Intel Core i5-14500 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-14500 records an average benchmark score of 38531, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H records 33989. The i5-14500 sits in the 86th percentile of all CPUs, and the Ultra 5 338H sits in the 84th percentile.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 338H scores 16331 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 8.1% ahead of the Core i5-14500's 15012. This is one of the Ultra 5's largest wins in the head-to-head data.

Q: Which processor wins the most individual benchmark tests?

A: The Core Ultra 5 338H wins 10 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark tests, while the Core i5-14500 wins 7. The split shows the Ultra 5 has a wider spread of victories, but the i5-14500's wins include some very large margins.

Q: What is the difference in process node between the two processors?

A: The Core i5-14500 uses a 10 nm process node, while the Core Ultra 5 338H uses a 3 nm process node. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the Ultra 5 uses a significantly smaller node.

Q: Do the two processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The Core i5-14500 supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Core Ultra 5 338H supports only LPDDR5X memory, also in a dual-channel configuration, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s.

Q: How do the single-thread scores compare in PassMark?

A: The Core Ultra 5 338H scores 4180 in PassMark single-thread, which is 5.5% ahead of the Core i5-14500's 3952. The same margin appears in the duplicate passmark_singlethread test.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct usage profiles. The Intel Core i5-14500 is the desktop-oriented processor with a 65 TDP, 14 cores, 20 threads, and support for DDR4 and DDR5. It wins heavily in integer math, data compression, and random string sorting. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is a mobile part with a 25 TDP, 12 cores, 12 threads, and LPDDR5X-only memory support. It wins in Cinebench R23, floating-point math, physics, and prime number finding.

For a desktop workstation handling compression workloads, integer-heavy calculations, or multi-threaded sorting tasks, the Core i5-14500 delivers larger margins in those specific tests. For a mobile platform where power draw is lower and the workload leans toward floating-point math, physics simulation, or single-threaded responsiveness, the Core Ultra 5 338H shows the stronger results. The average benchmark scores favor the i5-14500 by roughly 13%, but the per-test wins are split 10 to 7 in favor of the Ultra 5, so neither chip dominates across every category.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest victory for the Core i5-14500 comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 108124 against the Ultra 5's 64934, a 66.5% lead. Data compression shows a similar pattern: the i5-14500 records 371294 versus 276539, a 34.3% advantage. Random string sorting goes to the i5-14500 by 20.2%, with scores of 40980 and 34082. Multi-thread performance in PassMark favors the i5-14500 by 7.2%, scoring 30777 against 28717. Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core both go to the i5-14500 by 7.6%, with scores of 10985 versus 10213 and 1550 versus 1441. Data encryption is nearly even, with the i5-14500 at 21457 and the Ultra 5 at 21367, a 0.4% difference.

The Core Ultra 5 338H's largest win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 304 against the i5-14500's 106, a 65.1% lead. Physics simulation goes to the Ultra 5 by 35.3%, with scores of 2697 and 1746. Cinebench R15 single-core favors the Ultra 5 by 10.5%, scoring 305 versus 273. Cinebench R23 multi-core goes to the Ultra 5 by 8.1%, with 16331 against 15012. Cinebench R23 single-core favors the Ultra 5 by 6.2%, scoring 2044 versus 1917. Extended instructions go to the Ultra 5 by 6%, with scores of 23906 and 22473. Floating-point math favors the Ultra 5 by 5.3%, scoring 84067 versus 79576. PassMark single-thread goes to the Ultra 5 by 5.5%, with 4180 versus 3952, and the duplicate singlethread test confirms the same margin. Cinebench R15 multi-core goes to the Ultra 5 by 2.8%, with 2504 against 2435.

Across Cinebench versions, the results are mixed. The i5-14500 wins R20 in both multi-core and single-core, but the Ultra 5 wins R15 in both tests and R23 in both tests. The PassMark suite splits sharply by instruction type, with the i5-14500 dominating integer, compression, and sorting, while the Ultra 5 dominates physics, prime numbers, and floating-point.

Specification Differences

The Core i5-14500 has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ: the i5-14500 runs at 2.60 GHz, and the Ultra 5 runs at 1.90 GHz. Boost clocks also differ: 5.00 GHz for the i5-14500, 4.70 GHz for the Ultra 5. The TDP is 65 for the i5-14500 and 25 for the Ultra 5. The i5-14500 uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 uses Intel BGA 2540. Memory support diverges completely: the i5-14500 supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 supports only LPDDR5X. The memory bus is dual-channel for both, but the Ultra 5 records a memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s, and no bandwidth figure appears for the i5-14500. ECC memory is supported on the i5-14500 but not on the Ultra 5. PCIe lanes differ: the i5-14500 has Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 5 has Gen 5 with 4 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 on the i5-14500 and Arc B370 on the Ultra 5. The market segment is Desktop for the i5-14500 and Mobile for the Ultra 5. The release dates differ by two years: the i5-14500 launched on 2024-01-07, and the Ultra 5 launched on 2026-01-04. The i5-14500 has a launch MSRP of $232, while the Ultra 5 has no recorded launch MSRP.

Architecture Differences

The Core i5-14500 uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the codename Raptor Lake-R, part of the Core 14th Gen series. The Core Ultra 5 338H uses the Panther Lake architecture with the same codename, part of the Core Ultra Series 3. The process nodes differ substantially: 10 nm for the i5-14500, 3 nm for the Ultra 5. Cache layouts are distinct. The i5-14500 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 has 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The die size for the i5-14500 is recorded as 215 mm², while no die size appears for the Ultra 5. Neither processor has recorded transistor counts or 3D V-Cache. The foundry for both is Intel. The integrated graphics differ in architecture as well: UHD Graphics 770 for the i5-14500, Arc B370 for the Ultra 5. The generation labels differ: the i5-14500 is listed as Core i5 (Raptor Lake Refresh), and the Ultra 5 is listed as Ultra 5 (Panther Lake-H). The part numbers also differ, with SRN3T for the i5-14500 and SA4REQ9EW for the Ultra 5. Both processors have locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i5-14500 wins in workloads that stress integer operations and memory compression. PassMark integer math shows a 66.5% advantage, data compression shows a 34.3% advantage, and random string sorting shows a 20.2% advantage. These results indicate the desktop part handles large data manipulation and compression tasks with a clear edge. The passmark_multithread score also favors the i5-14500 by 7.2%, which aligns with its higher core and thread counts. Cinebench R20 results favor the i5-14500 in both multi-core and single-core, suggesting that specific rendering workloads in that version respond better to the i5-14500's configuration. Data encryption is essentially tied, with the i5-14500 ahead by only 0.4%.

The Core Ultra 5 338H wins in physics simulation, prime number finding, and floating-point math. PassMark physics shows a 35.3% advantage, find prime numbers shows a 65.1% advantage, and floating-point math shows a 5.3% advantage. These results point to workloads that rely on floating-point throughput and mathematical operations. The Ultra 5 also wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core by 8.1% and single-core by 6.2%, plus Cinebench R15 in both multi-core and single-core. Extended instructions go to the Ultra 5 by 6%, and single-thread performance in PassMark goes to the Ultra 5 by 5.5%. The Ultra 5's wins are more numerous but generally smaller in margin, except for the prime number and physics tests where it leads by large percentages.

The benchmark data shows a clear split by workload type. The i5-14500 is the stronger choice for integer-heavy, compression-focused, and sorting-heavy tasks. The Ultra 5 338H is the stronger choice for physics, floating-point math, prime number calculations, and the newer Cinebench R23 tests. The average benchmark scores place the i5-14500 ahead overall, but the per-test wins indicate the Ultra 5 has a broader set of advantages in specific computational areas.