in graphics and low power consumption, the Ultra 5 has a structural advantage, but the recorded CPU benchmarks do not show it outperforming the i5-11400F in meaningful compute tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average score of 17,177, compared to 16,753 for the Intel Core Ultra 5 115U, a difference of 424 points.

Q: How big is the gap in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i5-11400F scores 14,340, while the Ultra 5 115U scores 10,855, giving the i5-11400F a 32.1% lead.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 5 115U win any benchmarks by a large margin?

A: No. Its largest win is in PassMark physics, where it scores 898 versus 842, a 6.2% edge. All other wins are under 4%.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Ultra 5 115U supports 89.6 GB/s, while the i5-11400F supports 51.2 GB/s. Despite this, the i5-11400F wins all memory-sensitive benchmarks in the recorded data.

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Ultra 5 115U has 8 cores, but the i5-11400F has 12 threads versus 10, which means the i5-11400F can handle more concurrent threads.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Both have multiplierUnlocked set to false.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion: the Intel Core i5-11400F is the superior CPU for almost all compute workloads. It wins 13 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, often by margins of 30% or more. The Cinebench results are uniformly in its favor, with a consistent 32% advantage across all versions and thread counts. The PassMark suite shows similar dominance, with particularly large leads in extended instructions, random string sorting, and integer math. The only meaningful counterpoint is the Ultra 5's 2.5% single-thread win, which is small enough to be negligible in practice.

The Core Ultra 5 115U has its place, but the recorded benchmarks do not support it as a performance alternative. Its 15 W TDP and integrated graphics make it a fit for mobile or low-power systems, and its 8 cores could be attractive on paper, but the 10-thread limit and lower clock speeds hold it back. The physics win is interesting but isolated. For anyone building a desktop system where CPU performance matters, the i5-11400F is the clear pick. For a laptop or a compact system where power draw and integrated graphics are priorities, the Ultra 5 makes sense, but only if the benchmark results shown here are acceptable for the intended workload.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-11400F | Intel Core Ultra 5 115U |

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

| Series | Core 11th Gen | Core Ultra Series 1 |

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 12 | 10 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 1500.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Meteor Lake |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 112 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 10 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR5, depends on motherboard |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 12 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Arc Xe-LPG 48EU |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2021-03-15 | 2023-12-13 |

| Launch MSRP | $157 | Not recorded |

| Part Number | SRKP1 | SRN6F |