Intel Core i9-11900F vs Intel Core Ultra 5 135U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a dominant overall performance advantage for the Intel Core i9-11900F. Across the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, the i9-11900F wins 15, while the Core Ultra 5 135U takes only 2. The average benchmark score for the i9-11900F is 23254, compared to 22618 for the Ultra 5 135U.

The most striking difference appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i9-11900F scores 18759 against 9315 for the Ultra 5 135U, a massive 101.4% advantage. This effectively doubles the multi-threaded render performance of the desktop part. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is also heavily lopsided: 2648 versus 1563, a 69.4% lead for the i9-11900F.

The Cinebench R20 suite shows a similar pattern. The i9-11900F posts 7878 in multi-core versus 5934 for the Ultra 5 135U, a 32.8% gap, and 1112 versus 837 in single-core, a 32.9% difference. Even in the older Cinebench R15 tests, the i9-11900F leads by 15.7% in multi-core (1890 vs 1634) and 16.7% in single-core (266 vs 228).

PassMark results reinforce the desktop chip's superiority in most compute tasks. The i9-11900F scores 280847 in data compression versus 196712, a 42.8% win. Integer math shows a 47.2% gap (83718 vs 56864), and floating point math favors the i9-11900F by 17.8% (48562 vs 41232). Extended instructions deliver a 74.5% advantage (19443 vs 11144). Random string sorting is 50.4% faster on the i9-11900F (32520 vs 21620), while multithread performance is 27.4% ahead (22115 vs 17359). Data encryption is a closer contest, with the i9-11900F ahead by 11.8% (13636 vs 12195).

The Ultra 5 135U does claim two wins. In PassMark find prime numbers, it scores 64 against 61, a 4.7% edge. The physics test also goes to the Ultra 5 135U, 1122 versus 949, a 15.4% advantage. The single-thread PassMark tests are very tight: the i9-11900F leads 3413 to 3343, a marginal 2.1% difference.

Context from the database's nearest rival comparisons is useful here. The i9-11900F sits within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H, 0.2% below the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V, and 0.2% above the Core Ultra 7 266V. The Ultra 5 135U, meanwhile, is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-12500H (0.0% delta), 0.5% above the Core i7-1270P, and 0.7% above the Core i5-13500H. Both chips rank at the 76th percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating they occupy similar overall tiers despite very different workload profiles.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different Intel design eras. The i9-11900F is built on Rocket Lake, a 14 nm desktop architecture launched in the 11th Gen Core series. The Ultra 5 135U belongs to Meteor Lake, the first Core Ultra Series 1 generation, fabricated on a 7 nm process and designed for mobile platforms.

Core counts differ in structure as well as magnitude. The i9-11900F has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Ultra 5 135U has 12 cores but only 14 threads. The Ultra 5's core arrangement reflects a hybrid design with efficiency cores that do not add threads on a one-to-one basis. The i9-11900F uses a uniform 8-core, 16-thread layout with a 2.50 GHz base clock and 5.20 GHz boost clock. The Ultra 5 135U has a 1600.00 MHz base clock and a 4.40 GHz boost clock, lower clocks suited to its 15 W TDP versus the i9-11900F's 65 W TDP.

Cache hierarchies also diverge. The i9-11900F provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 135U has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations, 112 KB and 2 MB per core respectively, but a smaller 12 MB shared L3. The larger L2 on the Ultra 5 compensates somewhat for the reduced L3 capacity.

Memory support is a clear generational split. The i9-11900F uses DDR4 through a dual-channel interface with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Ultra 5 135U supports DDR5, with capacity dependent on the motherboard, and reaches 89.6 GB/s across its dual-channel bus. That is a substantial bandwidth advantage for the mobile chip, even though it trails in raw compute benchmarks.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The i9-11900F provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 5 135U offers Gen 4 with 12 lanes. The desktop part has more expansion headroom, while the mobile part is more constrained. Integrated graphics are present only on the Ultra 5 135U, which carries Arc Xe-LPG 64EU graphics. The i9-11900F has no integrated graphics listed, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for display output. Socket requirements diverge as well: the i9-11900F uses Intel Socket 1200, while the Ultra 5 135U is soldered to Intel BGA 2049, a mobile package.

Production status separates the two further. The i9-11900F is marked end-of-life with a release date of 2021-03-15. The Ultra 5 135U is active and was released on 2023-12-13. The die size of the i9-11900F is recorded as 276 mm²; no die size is listed for the Ultra 5 135U. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-11900F is the clear choice for sustained multi-threaded and single-threaded compute workloads. Its 101.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core makes it roughly twice as fast in long render tasks. Content creation, video encoding, 3D rendering, and software compilation all favor the desktop chip based on the recorded scores. The 74.5% advantage in extended instructions suggests strong performance in workloads that leverage advanced CPU instruction sets, such as scientific computing or cryptography. Integer math, with a 47.2% gap, points to general productivity tasks like spreadsheet calculations, database operations, and code builds running noticeably faster on the i9-11900F.

The Ultra 5 135U wins in more specialized scenarios. Its 15.4% advantage in PassMark physics indicates better performance in physics simulation workloads, which can matter in certain game engines or scientific simulations. The 4.7% edge in prime number finding, while small, shows the efficiency cores can handle that particular integer workload slightly better. The Ultra 5 135U also brings integrated Arc Xe-LPG 64EU graphics, making it viable for systems without a discrete GPU, though no graphics benchmarks are recorded in this comparison.

For mobile users, the 15 W TDP makes the Ultra 5 135U suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal limits matter more than raw throughput. The i9-11900F, at 65 W and on a desktop socket, belongs in a tower chassis with discrete cooling and a dedicated GPU. The i9-11900F's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth trails the Ultra 5 135U's 89.6 GB/s, so memory-heavy tasks that fit within the Ultra 5's core count may see better data throughput on the mobile chip, even if overall compute results favor the desktop part.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-11900F | Intel Core Ultra 5 135U |

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

| Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Threads | 16 | 14 |

| Base clock | 2.50 GHz | 1600.00 MHz |

| Boost clock | 5.20 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | Intel BGA 2049 |

| Architecture | Rocket Lake | Meteor Lake |

| Process node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Die size | 276 mm² | Not listed |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 112 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 16 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR5 (depends on motherboard) |

| Memory bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 89.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 12 lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | None | Arc Xe-LPG 64EU |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release date | 2021-03-15 | 2023-12-13 |

| Launch MSRP | $422 | $332 |

| Part number | SRKNK | SRN6C |

Both processors are from Intel, use dual-channel memory buses, lack ECC support, have locked multipliers, and are not unlocked for overclocking. The i9-11900F's launch MSRP was $422, while the Ultra 5 135U launched at $332. The Ultra 5 135U has a smaller PCIe lane allocation and relies on motherboard-dependent DDR5 memory, whereas the i9-11900F uses standard DDR4.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900F is significantly faster, scoring 18759 versus 9315 for the Ultra 5 135U, a 101.4% advantage.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 5 135U win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, it wins two of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests: PassMark find prime numbers (64 vs 61, a 4.7% edge) and PassMark physics (1122 vs 949, a 15.4% advantage).

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each chip?

A: The i9-11900F has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Ultra 5 135U has 12 cores and 14 threads.

Q: How do their memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The Ultra 5 135U has a higher memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5, while the i9-11900F reaches 51.2 GB/s over dual-channel DDR4.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: Only the Ultra 5 135U has integrated graphics, specifically Arc Xe-LPG 64EU. The i9-11900F lists no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the performance gap in single-threaded PassMark tests?

A: The i9-11900F leads narrowly, scoring 3413 versus 3343 for the Ultra 5 135U, a 2.1% difference.