Intel Core i5-14490F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results for the Intel Core i5-14490F and the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 present a stark split across two distinct test families. The Core i5-14490F dominates the Cinebench suite, while the Core Ultra 5 235 secures a decisive majority in the Passmark tests, winning 11 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons.

In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the Core i5-14490F holds a consistent advantage. The multicore scores show a delta of 55.8% in Cinebench R15 (2318 vs. 1488) and R20 (9660 vs. 6202), with a 55.7% delta in Cinebench R23 (23000 vs. 14769). The single-core results follow the same pattern: the Core i5-14490F leads by 55.7% in Cinebench R15 (327 vs. 210) and Cinebench R23 (3247 vs. 2085), and by 55.8% in Cinebench R20 (1363 vs. 875). The consistency of these margins, all hovering near 56%, indicates a structural performance difference in this rendering workload rather than a test-specific anomaly.

The Passmark suite tells a different story. The Core Ultra 5 235 wins 11 of the 13 Passmark comparisons, with its largest victory in the find prime numbers test, where it scores 371 against 122, a delta of 67.1%. Floating point math also shows a substantial gap: 117951 vs. 66558, a 43.6% advantage. Data encryption favors the Core Ultra 5 235 at 29293 vs. 18225, a 37.8% delta, while extended instructions come in at 32752 vs. 21731, a 33.6% lead. The Core Ultra 5 235 also leads in random string sorting (48980 vs. 35608, a 27.3% delta), Passmark multithread (37816 vs. 28662, a 24.2% delta), and physics (2570 vs. 2093, an 18.6% delta). Data compression shows a 13% edge for the Core Ultra 5 235 (390711 vs. 340026). The closest margin in the entire comparison is Passmark integer math, where the Core Ultra 5 235 wins by just 0.1% (87948 vs. 87844). Single-thread performance in Passmark favors the Core Ultra 5 235 by 14.2% (4516 vs. 3873).

The overall average benchmark score confirms the Core Ultra 5 235 as the stronger aggregate performer. It records an average score of 46062, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Core i5-14490F averages 38149, sitting in the 86th percentile. The nearest rivals for the Core Ultra 5 235 include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 at a 0.1% delta, the Intel Core i9-13900HX at a 0.1% delta, and two AMD EPYC server parts, the 4364P and 7303, both at a 0.2% delta. The Core i5-14490F sits near the Intel Core Ultra 5 245T (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-13600KF (0.1% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (0.2% delta), and the Intel Core i5-13600HX (0.3% delta). These rival groupings place the two processors in different performance strata, with the Core Ultra 5 235 competing against higher-scoring parts.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-14490F is the clear winner in Cinebench rendering workloads across all three versions of the test, both single-core and multi-core. This suggests an advantage in tasks that rely on the legacy x86 execution path and high-frequency single-threaded scaling, as the boost clocks are identical at 5.00 GHz for both chips. The Core i5-14490F uses 10 cores with 16 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to deliver more concurrent threads than the Core Ultra 5 235, which has 14 cores but only 14 threads. In Cinebench, the additional threads of the Core i5-14490F appear to provide a measurable benefit despite its lower core count.

The Core Ultra 5 235 wins in the majority of Passmark workloads, particularly those that stress encryption, compression, extended instruction sets, and prime number calculations. The 67.1% delta in find prime numbers is the single largest margin recorded in the head-to-head data, and it indicates a substantial advantage in integer-heavy algorithmic workloads. Floating point math also leans heavily toward the Core Ultra 5 235, with a 43.6% delta, which may reflect the newer architecture's wider execution resources. Data encryption and extended instructions show 37.8% and 33.6% deltas, respectively, pointing to efficient handling of cryptographic and SIMD-style operations. The Core Ultra 5 235 also wins the Passmark multithread test by 24.2%, which is notable because it achieves this without Hyper-Threading, relying instead on its 14 physical cores.

The single-thread Passmark score favors the Core Ultra 5 235 by 14.2%, which contrasts with the Cinebench single-core results where the Core i5-14490F leads by roughly 56%. This divergence across test suites suggests that the two processors have fundamentally different performance profiles depending on the instruction mix and workload characteristics, rather than one being universally faster.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, compared to 38149 for the Intel Core i5-14490F. The Core Ultra 5 235 also sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core i5-14490F sits in the 86th percentile.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F scores 23000 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3247 in single-core. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 14769 in multicore and 2085 in single-core. The Core i5-14490F leads by 55.7% in both cases.

Q: What is the largest performance margin in the head-to-head results?

A: The largest margin is in the Passmark find prime numbers test, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 371 versus 122 for the Intel Core i5-14490F, a delta of 67.1%.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 win any Cinebench tests?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-14490F wins all six Cinebench comparisons (R15, R20, and R23, each in single-core and multicore), with deltas ranging from 55.7% to 55.8%.

Q: What is the closest benchmark result between the two processors?

A: The closest result is Passmark integer math, where the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 87948 and the Intel Core i5-14490F scores 87844, a delta of only 0.1%.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads, meaning it has fewer physical cores but more threads due to Hyper-Threading support.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several core specifications. The Intel Core i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads. The base clock of the Core i5-14490F is 2.50 GHz, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz. Both processors have a boost clock of 5.00 GHz and a TDP of 65 watts.

The socket types differ: the Core i5-14490F uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Core Ultra 5 235 uses Intel Socket 1851. Memory support also differs, with the Core i5-14490F supporting both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 5 235 supports DDR5 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Core Ultra 5 235 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not listed for the Core i5-14490F.

PCIe lane counts differ as well. The Core i5-14490F supports Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Core Ultra 5 235 supports Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The Core Ultra 5 235 includes integrated graphics, specifically Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU, while the Core i5-14490F has no integrated graphics.

The release dates differ: the Core i5-14490F was released on 2023-12-31, while the Core Ultra 5 235 was released on 2025-01-06. The Core Ultra 5 235 has a launch MSRP of $257, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core i5-14490F. Both processors have locked multipliers and are active in production. The part numbers are SRN35 for the Core i5-14490F and SRQAS for the Core Ultra 5 235.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between the two processors is substantial. The Intel Core i5-14490F is built on the Raptor Lake architecture, with the codename Raptor Lake-R and the generation label Core i5 (Raptor Lake Refresh). It uses a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The Core Ultra 5 235 uses the Arrow Lake architecture, with the codename Arrow Lake-S and the generation label Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake). It is built on a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC, and the database records 17,800 million transistors on a die size of 243 mm². The Core i5-14490F has a die size of 215 mm².

Cache configurations differ markedly. The Core i5-14490F has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. The Core Ultra 5 235 has 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. Both processors share 24 MB of L3 cache. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has a 3D V-Cache option.

The Core Ultra 5 235 relies on TSMC's 3 nm process, which represents a node advantage over the 10 nm process used by the Core i5-14490F. The Core Ultra 5 235 also has a newer release date and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2, whereas the Core i5-14490F belongs to the Core 14th Gen. The integrated graphics present in the Core Ultra 5 235, Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU, is a feature entirely absent from the Core i5-14490F. The combination of a newer process node, larger cache per core, and integrated graphics gives the Core Ultra 5 235 a different architectural profile, even though both processors share the same 24 MB L3 cache and 65 W TDP.