Intel Core i9-11900 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark record for these two processors shows a clear split in workload character. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H wins 13 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i9-11900 takes 4 victories. The margin and direction of those wins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw tally.

Starting with the multi-core rendering suites, the results are not uniform. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ultra 5 225H scores 2397.5 against the i9-11900's 1913, a 20.2% advantage. The gap widens in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the Ultra 5 posts 10041 versus 7973, a 20.6% lead. But the pattern reverses sharply in Cinebench R23 multicore. There, the i9-11900 scores 18985 against 14629.5 for the Ultra 5, a 29.8% advantage for the older desktop part. This inconsistency across Cinebench versions suggests the two chips respond differently to the workload's scaling characteristics.

Single-core results show a similar divergence. The Ultra 5 225H leads in Cinebench R15 singlecore with 288.5 versus 270, a 6.4% margin, and in R20 singlecore with 1417 versus 1125, a 20.6% margin. Yet in Cinebench R23 singlecore, the i9-11900 wins decisively: 2680 against 1969, a 36.1% advantage. The PassMark single-thread test also favors the Ultra 5, with 4258 versus 3373, a 20.8% lead.

The PassMark suite splits along computational domains. The Ultra 5 225H dominates in floating-point math, scoring 86540 versus 48948, a 43.4% gap. It also leads in find prime numbers, 220 versus 63, a massive 71.4% advantage, and in physics, 1877 versus 977, a 47.9% margin. Data encryption favors the Ultra 5 at 21428 versus 13942, a 34.9% lead, and extended instructions go to the Ultra 5 at 21915 versus 19654, a 10.3% margin. The multithread PassMark score also goes to the Ultra 5, 28119 versus 22456, a 20.1% advantage, and random string sorting is nearly even, with the Ultra 5 ahead by only 1.8% (33654 versus 33054).

The i9-11900's wins outside of Cinebench R23 come in integer math, where it scores 83893 against 68520, a 22.4% advantage, and in data compression, where it edges out the Ultra 5 by 0.6% (285159 versus 283451). These two wins, combined with the two Cinebench R23 victories, give the i9-11900 its 4 total wins.

Overall average benchmark scores place the i9-11900 at 32226 and the Ultra 5 225H at 31508, a difference of roughly 2.3%. Both sit at the 82nd percentile among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the i9-11900 include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U at 32233 (delta 0%), the Intel Core i5-14400F at 32279 (delta -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-12800H at 32121 (delta 0.3%), and the Intel Core i5-14400 at 32115 (delta 0.3%). For the Ultra 5 225H, the closest comparables are the Intel Core i5-13500 at 31510 (delta 0%), the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HX at 31495 (delta 0%), the Intel Core 7 240H at 31483 (delta 0.1%), and the Intel Core Ultra 3 205 at 31473 (delta 0.1%).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900 has a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H boosts to 4.90 GHz.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i9-11900 scores 18985, which is 29.8% higher than the Ultra 5 225H's 14629.5. This is the largest multi-core win for the i9-11900 in the recorded benchmarks.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin in either direction?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Ultra 5 225H scores 220 versus 63 for the i9-11900, a 71.4% difference.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Intel Core i9-11900 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The i9-11900 supports DDR4 memory, while the Ultra 5 225H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is marked as Active in production status. The Intel Core i9-11900 is listed as End-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is the stronger choice for workloads that stress floating-point arithmetic, encryption, and parallel thread scheduling. Its 43.4% lead in floating-point math and 34.9% lead in data encryption point to advantages in scientific computing, financial modeling, and secure data handling. The 47.9% margin in physics simulation suggests better performance in game physics or engineering simulations. The 20.1% lead in PassMark multithread and the 20.1% to 20.6% leads in the older Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore tests indicate solid general multi-threaded throughput, despite the R23 reversal.

The Intel Core i9-11900 wins where integer math and single-threaded Cinebench scaling matter. Its 22.4% advantage in integer math makes it suitable for database operations, compression algorithms, and general office productivity that rely on integer processing. The 29.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and the 36.1% lead in R23 singlecore are notable, but the inconsistency with older Cinebench versions complicates the picture. The near-tie in data compression (0.6% edge) and random string sorting (1.8% deficit) suggest the two are comparable in memory-heavy sorting and compression tasks.

For users prioritizing the latest Cinebench results, the i9-11900 appears stronger. For users running PassMark's suite or older Cinebench versions, the Ultra 5 225H is consistently ahead. The Ultra 5 also wins the single-thread PassMark test by 20.8%, which matters for responsive day-to-day application use.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i9-11900 uses 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H uses 14 cores and 14 threads. The i9-11900 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz; the Ultra 5 225H has a base clock of 1.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Thermal design power differs substantially: the i9-11900 is rated at 65 W, while the Ultra 5 225H is rated at 28 W.

The cache hierarchy is also distinct. The i9-11900 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 225H has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. Memory bandwidth nearly doubles on the newer chip: the i9-11900 delivers 51.2 GB/s with dual-channel DDR4, while the Ultra 5 225H delivers 102.4 GB/s with dual-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X.

PCIe support also differs. The i9-11900 offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 5 225H offers Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only). Socket types are incompatible: the i9-11900 uses Intel Socket 1200, while the Ultra 5 225H uses Intel BGA 2049. The i9-11900 has an unlocked multiplier set to false, as does the Ultra 5 225H. Integrated graphics differ as well: UHD Graphics 750 on the i9-11900 versus Arc Graphics 130T on the Ultra 5 225H.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational. The Intel Core i9-11900 is built on Rocket Lake, a 14 nm process from Intel, with a die size of 276 mm². The Intel Core Ultra 5 225H uses Arrow Lake, specifically Arrow Lake-H, fabricated on a 3 nm process by TSMC. The i9-11900 belongs to the Core i9 (Rocket Lake-S) generation and was released on 2021-03-15. The Ultra 5 225H belongs to the Ultra 5 (Arrow Lake-H) generation and was released on 2025-01-12.

The process node difference is stark: 14 nm versus 3 nm. This explains the power envelope gap, with the Ultra 5 225H rated at 28 W versus 65 W for the i9-11900, despite having more cores. The cache structure also reflects the newer design: the Ultra 5's L1 is three times larger per core (192 KB versus 64 KB), and its L2 is six times larger per core (3 MB versus 512 KB). The shared L3 is slightly larger on the Ultra 5 at 18 MB versus 16 MB.

Memory support moves from DDR4 to DDR5/LPDDR5X, doubling theoretical bandwidth from 51.2 GB/s to 102.4 GB/s. PCIe advances from Gen 4 to Gen 5, though lane count drops from 20 to 8 on the CPU. The foundry changes from Intel to TSMC, and the die size for the Ultra 5 is not recorded in the database. Both processors lack ECC memory support and both have locked multipliers. The production status differs: the i9-11900 is end-of-life, while the Ultra 5 225H is active.

The Verdict

The data supports a split recommendation based on workload priorities. For users running Cinebench R23, especially single-core, the Intel Core i9-11900 is the clear choice. Its 36.1% single-core lead and 29.8% multi-core lead in that benchmark are decisive. The i9-11900 also wins integer math by 22.4%, which favors productivity and data-processing tasks. However, this chip is end-of-life, uses DDR4, and carries a 65 W TDP. The launch MSRP for the i9-11900 is $439.

For users running PassMark tests or older Cinebench versions, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is consistently faster. It leads in 13 of 17 recorded comparisons, including large margins in floating-point math (43.4%), physics (47.9%), find prime numbers (71.4%), and data encryption (34.9%). It also has a higher single-thread PassMark score (4258 versus 3373). The Ultra 5 is more power-efficient at 28 W, uses newer DDR5 memory with double the bandwidth, and is still in active production.

The average benchmark scores are close: 32226 for the i9-11900 versus 31508 for the Ultra 5, with both at the 82nd percentile. The nearest rivals for each chip fall within a narrow band, indicating both processors sit in a competitive performance tier. The choice ultimately depends on whether the user's software favors the i9-11900's Cinebench R23 and integer strengths or the Ultra 5's PassMark and floating-point strengths. The i9-11900 suits desktop users with DDR4 platforms who prioritize R23 results. The Ultra 5 225H suits mobile users who need a broader spread of wins across encryption, physics, and floating-point workloads, with the efficiency of a 28 W design.