Intel Core i7-14701E vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-14701E and Intel Core Ultra 5 235 represent two distinct approaches to desktop processing from the same manufacturer. The database records show a clear split: the Core i7-14701E dominates Cinebench workloads while the Core Ultra 5 235 wins most Passmark tests. These results indicate that the choice between them depends heavily on the specific application, not on a single overall winner.

The Verdict

The data suggests two different user profiles. The Intel Core i7-14701E delivers substantially higher scores in every Cinebench test, with margins of 50% or more across R15, R20, and R23, both multicore and singlecore. For rendering tasks that rely on Cinebench-style workloads, the Core i7-14701E is the stronger option. Its 8 cores and 16 threads, combined with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, produce scores such as 22195 in Cinebench R23 multicore versus 14769 for the Core Ultra 5 235.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235, however, wins 11 of the 17 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, with particularly large advantages in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and floating-point math. Its 14 cores (though only 14 threads) and 3 nm process node from TSMC appear to benefit workloads that exercise specialized instruction paths or parallel integer operations. The Core Ultra 5 235 also holds a higher percentile rank at 89 versus 83 for the Core i7-14701E, and its average benchmark score of 46062 far exceeds the 33206 recorded for the Core i7-14701E.

For users running Cinebench-based renderers, the Core i7-14701E is the clear pick from the recorded data. For users whose work involves encryption, compression, or floating-point calculations, the Core Ultra 5 235 shows superior results. The Core Ultra 5 235 also offers a launch MSRP of $257, while the Core i7-14701E has no recorded launch price in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations. The Intel Core i7-14701E uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R codename, built on a 10 nm process node at Intel's foundry. It fits the Intel Socket 1700 and belongs to the Core 14th Gen series. The die size measures 257 mm².

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 uses the Arrow Lake architecture with the Arrow Lake-S codename, fabricated on a 3 nm process node at TSMC. It uses the Intel Socket 1851 and belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2. The transistor count is recorded as 17,800 million, and the die size is 243 mm², slightly smaller than the Core i7-14701E despite the higher transistor density.

Cache configurations differ notably. The Core i7-14701E provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 235 provides 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, but only 24 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 on the Core i7-14701E may contribute to its Cinebench advantage, while the larger per-core L1 and L2 on the Core Ultra 5 235 could help certain specialized workloads.

Memory support diverges as well. The Core i7-14701E supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core Ultra 5 235 supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the Core Ultra 5 235 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not listed for the Core i7-14701E. ECC memory is supported on the Core i7-14701E but not on the Core Ultra 5 235.

PCIe lanes differ, with the Core i7-14701E offering Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and the Core Ultra 5 235 offering Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics also differ: the Core i7-14701E uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Core Ultra 5 235 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores, while the Intel Core i7-14701E has 8 cores. However, the Core i7-14701E has 16 threads due to hyperthreading, while the Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 threads, matching its core count.

Q: How do their Cinebench R23 scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E scores 22195 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3133 in singlecore. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 14769 in multicore and 2085 in singlecore. The Core i7-14701E leads by 50.3% in both tests.

Q: Which processor performs better in data encryption?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 29293 in Passmark data encryption, compared to 14862 for the Intel Core i7-14701E. The Core Ultra 5 235 leads by 49.3%.

Q: What process nodes do they use?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E uses a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 uses a 3 nm process node fabricated by TSMC.

Q: Do both processors support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR5. The Intel Core i7-14701E also supports DDR4, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 supports only DDR5.

Q: What are their percentile rankings?

A: The Intel Core i7-14701E ranks at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 ranks at the 89th percentile.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every specification category. Core count: 8 versus 14. Thread count: 16 versus 14. Base clock: 2.60 GHz for the Core i7-14701E versus 3.40 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 235. Boost clock: 5.40 GHz versus 5.00 GHz, favoring the Core i7-14701E.

Socket: Intel Socket 1700 for the Core i7-14701E, Intel Socket 1851 for the Core Ultra 5 235. Architecture: Raptor Lake versus Arrow Lake. Process node: 10 nm versus 3 nm. Foundry: Intel versus TSMC.

Die size: 257 mm² versus 243 mm². Transistors: not recorded for the Core i7-14701E, 17,800 million for the Core Ultra 5 235.

Cache: L1 80 KB per core versus 192 KB per core. L2 2 MB per core versus 3 MB per core. L3 33 MB shared versus 24 MB shared.

Memory support: DDR4 and DDR5 versus DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth: not recorded for the Core i7-14701E, 102.4 GB/s for the Core Ultra 5 235. ECC: supported versus not supported.

PCIe: Gen 5 with 16 lanes versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 770 versus Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU.

Release date: 2024-06-30 for the Core i7-14701E, 2025-01-06 for the Core Ultra 5 235. Launch MSRP: not recorded for the Core i7-14701E, $257 for the Core Ultra 5 235. Part number: Q49FSRNJK versus SRQAS.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a dominant performance from the Intel Core i7-14701E. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Core i7-14701E scores 2237 against 1488 for the Core Ultra 5 235, a 50.3% lead. Singlecore R15 shows 315 versus 210, a 50% lead. Cinebench R20 multicore: 9321 versus 6202, a 50.3% lead. Singlecore R20: 1315 versus 875, again 50.3%. Cinebench R23 multicore: 22195 versus 14769, 50.3% lead. Singlecore R23: 3133 versus 2085, 50.3% lead. The consistency of the 50.3% margin across all Cinebench tests is striking, suggesting a fundamental architectural advantage for the Core i7-14701E in these workloads.

The Passmark suite reverses the picture. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 wins 11 of the 17 total benchmarks. Data compression: 390711 versus 282939, a 27.6% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235. Data encryption: 29293 versus 14862, a 49.3% lead. Extended instructions: 32752 versus 18528, a 43.4% lead. Find prime numbers: 371 versus 176, a 52.6% lead. Floating-point math: 117951 versus 61873, a 47.5% lead. Integer math: 87948 versus 81325, a smaller 7.5% lead. Multithread: 37816 versus 26112, a 30.9% lead. Physics: 2570 versus 2399, a 6.7% lead. Random string sorting: 48980 versus 29158, a 40.5% lead. Single thread: 4516 versus 4305, a 4.7% lead.

The only Passmark test where the Core i7-14701E comes close is integer math, where the Core Ultra 5 235 leads by just 7.5%. In physics, the gap narrows to 6.7%. These smaller margins suggest that in some integer-heavy or physics-simulation tasks, the two processors are nearly equivalent, despite the Core Ultra 5 235's overall Passmark advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-14701E wins exclusively in Cinebench tests. These benchmarks are known to stress multi-threaded rendering and ray tracing workloads. The Core i7-14701E's higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz and larger 33 MB L3 cache likely contribute to its 50.3% advantage across all Cinebench variants. For users running 3D rendering software that uses Cinebench-style algorithms, the Core i7-14701E delivers a substantial performance edge.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 wins across the remaining Passmark categories, which cover a broader range of general computing tasks. Data compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, prime number finding, floating-point math, and random string sorting all favor the Core Ultra 5 235 by margins ranging from 27.6% to 52.6%. Its larger core count and per-core L1 and L2 caches appear to benefit these workloads. The Core Ultra 5 235 also wins the Passmark multithread test by 30.9%, indicating that its 14 cores outperform the Core i7-14701E's 8 cores in this specific multithreaded benchmark, despite losing all Cinebench multicore tests.

The average benchmark score of 46062 for the Core Ultra 5 235 versus 33206 for the Core i7-14701E reflects the broader Passmark dominance. The Core Ultra 5 235 also ranks higher in the overall CPU percentile at 89, placing it among the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Intel Core i9-13900HX in the nearest rivals list. The Core i7-14701E's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H and AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS, with delta percentages of 0 and -0.1 respectively.

The 17 head-to-head benchmarks split as 6 wins for the Core i7-14701E and 11 wins for the Core Ultra 5 235. The Core i7-14701E's wins are concentrated in the Cinebench family, while the Core Ultra 5 235's wins span the Passmark family. This dichotomy indicates that neither processor is universally superior; the selection depends on whether the primary workload resembles Cinebench rendering or Passmark's diverse suite of operations. Users who prioritize rendering performance should select the Core i7-14701E. Users who prioritize encryption, compression, floating-point calculations, or general multithreaded Passmark workloads should select the Core Ultra 5 235. The data does not support a single recommendation for all use cases.