Intel Core i5-11500 vs Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Comparison

The Intel Core i5-11500 and the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V represent two very different generations of Intel silicon, one a desktop Rocket Lake part and the other a mobile Lunar Lake chip. The benchmark data reveals a clear split: the newer Ultra 9 dominates in many newer and single-threaded workloads, while the older i5 holds its ground in specific multi-threaded and integer-heavy tasks. This comparison pits a 14nm, 6-core design against a 3nm, 8-core mobile processor, with each chip winning distinct categories.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V claims the majority of benchmark victories, winning 12 of the 17 head-to-head tests. Its most decisive win comes in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where it scores 195 against the i5-11500's 51, a massive 73.8% advantage. This indicates a substantial lead in this specific mathematical workload, likely benefiting from the newer architecture's efficiency. The Ultra 9 also shows a strong 49.7% lead in PassMark physics (1637 vs 823) and a 42.2% advantage in floating point math (59536 vs 34422), suggesting superior performance in simulation and scientific tasks.

Single-threaded performance is another area where the Ultra 9 288V flexes its muscle. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 301.5 versus the i5's 206, a 31.7% lead. The PassMark single-thread test shows a similar story, with the Ultra 9 at 4274 versus 3131 for the i5, a 26.7% advantage. This is consistent with its higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz compared to 4.60 GHz on the i5. The Ultra 9 also leads in Cinebench R20 single-core (997 vs 860, a 13.7% delta) and Cinebench R15 multi-core (1583 vs 1462, a 7.6% delta).

The story flips dramatically in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Here, the Intel Core i5-11500 wins decisively with a score of 14513 against the Ultra 9's 10178, a 42.6% advantage. This is a significant reversal, likely due to the i5's 12 threads versus the Ultra 9's 8 threads, allowing it to sustain heavy multi-threaded workloads better. The i5 also shows strength in PassMark integer math, scoring 58352 against the Ultra 9's 44019, a 32.6% lead, and in data compression (210796 vs 186521, a 13% lead). It also edges out the Ultra 9 in random string sorting (24505 vs 22622, an 8.3% delta) and Cinebench R23 single-core (2049 vs 1950, a 5.1% lead).

The Ultra 9 288V wins several other key tests, including Cinebench R20 multi-core (7069 vs 6095, a 13.8% lead), PassMark data encryption (14141 vs 10592, a 25.1% lead), and PassMark extended instructions (15613 vs 15111, a 3.2% lead). It also dominates PassMark multithread (19810 vs 17107, a 13.6% delta). The overall average benchmark scores are close, with the i5-11500 at 23718 and the Ultra 9 at 23219, putting the i5 at a slight 2.1% advantage overall, despite the Ultra 9 winning more individual tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is significantly faster in single-threaded tests. It leads the i5-11500 by 31.7% in Cinebench R15 single-core and by 26.7% in PassMark single-thread, reflecting its higher 5.10 GHz boost clock.

Q: Why does the older i5-11500 win in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i5-11500 has 12 threads compared to 8 on the Ultra 9 288V. This thread advantage allows the i5 to score 14513 versus 10178 for the Ultra 9, a 42.6% lead in this specific multi-threaded render test.

Q: What is the most significant performance difference between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 9 288V scores 195 versus 51 for the i5-11500, a 73.8% advantage for the newer chip.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth capabilities differ?

A: The Ultra 9 288V supports LPDDR5X memory with a bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s, while the i5-11500 supports DDR4 with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Ultra 9's memory bandwidth is over 2.5 times higher.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-11500 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 23718 compared to 23219 for the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V, a difference of about 2.1%.

Q: Are both processors on the same manufacturing process?

A: No. The i5-11500 is built on Intel's 14 nm process, while the Ultra 9 288V is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two processors is vast. The Intel Core i5-11500 is built on the Rocket Lake architecture using Intel's 14 nm process node, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V uses the Lunar Lake architecture fabricated on a 3 nm process by TSMC. This fundamental difference in manufacturing technology explains many of the performance and efficiency gaps seen in the benchmarks.

The i5-11500 features 6 cores and 12 threads, a configuration designed for desktop workloads where multi-threading is common. In contrast, the Ultra 9 288V has 8 cores but only 8 threads, meaning it lacks Hyper-Threading. This is a key architectural choice for mobile efficiency, as seen in its 30W TDP compared to the i5's 65W TDP. The cache hierarchies also differ significantly: the i5 has 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Ultra 9 has 192 KB of L1 and 2.5 MB of L2 per core, also with 12 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is another major differentiator. The i5-11500 uses DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Ultra 9 288V supports LPDDR5X, achieving a much higher 136.5 GB/s bandwidth. PCIe connectivity also differs, with the i5 offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), whereas the Ultra 9 provides Gen 5 with only 4 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are different as well, with the i5 featuring UHD Graphics 750 and the Ultra 9 sporting Arc 140V. The i5 uses the desktop Intel Socket 1200, while the Ultra 9 is a mobile chip using Intel BGA 2833.

The Verdict

The data shows a clear choice based on workload. The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is the superior processor for single-threaded performance, physics simulations, floating-point math, and encryption tasks. Its 31.7% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 42.2% lead in floating-point math make it the pick for responsive, lightly-threaded applications. Its higher memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s and 8 cores also make it a strong candidate for modern mobile computing, where the 30W TDP is a clear advantage.

The Intel Core i5-11500 is the champion of specific multi-threaded workloads. Its 42.6% victory in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 32.6% lead in integer math show that its 12 threads can be a decisive factor in rendering and computational tasks that scale well. The data suggests that users running heavily threaded applications that favor the R23 benchmark and integer operations would see better performance from the i5.

For a general-purpose mobile user, the Ultra 9 288V is the better choice due to its wins in the majority of tests, including PassMark multithread and single-thread. However, for a desktop user whose primary applications are multi-threaded renders similar to Cinebench R23, the i5-11500 offers a performance advantage. The i5 also has a higher overall average benchmark score (23718 vs 23219), but the Ultra 9's dominant performance in key modern workloads makes it the more versatile part. Ultimately, the Ultra 9 288V is the better all-rounder for most tasks, while the i5-11500 excels in a narrower set of multi-threaded scenarios.

Specification Differences

The core specifications show a clear generational split. The Intel Core i5-11500 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V has 8 cores and 8 threads. The i5 has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Ultra 9 starts with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and boosts to 5.10 GHz. The i5 has a TDP of 65W, while the Ultra 9 is rated at 30W.

The process nodes are drastically different: the i5 uses Intel's 14 nm process, while the Ultra 9 uses TSMC's 3 nm process. The cache configurations also differ, with the i5 featuring 80 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus 12 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 9 has 192 KB of L1 and 2.5 MB of L2 per core, also with 12 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is a major differentiator, with the i5 supporting DDR4 and the Ultra 9 supporting LPDDR5X. The memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for the i5 and 136.5 GB/s for the Ultra 9. The PCIe support differs as well: the i5 offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 9 offers Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only). The sockets are entirely different, with the i5 using Intel Socket 1200 and the Ultra 9 using Intel BGA 2833. The i5 is a desktop part with UHD Graphics 750, while the Ultra 9 is a mobile part with Arc 140V. The i5 is end-of-life, while the Ultra 9 is active.