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

Intel Core i7-14701E and Intel Core Ultra 5 225T are two desktop processors that take fundamentally different approaches to delivering performance. The data shows the i7-14701E, a Raptor Lake Refresh part, wins 11 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, while the Ultra 5 225T, built on Arrow Lake, takes 6 wins, mostly in specialized workloads. The i7-14701E leads in overall average benchmark score (33206 vs 30468) and holds a higher percentile ranking (83rd vs 82nd), but the Ultra 5 225T demonstrates clear superiority in specific instruction-heavy tasks. This analysis breaks down the architectural differences, where each processor excels, and the exact benchmark deltas that separate them.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E records an average benchmark score of 33206, compared to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T's 30468. The i7-14701E also places in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Ultra 5 225T sits in the 82nd percentile.

Q: How does the core and thread count differ between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores but only 10 threads. The i7-14701E supports simultaneous multithreading, giving it 8 additional threads over its physical core count.

Q: Which processor wins the Cinebench multi-core tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests. It scores 2237 vs 2214 in R15, 9321 vs 9227 in R20, and 22195 vs 21971 in R23, each with a 1% delta.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T win any PassMark tests?

A: Yes, the Ultra 5 225T wins 6 of the 17 total head-to-head tests. Its wins include data encryption (18289 vs 14862), extended instructions (20083 vs 18528), find prime numbers (284 vs 176), floating point math (82751 vs 61873), and single-thread tests (4348 vs 4305).

Q: What are the socket and process node differences?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E uses Intel Socket 1700 and is built on Intel's 10 nm process. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T uses Intel Socket 1851 and is fabricated on TSMC's 3 nm process.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E has 33 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225T has 20 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the Ultra 5 225T has larger per-core L1 (192 KB vs 80 KB) and L2 (3 MB vs 2 MB) caches.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-14701E is built on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R codename, using Intel's 10 nm process node with a die size of 257 mm². It is part of the Core 14th Gen series and represents the Raptor Lake Refresh generation. The Ultra 5 225T uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm process node with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors. This process difference is significant: the Ultra 5 225T uses a more advanced node that allows for higher transistor density, while the i7-14701E relies on a mature 10 nm process.

The core configurations differ fundamentally. The i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, indicating Hyper-Threading support, while the Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads, meaning it does not use simultaneous multithreading. This explains why the i7-14701E, despite having fewer physical cores, delivers comparable or better multi-threaded performance in many tests. The cache hierarchy also diverges: the i7-14701E offers 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3, whereas the Ultra 5 225T provides 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3. The larger per-core caches on the Ultra 5 225T contribute to its strength in certain single-thread and instruction-heavy workloads.

Memory support differs as well. The i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Ultra 5 225T supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Ultra 5 225T has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not listed for the i7-14701E. The i7-14701E supports ECC memory, which the Ultra 5 225T does not. PCIe lanes also differ: the i7-14701E provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 5 225T provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ, with the i7-14701E featuring UHD Graphics 770 and the Ultra 5 225T featuring Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. Both are desktop segment processors with active production status, but the i7-14701E released on June 30, 2024, while the Ultra 5 225T released later on December 31, 2024. Neither has a listed launch MSRP, and both have locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-14701E dominates in multi-threaded rendering and general productivity. It wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests (R15, R20, R23) and all three Cinebench single-core tests, though by narrow 1% margins. The i7-14701E also wins PassMark tests for data compression (282939 vs 233998, a 20.9% advantage), integer math (81325 vs 59543, a 36.6% advantage), multithread (26112 vs 25358, a 3% advantage), physics (2399 vs 2053, a 16.9% advantage), and random string sorting (29158 vs 28774, a 1.3% advantage). These results indicate the i7-14701E is the stronger choice for workloads that rely on heavy integer processing, compression algorithms, and multi-threaded rendering tasks.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T wins in specialized computational areas. It outperforms the i7-14701E in data encryption (18289 vs 14862, an 18.7% advantage), extended instructions (20083 vs 18528, a 7.7% advantage), find prime numbers (284 vs 176, a 38% advantage), floating point math (82751 vs 61873, a 25.2% advantage), and single-thread tests (4348 vs 4305, a 1% advantage). The 38% lead in find prime numbers and 25.2% lead in floating point math are the largest wins for either processor in the entire comparison. This suggests the Ultra 5 225T has a more efficient execution pipeline for math-intensive and cryptographic workloads, likely aided by its larger per-core caches and newer process node.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ultra 5 225T has 10 cores and 10 threads. Base clock speeds are close: 2.60 GHz for the i7-14701E versus 2.50 GHz for the Ultra 5 225T. Boost clocks differ more substantially, with the i7-14701E reaching 5.40 GHz versus the Ultra 5 225T's 4.90 GHz. Both have a TDP of 65. The i7-14701E uses Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 225T uses Intel Socket 1851, making them incompatible with the same motherboards.

Process nodes differ: Intel 10 nm for the i7-14701E versus TSMC 3 nm for the Ultra 5 225T. Die sizes are 257 mm² and 243 mm² respectively, and the Ultra 5 225T discloses 17,800 million transistors, while the i7-14701E has no listed transistor count. Cache configurations differ as described above. Memory support diverges with the i7-14701E accepting DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 225T only accepts DDR5. The Ultra 5 225T lists a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, the i7-14701E does not. ECC support is present on the i7-14701E but absent on the Ultra 5 225T. PCIe lanes differ: 16 vs 20 lanes, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics differ: UHD Graphics 770 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 16EU. Release dates are June 30, 2024 for the i7-14701E and December 31, 2024 for the Ultra 5 225T. Neither has a launch MSRP, and both have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent, if narrow, lead for the Intel Core i7-14701E. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-14701E scores 2237 against 2214 for the Ultra 5 225T, a 1% delta. The same 1% margin appears in R15 single-core (315 vs 312), R20 multi-core (9321 vs 9227), R20 single-core (1315 vs 1302), R23 multi-core (22195 vs 21971), and R23 single-core (3133 vs 3101). These results confirm that the i7-14701E maintains a slight edge across both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads, likely due to its higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 4.90 GHz.

PassMark results reveal a more polarized picture. The i7-14701E wins data compression by a wide margin: 282939 vs 233998, a 20.9% advantage. Its largest win comes in integer math, where it scores 81325 vs 59543, a 36.6% lead. Physics also favors the i7-14701E (2399 vs 2053, a 16.9% advantage), as does multithread (26112 vs 25358, a 3% lead) and random string sorting (29158 vs 28774, a 1.3% lead).

The Ultra 5 225T counters with decisive wins in math-heavy tests. It leads find prime numbers by a massive 38% (284 vs 176), floating point math by 25.2% (82751 vs 61873), data encryption by 18.7% (18289 vs 14862), and extended instructions by 7.7% (20083 vs 18528). The single-thread tests show the Ultra 5 225T ahead by 1% (4348 vs 4305). Overall, the i7-14701E wins 11 head-to-head comparisons, while the Ultra 5 225T wins 6. The deltas in the i7-14701E's wins are often larger in magnitude for integer and compression tasks, while the Ultra 5 225T's wins are concentrated in floating point, encryption, and prime number calculations.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the Intel Core i7-14701E is the better all-around performer for most desktop workloads. Its wins in all Cinebench tests, data compression, integer math, physics, and multithread point to strengths in rendering, productivity, and general application use. The 36.6% lead in integer math and 20.9% lead in data compression are the largest performance gaps recorded in its favor. With 16 threads versus 10, the i7-14701E also provides better multi-threaded scaling, which is reflected in its higher average benchmark score of 33206 and 83rd percentile ranking.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225T should be chosen for workloads that emphasize floating point arithmetic, encryption, and specialized instruction sets. Its 38% win in find prime numbers and 25.2% win in floating point math are substantial, and its 18.7% advantage in data encryption makes it suitable for security-related tasks. The Ultra 5 225T also wins single-thread tests by a small margin, suggesting competitive per-core efficiency. However, its lower average score of 30468 and 82nd percentile ranking place it slightly behind the i7-14701E overall.

For users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering, compression, or integer-heavy applications, the i7-14701E delivers superior results based on the recorded measurements. For users focused on mathematical computations, cryptographic operations, or extended instruction workloads, the Ultra 5 225T offers clear advantages. The choice comes down to workload type, with the i7-14701E serving as the more versatile processor and the Ultra 5 225T as a specialized alternative for math-intensive tasks.