Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255H Comparison

Intel Core i5-14401E vs Intel Core Ultra 7 255H

The Intel Core i5-14401E and the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H represent two very different design philosophies from the same manufacturer. The i5-14401E is a desktop processor built on the mature Raptor Lake architecture, while the Ultra 7 255H is a mobile chip using the newer Arrow Lake architecture on a smaller process node. Benchmark data from the database shows a clear split: the desktop chip dominates in traditional CPU rendering workloads, while the mobile chip holds a significant advantage in overall average benchmark scores due to a broader and more varied test suite. The i5-14401E wins all six direct head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with margins ranging from a narrow 2.8% in single-core R15 to a massive 96.5% in multi-core R23.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison results are unambiguous. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-14401E scores 1830 against 1515 for the Ultra 7 255H, a 20.8% advantage. The single-core R15 test is much closer, with the i5-14401E at 258 and the Ultra 7 at 251, a 2.8% edge. Moving to Cinebench R20, the desktop part scores 7627 in multi-core versus 6381 for the mobile chip, a 19.5% lead, and in single-core it posts 1076 versus 900, a 19.6% margin. The most dramatic difference appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core: the i5-14401E delivers 18161 points, while the Ultra 7 255H manages only 9240, giving the desktop processor a 96.5% advantage. That near-doubling of multi-threaded performance is the defining result of this comparison. Even in R23 single-core, where modern architectures often close the gap, the i5-14401E leads with 2564 against 1843, a 39.1% margin. The data shows the i5-14401E is the clear winner in every direct benchmark recorded, with the largest gaps appearing in sustained multi-core loads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-14401E boosts to 4.70 GHz. Despite the higher boost clock, the Ultra 7 still loses all single-core Cinebench comparisons in the recorded data.

Q: How do the core and thread counts differ?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H has 16 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i5-14401E has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i5-14401E uses hyper-threading to reach 12 threads from 6 cores, whereas the Ultra 7 has a 1:1 core-to-thread ratio.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor, and how do they rank?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H has an average benchmark score of 33537 and sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core i5-14401E has an average benchmark score of 5253 and sits in the 60th percentile. The Ultra 7's average is much higher because its benchmark suite includes additional PassMark tests with very large scores.

Q: Which chip has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 20 MB of shared L3 cache on the Intel Core i5-14401E.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-14401E and the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H support ECC memory.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each chip according to the database?

A: For the i5-14401E, the nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E5-2699A v4 with an average score of 5259 and a delta of -0.1%. For the Ultra 7 255H, the nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 240 with an average score of 33542 and a delta of 0%.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The i5-14401E uses Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, and is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. The Ultra 7 255H uses Arrow Lake, specifically Arrow Lake-H, and is manufactured by TSMC on a 3 nm process. This process difference is a key factor in the power and efficiency profile of each chip. The i5-14401E has a die size of 215 mm², while the die size for the Ultra 7 is not recorded in the database. The i5-14401E is part of the Core 14th Gen series and the Core i5 generation of Raptor Lake Refresh. The Ultra 7 255H is part of the Core Ultra Series 2 and the Ultra 7 generation of Arrow Lake-H.

Cache hierarchies also differ significantly. The i5-14401E has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, with 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 7 255H has 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the Ultra 7 reflect the newer architecture's design priorities. Integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-14401E uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 7 255H uses Arc Graphics 140T. The Ultra 7 also has a higher PCIe lane count with Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only), compared to Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) on the i5-14401E.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show a clear divergence in target use cases. The i5-14401E is a desktop processor with a TDP of 65 watts, while the Ultra 7 255H is a mobile processor with a TDP of 28 watts. The desktop chip uses Intel Socket 1700, while the mobile chip uses Intel BGA 2049. The i5-14401E has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Ultra 7 255H has a lower base clock of 2.00 GHz but a higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Core counts differ substantially: 6 cores and 12 threads for the i5-14401E versus 16 cores and 16 threads for the Ultra 7 255H.

Memory support also differs. The i5-14401E supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Ultra 7 255H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in a dual-channel configuration, and it has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The i5-14401E does not have a memory bandwidth figure in the database. The market segment is listed as Desktop for the i5-14401E and Mobile for the Ultra 7 255H. Both are marked as Active in production status and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The release dates differ, with the i5-14401E released on 2024-06-30 and the Ultra 7 255H released on 2025-01-12.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a straightforward conclusion. The Intel Core i5-14401E is the superior processor for multi-threaded CPU rendering workloads. Its 96.5% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 20.8% lead in R15 multi-core demonstrate that the desktop design, with its 65W power envelope, delivers substantially more sustained compute performance than the 28W mobile part. The i5-14401E also wins every single-core Cinebench test, with margins from 2.8% to 39.1%. For users running Cinebench-class workloads or any application that scales with multi-core CPU throughput, the i5-14401E is the clear choice based on the direct comparison data.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, however, holds the higher overall average benchmark score of 33537 versus 5253 for the i5-14401E. This is driven by its inclusion of additional PassMark tests in the database, including data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime numbers, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single thread tests. The Ultra 7 255H also ranks higher overall at the 83rd percentile of all CPUs compared to the 60th percentile for the i5-14401E. The Ultra 7's higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz, larger cache hierarchy, and 16 cores make it a more versatile mobile processor, but the recorded Cinebench results show it cannot match the i5-14401E in raw rendering performance.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-14401E wins in every direct head-to-head benchmark recorded. Its strengths are most pronounced in multi-core Cinebench workloads, where it nearly doubles the Ultra 7 255H's R23 score. It also wins the single-core tests, though by a smaller margin in R15. The desktop chip's 65W TDP and Socket 1700 platform make it suited for stationary builds where power draw is less constrained. Its 6 cores and 12 threads, combined with DDR4 and DDR5 memory support, provide a flexible desktop option.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H wins on overall average benchmark score and percentile ranking. Its 28W TDP makes it suitable for mobile platforms, and its 16 cores and 16 threads offer a higher core count. The Ultra 7 has a higher boost clock, larger L1, L2, and L3 caches, and supports LPDDR5X memory in addition to DDR5. Its PCIe Gen 5 implementation offers 20 lanes compared to 16 on the i5-14401E. For workloads represented by the PassMark suite, which includes encryption, compression, and math operations, the Ultra 7's recorded scores are substantial, with a multithread score of 30703 and a single thread score of 4317. The i5-14401E does not have PassMark scores recorded, so those specific comparisons cannot be made from the database. The Ultra 7 255H also uses the newer 3 nm process from TSMC, which is a significant architectural advantage in efficiency, and it integrates Arc Graphics 140T instead of the UHD Graphics 730 found on the i5-14401E.