Intel Core i7-14701E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-14701E and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 are two distinct desktop processors with contrasting strengths. The benchmark data indicates a clear split: the Core Ultra 5 225 wins the majority of tests, taking 13 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the Core i7-14701E secures decisive victories in a smaller set of specific workloads. The Core Ultra 5 225 is the superior choice for most applications, particularly those leveraging modern instruction sets and encryption, while the Core i7-14701E holds a significant advantage in legacy multi-threaded rendering tasks and integer-heavy calculations.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 establishes dominance across a broad spectrum of synthetic workloads. Its most substantial wins are in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 22285 against the i7-14701E's 14862, a 33.3% advantage. It also excels in extended instructions, scoring 27162 versus 18528, a 31.8% lead, indicating better optimization for newer, complex instruction sets. The Ultra 5 225 further outperforms in floating-point math, scoring 92038 versus 61873, a 32.8% gap, and in prime number finding, scoring 358 versus 176, a massive 50.8% lead. These results paint a picture of a processor with a more efficient execution engine for modern workloads.

The Core i7-14701E, conversely, wins where raw thread count and specific legacy performance are key. Its most striking victory is in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where it scores 9321 against the Ultra 5 225's 6317, a 47.6% advantage. It also wins in Cinebench R20 single-core with a 47.6% lead. In PassMark integer math, the i7-14701E scores 81325 versus 65345, a 24.5% win, and it edges out the Ultra 5 225 in PassMark physics with a narrow 2.4% lead. This pattern suggests the i7-14701E leverages its 16 threads effectively in specific rendering and calculation tasks, despite losing the overall benchmark count.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a higher average benchmark score of 36938, compared to the Intel Core i7-14701E's 33206.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is the winner in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 25891 against the Core i7-14701E's 22195, a 14.3% advantage.

Q: What is the difference in their single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 leads in PassMark single-thread with a score of 4412, while the Intel Core i7-14701E scores 4305, a 2.4% difference.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 does not.

Q: What are the memory support differences?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 supports only DDR5.

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 ranks in the 85th percentile, while the Intel Core i7-14701E ranks in the 83rd percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant performance disparity is in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Intel Core i7-14701E delivers a 47.6% higher score than the Intel Core Ultra 5 225. This specific result indicates that in this particular rendering test, the i7-14701E's architecture and thread count provide a substantial advantage. The same 47.6% delta appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, with the i7-14701E scoring 1315 versus the Ultra 5 225's 891. These two wins are the largest in favor of the i7-14701E.

Conversely, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 posts its largest win in PassMark find prime numbers, scoring 358 against the i7-14701E's 176, a 50.8% lead. This is followed by a 33.3% win in data encryption and a 32.8% win in floating-point math. In extended instructions, the Ultra 5 225 leads by 31.8%. The data also shows the Ultra 5 225 winning Cinebench R15 multi-core (2609 versus 2237) and R23 multi-core (25891 versus 22195), both with a 14.3% delta. It also wins PassMark multithread with a 14.3% lead, scoring 30459 versus 26112.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 also demonstrates consistent wins in other areas, including PassMark random string sorting with a 20.3% lead and data compression with a 6.6% lead. Its single-thread score of 4412 is 2.4% higher than the i7-14701E's 4305. The only other win for the i7-14701E is a narrow 2.4% margin in PassMark physics, scoring 2399 versus 2342. The benchmark results confirm the Ultra 5 225 as the overall winner, taking 13 of the 17 tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ significantly in their core and thread configurations. The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has 10 cores and 10 threads. The base clock of the i7-14701E is 2.60 GHz, compared to the Ultra 5 225's 3.30 GHz. However, the boost clock is higher on the i7-14701E at 5.40 GHz, versus the Ultra 5 225's 4.90 GHz. Both processors have a TDP of 65.

The cache hierarchies are also distinct. The Intel Core i7-14701E has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. They use different sockets, with the i7-14701E on Intel Socket 1700 and the Ultra 5 225 on Intel Socket 1851.

Memory support is another key differentiator. The i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 225 supports only DDR5. The Ultra 5 225 has a listed memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i7-14701E. ECC memory is supported by the i7-14701E but not by the Ultra 5 225. The PCIe configurations differ as well, with the i7-14701E offering Gen 5 with 16 lanes and the Ultra 5 225 offering Gen 5 with 20 lanes. The integrated graphics also differ: the i7-14701E uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 5 225 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is stark. The Intel Core i7-14701E is based on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-R variant, and is built on a 10 nm process node by Intel. It belongs to the Core 14th Gen series and the Core i7 (Raptor Lake Refresh) generation. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is based on Arrow Lake, specifically Arrow Lake-S, and is built on a 3 nm process node by TSMC. It belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 and the Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake) generation. The Ultra 5 225 has a transistor count of 17,800 million, while the i7-14701E's transistor count is not listed. The die sizes are similar, with the i7-14701E at 257 mm² and the Ultra 5 225 at 243 mm².

The process node difference is significant, with the Ultra 5 225 using a more advanced 3 nm process from TSMC versus the 10 nm process from Intel for the i7-14701E. This architectural shift likely contributes to the Ultra 5 225's efficiency and performance in modern workloads. The i7-14701E was released on 2024-06-30, while the Ultra 5 225 was released later on 2025-01-06. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both are currently marked as Active in production. The i7-14701E has a part number of Q49FSRNJK, and the Ultra 5 225 has a part number of SRQCZSRVF7.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 for general-purpose and modern computational tasks. Its wins in encryption, extended instructions, floating-point math, and prime number finding demonstrate a superior execution engine for contemporary software. With 13 wins out of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, a higher average score of 36938, and a higher 85th percentile ranking, the Ultra 5 225 is the more capable processor for most users. Its launch MSRP is $246.

The Intel Core i7-14701E is the better choice for scenarios built around its specific strengths. Its 47.6% lead in both Cinebench R20 tests and a 24.5% lead in integer math show that it can outperform the Ultra 5 225 in certain legacy rendering and calculation workloads. Its 16 threads versus the Ultra 5 225's 10 threads give it a theoretical advantage in highly parallel, thread-scalable applications, as reflected in its Cinebench R20 multi-core score.

Users who require ECC memory support or compatibility with DDR4 memory will find the Intel Core i7-14701E to be the only option among the two. The data indicates that for the majority of workloads, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 delivers superior performance and a higher overall ranking. The i7-14701E remains relevant only for workloads that specifically benefit from its unique combination of threads and its wins in the R20 benchmarks and integer math.