Intel Core i5-14490F vs Intel Core Ultra 7 265H Comparison

The Intel Core i5-14490F and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265H represent two distinct approaches to CPU design from Intel. The i5-14490F is a desktop part built on the Raptor Lake architecture, while the Ultra 7 265H is a mobile processor from the Arrow Lake family. The benchmark data reveals a split decision, with the desktop chip dominating certain legacy tests and the mobile chip leading in modern workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic divergence appears in single-core Cinebench results. The i5-14490F wins Cinebench R15 single-core with a 6.5% advantage, scoring 327 versus 307. That lead extends significantly in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the i5-14490F posts 3247 against the Ultra 7's 2080, a 56.1% margin. The desktop part also wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 15.3%, recording 23000 versus 19940.

The Ultra 7 265H dominates the newer Cinebench R20 suite. It scores 12131 in multi-core, a 20.4% advantage over the i5's 9660. The same 20.4% delta appears in R20 single-core, with the Ultra 7 posting 1712 versus 1363. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ultra 7 leads by 22.4%, with scores of 2989 and 2318.

The Passmark suite shows a similar pattern of mixed results. The Ultra 7 wins the multithread test with 34027 against 28662, a 15.8% edge. It also leads in floating point math by 39%, scoring 109123 versus 66558. The single-thread Passmark test goes to the Ultra 7 with 4334 versus 3873, a 10.6% margin. Data encryption favors the Ultra 7 by 29.9% (26005 versus 18225), and extended instructions go its way by 18.9% (26805 versus 21731).

The i5-14490F secures wins in integer math, data compression, and random string sorting. Integer math shows a 2.8% edge (87844 versus 85479), data compression a 1.6% margin (340026 versus 334711). The largest Passmark win for the i5 comes in the find prime numbers test, but that goes to the Ultra 7 by a massive 63.6% margin, with 335 versus 122. The physics test also favors the Ultra 7, 2497 versus 2093, a 16.2% delta. Overall, the Ultra 7 wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, with the i5 winning 5.

Architecture Differences

The i5-14490F uses Raptor Lake-R silicon built on Intel's 10 nm process, with a die size of 215 mm². The Ultra 7 265H moves to Arrow Lake-H, fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm node. This process change enables a substantial difference in transistor density, though exact transistor counts are not recorded in the database.

Core configurations differ sharply. The i5-14490F has 10 cores and 16 threads. The Ultra 7 265H has 16 cores and 16 threads, meaning it does not rely on simultaneous multithreading to reach its thread count. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the i5 has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, while the Ultra 7 has 192 KB of L1 per core and 3 MB of L2 per core. Both share 24 MB of L3.

Clock speeds and power envelopes tell different stories. The i5-14490F has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost of 5.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The Ultra 7 runs at 2.20 GHz base and 5.30 GHz boost, but its TDP is only 28 W. That lower power target explains why the mobile part can offer competitive multi-core throughput despite a lower base frequency.

Memory support separates the two as well. The i5 supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration. The Ultra 7 uses DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, and the database records a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The i5 does not list a bandwidth figure. ECC memory is supported on the Ultra 7 but not on the i5. PCIe lanes also differ: the i5 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Ultra 7 provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes. The Ultra 7 includes integrated Arc Graphics 140T, while the i5 has no integrated graphics.

The i5-14490F uses Intel Socket 1700, the Ultra 7 uses Intel BGA 2049. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The i5 was released in 2023, the Ultra 7 in 2025. The Ultra 7 carries the part number SRQAQ, the i5 uses SRN35.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H reaches 5.30 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-14490F boosts to 5.00 GHz.

Q: Why does the Ultra 7 265H have 16 threads with 16 cores?

A: The Arrow Lake-H design uses one thread per core, so its 16 cores produce 16 threads. The i5-14490F uses 10 cores with 16 threads, indicating hyper-threading on some cores.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 single-core?

A: The i5-14490F scores 3247, which is 56.1% higher than the Ultra 7's 2080. This is the largest single-test margin in the recorded data.

Q: Does the Ultra 7 265H support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Ultra 7 265H has ECC memory support. The i5-14490F does not.

Q: What is the thermal design power of each processor?

A: The i5-14490F has a 65 W TDP. The Ultra 7 265H has a 28 W TDP.

Q: Which chip has a larger L2 cache per core?

A: The Ultra 7 265H has 3 MB of L2 per core. The i5-14490F has 1.25 MB of L2 per core.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field. The i5-14490F uses 10 cores and 16 threads; the Ultra 7 265H uses 16 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 2.50 GHz versus 2.20 GHz, while boost clocks are 5.00 GHz versus 5.30 GHz. TDP is 65 W for the i5 and 28 W for the Ultra 7.

The socket changes from Intel Socket 1700 to Intel BGA 2049. Architecture moves from Raptor Lake to Arrow Lake, with the process node shifting from 10 nm to 3 nm. The foundry changes from Intel to TSMC. The i5 has a die size of 215 mm²; no die size is recorded for the Ultra 7.

Cache layouts differ in L1 and L2. The i5 has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core. The Ultra 7 has 192 KB of L1 per core and 3 MB of L2 per core. Both share 24 MB of L3.

Memory support goes from DDR4 and DDR5 on the i5 to DDR5 and LPDDR5X on the Ultra 7. The Ultra 7 records 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth; the i5 has no figure. ECC memory is absent on the i5 and present on the Ultra 7. PCIe lanes drop from 16 on the i5 to 8 on the Ultra 7, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics exist only on the Ultra 7, in the form of Arc Graphics 140T. Market segment differs: desktop for the i5, mobile for the Ultra 7. Release dates are 2023 for the i5 and 2025 for the Ultra 7. Part numbers are SRN35 and SRQAQ.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-14490F wins in legacy single-core tests. Its 56.1% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 6.5% lead in R15 single-core show a strong advantage in older workloads that depend on high per-core performance. It also leads in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 15.3%, indicating that certain multi-threaded applications that use that rendering engine will favor the desktop chip. Integer math and data compression also go to the i5, making it a reasonable choice for CPU-bound tasks that rely on integer operations and archive-style workloads.

The Ultra 7 265H wins the newer Cinebench R20 tests by 20.4% in both single-core and multi-core, which suggests better optimization for current compiler and instruction paths. Its Passmark single-thread score of 4334 beats the i5 by 10.6%, and its multithread score leads by 15.8%. The data encryption result stands out: a 29.9% advantage indicates strong AES and cryptographic performance. Floating point math favors the Ultra 7 by 39%, and the find prime numbers test shows a 63.6% margin, pointing to superior integer-heavy mathematical throughput. The physics test also goes to the Ultra 7 by 16.2%.

The Ultra 7 also delivers its performance at a 28 W TDP, versus 65 W for the i5, and includes integrated graphics, making it suitable for compact mobile systems without a discrete GPU. The i5 requires a desktop platform with a discrete graphics card but offers more PCIe lanes and a higher base clock. Average benchmark scores reflect the overall edge: the Ultra 7 sits at 41621 with an 88th percentile ranking, while the i5 averages 38149 and ranks in the 86th percentile.