Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Comparison

Intel Core i5-14401E and Intel Core Ultra 5 226V represent two distinct Intel design philosophies: a desktop-focused, high-power Raptor Lake refresh versus a mobile-focused, ultra-low-power Lunar Lake part. The benchmark data shows a clear split between raw multi-core throughput and efficiency-oriented single-core performance, with the i5-14401E dominating the Cinebench suite while the Ultra 5 226V claims a narrow victory in one legacy single-core test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded Cinebench results heavily favor the Intel Core i5-14401E. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-14401E scores 18,161 points against the Ultra 5 226V's 9,848 points, a commanding 84.4% advantage. This is the largest delta between the two processors in the entire dataset, underscoring the desktop chip's superior sustained multi-threaded capability.

The gap narrows in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i5-14401E delivers 7,627 points versus 6,381 for the Ultra 5 226V, a 19.5% lead. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a similar pattern: 1,830 points for the i5-14401E and 1,501 for the Ultra 5 226V, a 21.9% difference. Across all three multi-core tests, the i5-14401E consistently outperforms the Ultra 5 226V, with the margin expanding as the workload duration increases.

Single-core results are more mixed. The i5-14401E wins Cinebench R20 single-core with 1,076 points against 900 for the Ultra 5 226V, a 19.6% advantage. It also wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 2,564 points versus 1,744, a 47% lead. However, the Ultra 5 226V takes Cinebench R15 single-core with 267 points against 258 for the i5-14401E, a narrow 3.4% margin. This single win for the Ultra 5 226V is notable because it suggests that in shorter, less thermally demanding single-threaded bursts, the Lunar Lake architecture can edge out the Raptor Lake design despite its much lower power envelope.

The overall head-to-head tally shows 5 wins for the i5-14401E and 1 win for the Ultra 5 226V. Yet the Ultra 5 226V's average benchmark score of 19,368 is significantly higher than the i5-14401E's 5,253, driven by the inclusion of PassMark and Geekbench tests in its dataset that are absent from the i5-14401E's recorded benchmarks. This discrepancy in test coverage means the average scores are not directly comparable, but the Cinebench results provide a clear apples-to-apples comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The i5-14401E uses the Raptor Lake architecture (codename Raptor Lake-R) on a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Ultra 5 226V uses the Lunar Lake architecture on a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC, with 8 cores and 8 threads, a base clock of 2.10 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz.

Cache layouts diverge sharply. The i5-14401E has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 226V has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, but only 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 226V's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches reflect a design optimized for latency-sensitive single-threaded work, while the i5-14401E's larger shared L3 cache benefits multi-core workloads that share data.

Power consumption differs by a factor of nearly four. The i5-14401E has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Ultra 5 226V is rated at just 17 watts. This reflects their intended market segments: the i5-14401E is a desktop part for Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 226V is a mobile part for Intel BGA 2833. The i5-14401E supports ECC memory and uses DDR4 or DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration. The Ultra 5 226V's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, also dual-channel, but it lacks ECC support.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The i5-14401E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 5 226V provides Gen 5 with only 4 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both: the i5-14401E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 226V uses Arc 130V. The Ultra 5 226V's newer process node and lower TDP indicate a design focused on efficiency, while the i5-14401E's higher clocks and larger shared cache target raw performance.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-14401E wins in sustained multi-threaded and high-frequency single-threaded workloads. Its 84.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core shows it is the clear choice for rendering, compilation, or any task that scales across all cores for extended periods. The 19.5% and 21.9% leads in R20 and R15 multi-core reinforce this, with the margin growing as the test becomes longer and more demanding. In single-core tests that allow boosting to 4.70 GHz, the i5-14401E leads by 19.6% in R20 and 47% in R23, indicating superior peak single-thread performance when thermal headroom is available.

The Ultra 5 226V wins in the shortest single-threaded burst test. Its 3.4% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core, despite a lower boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 4.70 GHz, suggests the Lunar Lake architecture's larger L1 and L2 caches (192 KB and 2.5 MB per core versus 80 KB and 1.25 MB) provide a latency advantage for brief, cache-resident operations. The Ultra 5 226V also holds a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs at 73 versus 60 for the i5-14401E, indicating that its overall benchmark profile places it in a stronger relative position despite losing the Cinebench head-to-head.

For mobile or low-power scenarios, the Ultra 5 226V's 17-watt TDP versus 65 watts means it can operate in thin-and-light systems where the i5-14401E cannot be installed. Its 8 cores, even without hyper-threading (8 threads versus 12), provide a wider physical core count for parallel tasks that do not depend on shared L3 cache. The i5-14401E's 20 MB of L3 cache versus 8 MB gives it an advantage in workloads with large working sets that fit in the shared cache.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-14401E scores 18,161 points, which is 84.4% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V's 9,848 points.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V win any benchmark against the i5-14401E?

A: Yes, it wins Cinebench R15 single-core with 267 points versus 258, a 3.4% margin.

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

A: The i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Ultra 5 226V has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How do the power requirements differ?

A: The i5-14401E has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Ultra 5 226V has a TDP of 17 watts.

Q: Which processor has a larger shared L3 cache?

A: The i5-14401E has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 8 MB for the Ultra 5 226V.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The i5-14401E is built on a 10 nm process by Intel, while the Ultra 5 226V is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC.

The Verdict

The data indicates the Intel Core i5-14401E is the superior processor for raw compute performance in the Cinebench suite. Its 84.4% multi-core lead in R23 and 47% single-core lead in R23 single-core make it the definitive choice for desktop workloads that demand sustained throughput and high clock speeds. The 65-watt TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility position it as a conventional desktop part for users with adequate cooling and power delivery.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, with its 17-watt TDP, 3 nm process, and 8 cores, is designed for a different purpose. Its single benchmark win in Cinebench R15 single-core, combined with its higher percentile rank of 73 versus 60, indicates that its architecture excels in efficiency and short-burst tasks. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches compensate for the smaller shared L3 cache, making it suitable for mobile platforms where power consumption is critical.

Benchmark results confirm that the i5-14401E should be selected for multi-threaded rendering, video encoding, or software compilation where the 84.4% R23 multi-core advantage translates into meaningful time savings. The Ultra 5 226V is the appropriate choice for ultra-portable laptops or fanless designs where the 17-watt TDP is mandatory and where occasional single-threaded bursts, as shown by the R15 win, are the primary workload. The 19.5% to 21.9% multi-core margin in R20 and R15 reinforces the i5-14401E's dominance, but the Ultra 5 226V's overall benchmark profile, including PassMark and Geekbench scores, demonstrates a broader capability set that extends beyond the Cinebench suite, even if those tests are not directly comparable across the two processors.