Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235A Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive sweep in favor of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A across all six Cinebench comparisons. The Core i5-14401E does not secure a single win in the head-to-head tests. The most striking pattern is the consistency of the margin: every single-core and multi-core test shows the Ultra 5 235A leading by approximately 44%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ultra 5 235A scores 32,633 against the Core i5-14401E's 18,161, a delta of -44.3%. The single-core R23 result follows the same shape, 4,607 versus 2,564, also a -44.3% difference.

The older Cinebench R20 and R15 runs replicate this gap almost exactly. In R20 multi-core, the Ultra 5 235A posts 13,705 while the Core i5-14401E manages 7,627, a -44.3% delta. R20 single-core shows 1,934 versus 1,076, a -44.4% delta. R15 multi-core comes in at 3,289 versus 1,830, and R15 single-core at 464 versus 258, both with a -44.4% delta. The uniformity of these percentages indicates that the performance advantage is not workload-specific; it scales across rendering loads and single-threaded tasks alike.

The average benchmark score reinforces the separation. The Core Ultra 5 235A holds an average score of 48,201, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Core i5-14401E averages 5,253, sitting in the 60th percentile. The nearest rivals for each part confirm their respective tiers. The Core i5-14401E trades almost evenly with the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 (delta -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-11700B (delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i9-10850K (delta 0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-13400T (delta 0.8%). The Core Ultra 5 235A, by contrast, sits alongside the AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 (delta 0.1%), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (delta -0.2%), the AMD EPYC 4345P (delta -0.6%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 3900 (delta 0.6%). These groupings show two different performance classes, with the Ultra 5 235A competing against much stronger silicon.

Where Each One Wins

The split is clean: the Core Ultra 5 235A wins every recorded benchmark category, while the Core i5-14401E has no recorded wins. Within that sweep, the Ultra 5 235A shows particular strength in multi-threaded rendering. Its R23 multi-core score of 32,633 is nearly double the Core i5-14401E's 18,161. The 14-core, 14-thread configuration of the Ultra 5 235A, combined with its 3 nm process node, drives this result. The Core i5-14401E, with 6 cores and 12 threads on a 10 nm process, falls behind in any workload that scales with core count.

The single-core results tell a similar story, though the architectural gap is the more significant factor. The Ultra 5 235A reaches a 5.00 GHz boost clock, while the Core i5-14401E stops at 4.70 GHz. In R23 single-core, the Ultra 5 235A scores 4,607 versus 2,564 for the Core i5-14401E. That 2,043-point gap, roughly 80% of the Core i5-14401E's total score, indicates a substantial IPC advantage for the Arrow Lake design, not just a clock speed difference.

The Core Ultra 5 235A also carries additional PassMark results in the database, covering data compression (393,800), data encryption (30,136), extended instructions (31,625), prime number finding (392), floating point math (118,778), integer math (88,626), multithread (38,392), physics (2,437), random string sorting (49,489), and single-thread (4,557). These results have no direct counterparts for the Core i5-14401E in the recorded data, so no head-to-head comparison is possible for those specific tests. The available Cinebench data, however, suggests the Ultra 5 235A would hold the advantage across most of these workloads given its consistent lead in both single-core and multi-core rendering.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design generations. The Intel Core i5-14401E uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, on a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235A uses the Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-S, on a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC. The transistor count reflects this shift: the Ultra 5 235A integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the Core i5-14401E has no transistor count listed in the database but carries a 215 mm² die. The smaller process node allows the Ultra 5 235A to pack 14 cores and 14 threads into its design, compared to 6 cores and 12 threads for the Core i5-14401E.

Cache organization also differs sharply. The Core i5-14401E allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 235A steps up to 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Larger per-core caches likely contribute to the Ultra 5 235A's single-core advantage, as more data can reside closer to the execution units.

The memory subsystem changes as well. The Core i5-14401E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Core Ultra 5 235A supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, but with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Core i5-14401E has no bandwidth figure in the database. ECC memory support is present on the Core i5-14401E but absent on the Core Ultra 5 235A. PCIe connectivity differs: the Core i5-14401E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Core Ultra 5 235A provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics also move to a newer design. The Core i5-14401E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Core Ultra 5 235A uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU. The sockets differ as well: the Core i5-14401E fits Intel Socket 1700, and the Core Ultra 5 235A fits Intel Socket 1851. Both processors are locked, with no unlocked multiplier, and both are listed as Active in production status.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ: 6 cores and 12 threads for the Core i5-14401E, 14 cores and 14 threads for the Core Ultra 5 235A. Base clocks differ, with the Core i5-14401E at 2.50 GHz and the Core Ultra 5 235A at 3.40 GHz. Boost clocks differ, with the Core i5-14401E at 4.70 GHz and the Core Ultra 5 235A at 5.00 GHz. TDP is identical at 65 for both. Process node differs, 10 nm for the Core i5-14401E and 3 nm for the Core Ultra 5 235A. Foundry differs, Intel for the Core i5-14401E and TSMC for the Core Ultra 5 235A. Die size differs, 215 mm² versus 243 mm². L1 cache per core differs, 80 KB versus 192 KB. L2 cache per core differs, 1.25 MB versus 3 MB. L3 cache differs, 20 MB shared versus 24 MB shared. Memory support differs, DDR4 and DDR5 versus DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth is listed only for the Core Ultra 5 235A at 102.4 GB/s. ECC support differs, true for the Core i5-14401E and false for the Core Ultra 5 235A. PCIe lanes differ, 16 versus 20. Integrated graphics differ, UHD Graphics 730 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU. Socket differs, Intel Socket 1700 versus Intel Socket 1851. Release dates differ, 2024-06-30 for the Core i5-14401E and 2025-07-28 for the Core Ultra 5 235A. The Core Ultra 5 235A has a launch MSRP of $269. Part numbers differ: Q49JSRNJS for the Core i5-14401E and SRWPN for the Core Ultra 5 235A.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235A scores 32,633 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-14401E scores 18,161, a delta of -44.3%.

Q: How does the single-core performance compare?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core Ultra 5 235A scores 4,607 against the Core i5-14401E's 2,564, a delta of -44.3%. The same pattern appears in R20 and R15 single-core tests, with deltas of -44.4%.

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

A: The Core i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Core Ultra 5 235A has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Core i5-14401E supports ECC memory, while the Core Ultra 5 235A does not.

Q: What process nodes are used?

A: The Core i5-14401E uses a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The Core Ultra 5 235A uses a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235A has 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i5-14401E has 20 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235A has an average benchmark score of 48,201 and sits in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The Core i5-14401E has an average benchmark score of 5,253 and sits in the 60th percentile.