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

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two processors into clearly different roles. The Intel Core i7-14701E, a desktop part built on Raptor Lake, wins in exactly two of the seventeen head-to-head benchmark comparisons. Those victories are in PassMark integer math (81,325 versus 74,247, a 9.5% advantage) and PassMark physics (2,399 versus 1,985, a 20.9% advantage). The physics result stands out as the largest single win for the i7-14701E across the entire benchmark set.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H, a mobile processor using Arrow Lake, dominates everywhere else. It takes fifteen of the seventeen comparisons, including every Cinebench test across R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. The margin in Cinebench workloads is remarkably consistent, with the Ultra 5 leading by 13.3% in every single instance. That consistency suggests a fundamental architectural advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.

The Ultra 5 also wins heavily in several PassMark sub-tests. Data encryption shows a 35.7% lead (23,121 versus 14,862), floating point math shows a 33.8% lead (93,509 versus 61,873), and prime number finding shows a 26.4% lead (239 versus 176). Extended instructions favor the Ultra 5 by 20.7% (23,354 versus 18,528), random string sorting by 19.5% (36,208 versus 29,158), and multithread performance by 13.2% (30,091 versus 26,112). Data compression is closer, with the Ultra 5 ahead by 6.3% (301,979 versus 282,939). Single-thread PassMark scores are nearly identical, with the Ultra 5 ahead by just 1.2% (4,359 versus 4,305).

What this means for use cases: the i7-14701E holds a narrow edge in integer-heavy and physics simulation tasks, which may favor certain scientific or engineering workloads. The Ultra 5 235H delivers broadly superior throughput in rendering, encryption, floating point, and general multithreaded scenarios. The overall average benchmark score confirms this split, with the Ultra 5 at 37,522 versus 33,206 for the i7-14701E, a difference that places the mobile chip at the 85th percentile of all CPUs compared to the desktop chip's 83rd percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design generations and different foundries. The i7-14701E uses Raptor Lake-R, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 257 mm². The Ultra 5 235H uses Arrow Lake-H, fabricated by TSMC on a 3 nm node. The process shrink is substantial and likely explains part of the efficiency and performance gap.

Core configurations differ significantly. The i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, indicating hyper-threading on all cores. The Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores but only 14 threads, meaning it does not use hyper-threading. Despite having fewer threads, the Ultra 5 still wins most multithreaded tests, which points to higher per-core efficiency and a more modern microarchitecture.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The i7-14701E provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 235H has larger per-core caches at 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2, but a smaller shared L3 at 18 MB. The larger per-core caches likely help the Ultra 5 in single-threaded and latency-sensitive workloads, while the i7-14701E's bigger L3 pool may assist in certain shared-data scenarios, though the benchmark data does not show a clear benefit there.

Clock speeds favor the desktop part. The i7-14701E runs at a 2.60 GHz base and boosts to 5.40 GHz. The Ultra 5 235H has a 2.40 GHz base and a 5.00 GHz boost. Despite the lower clock speeds, the Ultra 5 wins every Cinebench test and most PassMark tests, reinforcing that IPC improvements in Arrow Lake outweigh the clock deficit.

Memory support diverges as well. The i7-14701E supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 235H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. The Ultra 5 also lists a memory bandwidth figure of 102.4 GB/s, which the i7-14701E does not have recorded. The desktop part supports ECC memory; the mobile part does not. PCIe lanes also differ, with the i7-14701E offering 16 Gen 5 lanes versus 8 for the Ultra 5, reflecting the desktop platform's expansion needs versus a mobile package.

Integrated graphics differ: the i7-14701E uses UHD Graphics 770, while the Ultra 5 235H uses Arc Graphics 140T. Socket types are incompatible, with the desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 and the mobile part on Intel BGA 2049. The power envelope is also distinct, with the i7-14701E rated at 65 W TDP and the Ultra 5 at 28 W TDP, though the database does not include power measurements.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results form the core of the Ultra 5's case. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ultra 5 scores 2,580 against 2,237 for the i7-14701E, a 13.3% margin. The single-core R15 test shows 364 versus 315, also 13.5% apart. R20 multicore gives 10,751 versus 9,321, again 13.3%. R20 single-core gives 1,517 versus 1,315, also 13.3%. R23 multicore produces 25,598 versus 22,195, and R23 single-core produces 3,613 versus 3,133, both at the same 13.3% delta. The uniformity across all six Cinebench iterations indicates a stable architectural advantage that scales equally across single and multi-threaded rendering.

The PassMark suite reveals where the i7-14701E can push back. Integer math is its strongest counter, with 81,325 versus 74,247, a 9.5% win. Physics is even better, with 2,399 versus 1,985, a 20.9% lead. These are the only two tests where the desktop chip exceeds the mobile chip, and both involve workloads that may benefit from the i7-14701E's higher boost clock and larger shared L3.

The Ultra 5's largest win is data encryption, where it scores 23,121 against 14,862, a 35.7% advantage. Floating point math follows at 33.8% (93,509 versus 61,873). Prime number finding shows a 26.4% gap (239 versus 176). Extended instructions demonstrate a 20.7% lead (23,354 versus 18,528). Random string sorting is 19.5% higher (36,208 versus 29,158). Multithread performance sits at 13.2% (30,091 versus 26,112). Data compression is the closest PassMark victory at 6.3% (301,979 versus 282,939), while single-thread PassMark scores are almost tied at 4,359 versus 4,305.

The overall average benchmark scores from the database place the Ultra 5 at 37,522 and the i7-14701E at 33,206. The nearest rivals for the Ultra 5 include the Intel Core i9-13900HK (37,425, 0.3% behind) and the Intel Core i5-13600K (37,685, 0.4% ahead). The i7-14701E's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H (33,201, effectively tied) and the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS (33,244, 0.1% ahead). These positions confirm that the Ultra 5 operates in a higher performance tier despite its mobile designation.

The Verdict

The data points to the Ultra 5 235H as the stronger processor overall. It wins fifteen of seventeen comparisons, holds a 13.0% higher average benchmark score (37,522 versus 33,206), and reaches the 85th percentile of all CPUs versus the 83rd for the i7-14701E. The Ultra 5 also achieves this with a 28 W TDP against the i7-14701E's 65 W TDP, though the database does not include direct power consumption measurements.

The i7-14701E remains relevant for a narrow set of tasks. Its integer math and physics results suggest that certain computational workloads, possibly those relying on legacy instruction patterns or large shared caches, still favor the Raptor Lake design. The 65 W desktop part also offers ECC memory support and 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, which matter for specific workstation or server-like configurations. The Ultra 5 has no ECC support and only 8 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

For general rendering, encryption, floating point, and multithreaded productivity, the Ultra 5 235H is the clear choice from the recorded data. Its consistent 13.3% lead across all Cinebench versions indicates that the Arrow Lake architecture delivers a uniform improvement in both single-core and multi-core scenarios. The mobile package also brings a smaller process node and larger per-core caches, which likely explain the sustained edge.

The i7-14701E's higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 5.00 GHz does not translate into wins outside integer math and physics. This suggests that the Ultra 5's architectural efficiency overcomes the clock deficit in most tasks. The desktop part's larger 33 MB L3 cache also fails to produce broad advantages, as the Ultra 5's 18 MB L3 plus larger per-core L1 and L2 caches appear sufficient for the tested workloads.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 2,580 in R15, 10,751 in R20, and 25,598 in R23, each ahead of the i7-14701E by 13.3%.

Q: Does the i7-14701E win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins two PassMark tests: integer math with 81,325 versus 74,247 (9.5% ahead) and physics with 2,399 versus 1,985 (20.9% ahead).

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The i7-14701E has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Ultra 5 has more cores but no hyper-threading.

Q: What is the process node difference?

A: The i7-14701E uses Intel's 10 nm process, while the Ultra 5 235H uses TSMC's 3 nm process.

Q: Which chip has the higher boost clock?

A: The i7-14701E boosts to 5.40 GHz, while the Ultra 5 235H boosts to 5.00 GHz. Despite the lower clock, the Ultra 5 wins most benchmarks.

Q: What memory types does each support?

A: The i7-14701E supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 5 235H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. The i7-14701E also supports ECC memory; the Ultra 5 does not.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-14701E | Intel Core Ultra 5 235H |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base clock | 2.60 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.40 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Arrow Lake |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die size | 257 mm² | Not recorded |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 2 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 33 MB (shared) | 18 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5, LPDDR5X |

| Memory bandwidth | Not recorded | 102.4 GB/s |

| ECC memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 5, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | Arc Graphics 140T |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2024-06-30 | 2025-01-12 |

| Part number | Q49FSRNJK | SRQAP |