Intel Core i5-14490F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits these two processors into sharply different performance profiles. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 wins 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i5-14490F takes 4. The margins tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The Ultra 5 225 dominates in Cinebench R23, posting 25,891 multi-core and 3,655 single-core scores. Those beat the i5-14490F's 23,000 and 3,247 by 11.2% in both tests. The R15 results follow the same pattern: the Ultra 5 225 scores 2,609 multi-core and 368 single-core, versus 2,318 and 327 for the i5-14490F, again an 11.1% to 11.2% advantage.

The i5-14490F strikes back hard in Cinebench R20. It scores 9,660 multi-core and 1,363 single-core, while the Ultra 5 225 manages only 6,317 and 891. That is a 52.9% multi-core lead and a 53% single-core lead for the i5-14490F. This is the largest delta in either direction across the entire benchmark set, and it flips the expected hierarchy between the two parts.

PassMark results add further texture. The Ultra 5 225 wins floating point math by a wide margin, scoring 92,038 versus 66,558, a 27.7% gap. It also leads in extended instructions (27,162 vs 21,731, a 20% edge), find prime numbers (358 vs 122, a 65.9% advantage), data encryption (22,285 vs 18,225, an 18.2% lead), and single-thread performance (4,412 vs 3,873, a 12.2% gap). The multithread score favors the Ultra 5 225 at 30,459 versus 28,662, a 5.9% margin, and physics lands at 2,342 versus 2,093, a 10.6% edge. Random string sorting is close, 36,590 versus 35,608, a 2.7% win for the Ultra 5 225.

The i5-14490F's PassMark wins are concentrated in integer-heavy work. It scores 87,844 in integer math versus 65,345, a commanding 34.4% lead. Data compression goes to the i5-14490F at 340,026 versus 302,811, a 12.3% margin. Those two wins, plus the two R20 results, give the i5-14490F its 4 victories.

Average benchmark scores place the i5-14490F at 38,149 and the Ultra 5 225 at 36,938. The i5-14490F sits at the 86th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ultra 5 225 sits at the 85th. The nearest rivals for the i5-14490F include the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T at 38,194 (0.1% behind), the Intel Core i5-13600KF at 38,103 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Ryzen 7 250 at 38,221 (0.2% behind), and the Intel Core i5-13600HX at 38,261 (0.3% behind). The Ultra 5 225's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36,945 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37,018 (0.2% behind), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37,093 (0.4% behind), and the Intel Core i9-12900T at 37,112 (0.5% behind).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design generations with distinct fabrication approaches. The i5-14490F uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, with a die size of 215 mm². It has 10 cores and 16 threads, a 2.50 GHz base clock, and a 5.00 GHz boost clock. The Ultra 5 225 uses Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process from TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. It also has 10 cores but only 10 threads, a 3.30 GHz base clock, and a 4.90 GHz boost clock.

Thread count is a major differentiator. The i5-14490F supports Hyper-Threading, giving it 16 threads from 10 cores. The Ultra 5 225 has no Hyper-Threading, so 10 cores yield 10 threads. This explains why the i5-14490F can win certain multi-threaded tests despite lower single-thread capability.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The i5-14490F has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225 has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225's larger per-core L1 and L2 caches support its higher single-thread scores, while the i5-14490F's larger shared L3 helps in workloads that benefit from a bigger pooled cache.

Memory support also diverges. The i5-14490F supports both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus. The Ultra 5 225 supports DDR5 only, also dual-channel, but with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs. The i5-14490F provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 5 225 provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 5 225 also includes integrated graphics: Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. The i5-14490F has no integrated graphics, hence the "F" suffix.

Sockets are not interchangeable. The i5-14490F uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 225 uses Intel Socket 1851. Both are desktop parts with a 65 W TDP, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-14490F launched on December 31, 2023, and the Ultra 5 225 launched on January 6, 2025.

Where Each One Wins

The Ultra 5 225 shows its strength in single-thread and lightly threaded workloads. Cinebench R23 single-core (3,655 vs 3,247), PassMark single-thread (4,412 vs 3,873), and Cinebench R15 single-core (368 vs 327) all favor the Arrow Lake part. The 3 nm process and larger per-core caches appear to deliver higher IPC, which shows in these tests.

The Ultra 5 225 also wins in floating point and encryption. The 92,038 floating point math score versus 66,558 is a decisive gap, and the 22,285 data encryption score beats the i5-14490F's 18,225 by a clear margin. Extended instructions (27,162 vs 21,731) and prime number finding (358 vs 122) also favor the Ultra 5 225, with the prime number result being the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison.

The i5-14490F wins where thread count matters. Its 16 threads versus 10 give it a structural advantage in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where it scores 9,660 against 6,317. The R20 single-core result (1,363 vs 891) also favors the i5-14490F, which is surprising given the Ultra 5 225's wins in other single-thread tests. This inconsistency across Cinebench versions suggests the R20 test favors the Raptor Lake design in ways that R15 and R23 do not.

Integer math is another i5-14490F stronghold. The 87,844 integer score versus 65,345 is a 34.4% lead, and data compression at 340,026 versus 302,811 adds a 12.3% win. These results point to workloads that rely on integer throughput and compression algorithms running better on the i5-14490F.

The multithread PassMark score goes to the Ultra 5 225 (30,459 vs 28,662), but the margin is modest at 5.9%. Physics also favors the Ultra 5 225 (2,342 vs 2,093, a 10.6% edge). Random string sorting is nearly a tie, with the Ultra 5 225 ahead by only 2.7%.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split. For users running Cinebench R23 or R15 workloads, the Ultra 5 225 delivers an 11.2% multi-core advantage and an 11.1% to 11.2% single-core advantage. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4,412 is 12.2% higher than the i5-14490F's 3,873. Floating point math, encryption, and extended instruction workloads also run faster on the Ultra 5 225, with margins ranging from 18.2% to 27.7%.

For integer math and data compression, the i5-14490F is the better choice. Its 34.4% integer math lead and 12.3% compression lead are substantial. The Cinebench R20 results are the strongest argument for the i5-14490F: a 52.9% multi-core lead and a 53% single-core lead over the Ultra 5 225. No other test in the comparison shows a gap of this size.

Average benchmark scores slightly favor the i5-14490F at 38,149 versus 36,938, a difference of about 3.2%. Both parts sit near the 85th to 86th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-14490F's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-13600KF, which scores 38,103, only 0.1% behind. The Ultra 5 225's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36,945, with a 0% delta.

The Ultra 5 225 carries a launch MSRP of $246. The i5-14490F has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

The i5-14490F suits workloads that reward higher thread counts and integer throughput, particularly compression and integer math tasks. The Ultra 5 225 suits workloads that reward single-thread speed, floating point math, encryption, and modern instruction sets. The R20 anomaly prevents a simple overall verdict, but the weight of the data favors the Ultra 5 225 in most modern application scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F has 16 threads from 10 cores. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has 10 threads from 10 cores.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The i5-14490F leads by 53% in Cinebench R20 single-core (1,363 vs 891) and 52.9% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (9,660 vs 6,317). The Ultra 5 225 leads by 65.9% in PassMark find prime numbers (358 vs 122).

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 16 execution units. The Intel Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The i5-14490F supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus. The Ultra 5 225 supports DDR5 only over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-14490F has an average benchmark score of 38,149 and sits at the 86th percentile. The Ultra 5 225 has an average score of 36,938 and sits at the 85th percentile.

Q: Do both processors use the same socket?

A: No. The i5-14490F uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 225 uses Intel Socket 1851.