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

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-14490F records an average benchmark score of 38149, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H records 37522. The desktop chip sits slightly ahead in aggregate, though both land in the 85th to 86th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Q: How do these two compare in Cinebench multi-core tests?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235H wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 2580 in R15, 10751 in R20, and 25598 in R23, versus the i5-14490F's 2318, 9660, and 23000 respectively. The margin is consistent, roughly 10% in each case.

Q: Which processor handles single-threaded workloads better?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235H dominates single-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 3613 versus 3247 for the i5-14490F, and its PassMark single-thread score is 4359 versus 3873, a difference of about 11%.

Q: Are there any workloads where the i5-14490F wins?

A: Yes. The i5-14490F wins PassMark data compression (340026 vs 301979), integer math (87844 vs 74247), and physics (2093 vs 1985). It also holds a significant edge in integer math, finishing 18.3% ahead.

Q: What are the architectural differences between these chips?

A: The i5-14490F uses Raptor Lake-R on a 10 nm Intel process with 10 cores and 16 threads. The Core Ultra 5 235H uses Arrow Lake-H on a 3 nm TSMC process with 14 cores and 14 threads. The mobile chip also includes integrated Arc Graphics 140T, while the desktop chip has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: Both processors share the same 5.00 GHz boost clock. Their base clocks differ slightly, with the i5-14490F at 2.50 GHz and the Core Ultra 5 235H at 2.40 GHz.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-14490F and Intel Core Ultra 5 235H represent two distinctly different design philosophies from Intel. The i5-14490F is built on Raptor Lake-R architecture, a refresh of the Raptor Lake design, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It targets the desktop segment with an Intel Socket 1700 interface. The Core Ultra 5 235H, conversely, uses the Arrow Lake-H architecture, built on a 3 nm TSMC process, and is designed for mobile platforms with an Intel BGA 2049 socket.

Core configuration differs substantially. The i5-14490F offers 10 cores and 16 threads, implying hyper-threading on some cores. The Core Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores but only 14 threads, meaning it does not use simultaneous multi-threading. This is a significant divergence: the desktop part relies on thread duplication to reach 16 threads, while the mobile part scales raw core count instead.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The i5-14490F has 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and a 24 MB shared L3. The Core Ultra 5 235H has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, but only 18 MB shared L3. The mobile chip has more per-core cache but less total last-level cache, a trade-off typical of power-constrained designs.

Process node and foundry differ. The i5-14490F uses Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². The Core Ultra 5 235H uses TSMC's 3 nm process, though its die size is not recorded. The smaller node allows the mobile chip to pack more cores into a 28 W TDP, compared to the i5-14490F's 65 W TDP.

Memory support and PCIe lanes also separate the two. The i5-14490F supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 5 235H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The desktop chip has 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only), while the mobile chip has 8 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. Integrated graphics are absent on the i5-14490F, while the Core Ultra 5 235H includes Arc Graphics 140T.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a clear overall winner: the Core Ultra 5 235H takes 14 of 17 head-to-head comparisons. The i5-14490F wins only three. Yet the margins tell a more nuanced story.

In Cinebench tests, the Core Ultra 5 235H wins every round. Its R15 multi-core score of 2580 beats the i5-14490F's 2318 by 10.2%. Single-core R15 shows the same delta, 364 versus 327, again 10.2%. R20 multi-core comes in at 10751 versus 9660, a 10.1% edge, and R20 single-core at 1517 versus 1363, another 10.2%. R23 multi-core shows 25598 versus 23000, a 10.1% advantage, and R23 single-core 3613 versus 3247, a 10.1% gap. This consistency across all six Cinebench tests suggests the Core Ultra 5 235H has a uniform performance advantage in rendering workloads, likely stemming from its more modern architecture and higher single-thread efficiency.

PassMark results are more varied. The Core Ultra 5 235H wins data encryption with 23121 versus 18225, a 21.2% margin, its largest victory. It also dominates floating-point math, scoring 93509 versus 66558, a 28.8% lead. The find-prime-numbers test shows the biggest relative gap: 239 versus 122, a 49% difference, meaning the mobile chip is nearly twice as fast at that specific operation. Extended instructions go to the Core Ultra 5 235H by 6.9% (23354 vs 21731), and multithread to it by 4.7% (30091 vs 28662). Random string sorting is close, with the Core Ultra 5 235H ahead by only 1.7% (36208 vs 35608).

The i5-14490F's wins are concentrated in specific integer-heavy tasks. Data compression shows its best result: 340026 versus 301979, a 12.6% lead. Integer math is even stronger in relative terms: 87844 versus 74247, an 18.3% margin. Physics also goes to the desktop chip, 2093 versus 1985, a 5.4% edge. These wins suggest the i5-14490F's higher thread count and larger L3 cache benefit certain mathematical workloads, even when the overall architecture is older.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H as the stronger all-around performer. It wins 14 of 17 benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and the majority of PassMark workloads. Its single-thread advantage is decisive, ranging from 10.1% to 11.1% across different tests. In floating-point math, it leads by nearly 29%, and in the prime-number search, it is roughly twice as fast.

However, the i5-14490F is not without merit. It wins data compression by 12.6%, integer math by 18.3%, and physics by 5.4%. These are not trivial margins. For users whose workloads are dominated by integer arithmetic, compression, or physics simulations, the desktop chip could be the better choice despite its overall deficit.

The average benchmark scores reflect this split: the i5-14490F sits at 38149, slightly ahead of the Core Ultra 5 235H's 37522. The nearest rivals for each chip confirm their positioning. The i5-14490F trades blows with the Intel Core i5-13600KF (38103, 0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (38221, -0.2% delta). The Core Ultra 5 235H sits near the Intel Core i9-13900HK (37425, 0.3% delta) and the Intel Core i5-13600K (37685, -0.4% delta).

The choice depends on platform and workload. For a desktop build with DDR4 or DDR5 memory and no need for integrated graphics, the i5-14490F offers competitive integer performance. For a mobile system or anyone prioritizing single-thread speed and floating-point throughput, the Core Ultra 5 235H is clearly superior in the measured data.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-14490F | Intel Core Ultra 5 235H |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 10 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base clock | 2.50 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Arrow Lake |

| Codename | Raptor Lake-R | Arrow Lake-H |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die size | 215 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 80 KB per core | 192 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 1.25 MB per core | 3 MB per core |

| L3 cache | 24 MB shared | 18 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bandwidth | Not recorded | 102.4 GB/s |

| PCIe lanes | 16 (Gen 5) | 8 (Gen 5) |

| Integrated graphics | N/A | Arc Graphics 140T |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2023-12-31 | 2025-01-12 |

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins in rendering and content creation workloads. Every Cinebench test goes to it, with a consistent 10% margin in both single-core and multi-core scenarios. This makes it the stronger choice for video editing, 3D rendering, and any software that relies on Cinebench-like rendering pipelines.

The Core Ultra 5 235H also dominates floating-point math, leading by 28.8%, and the prime-number search, leading by 49%. These results point to advantages in scientific computing, financial modeling, and any workload heavy on transcendental functions or modular arithmetic. Its data encryption score is 21.2% higher, meaning cryptography and secure communication tasks would run faster on the mobile chip.

The i5-14490F wins in data compression, integer math, and physics. Its 12.6% lead in compression suggests advantages in file archiving, database operations, and data transfer workloads. The 18.3% lead in integer math covers general-purpose arithmetic, which many business applications and legacy software rely on. The 5.4% physics win indicates modestly better performance in certain simulation and game-physics workloads.

For a desktop user with existing DDR4 memory modules, the i5-14490F's support for DDR4 provides a compatibility advantage. For a laptop buyer or anyone needing integrated graphics, the Core Ultra 5 235H's Arc Graphics 140T is a functional inclusion that the i5-14490F simply lacks.

The core count difference also matters for multi-threaded software that scales beyond 14 threads. The i5-14490F offers 16 threads versus 14, giving it a theoretical advantage in heavily threaded applications, though the recorded benchmarks show the Core Ultra 5 235H still wins the multithread test by 4.7%. The data suggests raw thread count is less important than the newer architecture's efficiency.