Intel Core i9-13900HK vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235H Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H and the Intel Core i9-13900HK are two mobile processors that land within 0.3% of each other in average benchmark score, yet their performance profiles are strikingly different. The newer Arrow Lake chip wins the majority of head-to-head tests, while the older Raptor Lake part holds specific strengths in integer-heavy workloads. This analysis walks through the benchmark data, architectural differences, and the use cases where each processor is the better choice.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive victory for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H in overall test wins, taking 14 of 17 head-to-head comparisons. The most dramatic difference appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Ultra 5 235H scores 3613 against the i9-13900HK’s 1843.5, a 96% advantage. This is not a small incremental gain—it is nearly double the single-threaded performance. The R23 multi-core test tells a similar story, with the Ultra 5 235H posting 25598 versus 16025, a 59.7% lead. These Cinebench results indicate that the Arrow Lake architecture delivers substantially better performance per thread, and that advantage scales across multiple cores as well.

The Cinebench R15 and R20 results follow the same pattern. In R15 multi-core, the Ultra 5 235H scores 2580 against 2398, a 7.6% win. The R15 single-core gap is larger at 38.4%, with scores of 364 versus 263. R20 multi-core shows a 12.6% lead for the Ultra 5 235H (10751 versus 9548), and R20 single-core also lands at 12.6% (1517 versus 1347). The consistency of these single-core wins suggests the Ultra 5 235H’s higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz, combined with its newer architecture, translates directly into faster response in lightly threaded tasks.

PassMark results reveal a more nuanced picture. The Ultra 5 235H wins floating point math by 37.5% (93509 versus 68020), extended instructions by 19.6% (23354 versus 19534), and data encryption by 20.4% (23121 versus 19198). The find prime numbers test shows the largest margin of any benchmark, with the Ultra 5 235H scoring 239 against 110, a 117.3% advantage. The single-thread PassMark score of 4359 versus 3810 gives the Ultra 5 235H a 14.4% lead, and the multithread score of 30091 versus 28194 is a 6.7% win. The physics test also goes to the Ultra 5 235H by 4.7% (1985 versus 1896).

The i9-13900HK wins three tests, and they are worth examining closely. Its largest victory comes in integer math, where it scores 94120 against 74247, a 21.1% advantage for the older chip. Data compression also favors the i9-13900HK, with a score of 329454 versus 301979, an 8.3% lead. The random string sorting test is nearly a tie, with the i9-13900HK ahead by just 1.2% (36662 versus 36208). These wins suggest that the i9-13900HK’s higher thread count of 20 (versus 14 on the Ultra 5 235H) provides an edge in certain parallel integer workloads, even though the Ultra 5 235H wins the overall multithread test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H has an average benchmark score of 37522, while the Intel Core i9-13900HK scores 37425. The difference is 0.3% in favor of the Ultra 5 235H.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H scores 25598 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 59.7% higher than the Intel Core i9-13900HK’s score of 16025.

Q: Are there any workloads where the i9-13900HK outperforms the Ultra 5 235H?

A: Yes, the i9-13900HK wins in three areas: integer math (94120 versus 74247, a 21.1% lead), data compression (329454 versus 301979, an 8.3% lead), and random string sorting (36662 versus 36208, a 1.2% lead).

Q: What is the difference in single-threaded performance?

A: The Ultra 5 235H leads in every single-threaded test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 3613 versus 1843.5 for the i9-13900HK, a 96% advantage. In PassMark single-thread, the scores are 4359 versus 3810, a 14.4% lead.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-13900HK has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, which is higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H’s boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Despite this, the Ultra 5 235H wins the majority of single-core benchmarks.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins 14 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i9-13900HK wins 3.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H as the superior processor for most tasks. It wins 14 of 17 benchmarks, including every Cinebench test and the majority of PassMark workloads. The single-core performance gap is enormous, with the Ultra 5 235H leading by 96% in Cinebench R23 single-core and 38.4% in R15 single-core. For users who prioritize responsiveness, application launch times, and software that relies on single-threaded performance, the Ultra 5 235H is the clear choice.

The i9-13900HK is not without merit, however. Its 21.1% lead in integer math and 8.3% lead in data compression indicate that certain parallel integer workloads still favor the older chip’s 20 threads. Users who work primarily with compression tools or integer-heavy calculations may find the i9-13900HK competitive, despite its lower overall score. The 1.2% difference in random string sorting is negligible and should not influence a purchase decision.

The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—37522 versus 37425—so the overall performance level is comparable. But the distribution of wins is heavily skewed toward the Ultra 5 235H, and its margins in key tests like Cinebench R23 are massive. For a buyer choosing between these two, the Ultra 5 235H offers the better all-around performance profile, with the i9-13900HK only being preferable in niche integer-heavy scenarios.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores and 14 threads, while the Intel Core i9-13900HK has 14 cores and 20 threads, meaning the i9-13900HK supports hyper-threading while the Ultra 5 235H does not. Base clocks are close, with the Ultra 5 235H at 2.40 GHz and the i9-13900HK at 2.60 GHz, but the boost clocks differ more significantly: 5.00 GHz for the Ultra 5 235H versus 5.40 GHz for the i9-13900HK.

The thermal design power (TDP) is substantially different, with the Ultra 5 235H rated at 28 W and the i9-13900HK at 45 W. The Ultra 5 235H uses the Intel BGA 2049 socket, while the i9-13900HK uses Intel BGA 1744. Cache configurations also differ: the Ultra 5 235H has 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i9-13900HK has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory support varies as well. The Ultra 5 235H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, while the i9-13900HK supports DDR4 and DDR5 with no listed bandwidth figure. The integrated graphics differ, with the Ultra 5 235H featuring Arc Graphics 140T and the i9-13900HK featuring Iris Xe Graphics 96EU. The i9-13900HK has an unlocked multiplier, while the Ultra 5 235H does not. The i9-13900HK has a launch MSRP of $697. The i9-13900HK has a die size of 257 mm², while the Ultra 5 235H does not list one.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two chips is significant. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H is built on Arrow Lake architecture, specifically the Arrow Lake-H codename, and uses a 3 nm process node from TSMC. The Intel Core i9-13900HK is based on Raptor Lake architecture, with the Raptor Lake-H codename, and uses a 10 nm process node from Intel. This process advantage likely explains the Ultra 5 235H’s superior performance-per-watt, as evidenced by its 28 W TDP versus the i9-13900HK’s 45 W TDP.

The core configurations reflect these architectural differences. The Ultra 5 235H has 14 cores and 14 threads, which means it does not use simultaneous multithreading. The i9-13900HK has 14 cores and 20 threads, indicating it uses hyper-threading on some cores. The cache hierarchy also differs, with the Ultra 5 235H offering 192 KB of L1 per core and 3 MB of L2 per core, versus 80 KB and 2 MB for the i9-13900HK. The i9-13900HK has a larger L3 cache at 24 MB shared, compared to 18 MB shared on the Ultra 5 235H.

The integrated graphics solutions are from different generations: the Ultra 5 235H uses Arc Graphics 140T, while the i9-13900HK uses Iris Xe Graphics 96EU. Both processors support PCIe Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only), and neither supports ECC memory. The release dates are about two years apart, with the Ultra 5 235H launching in January 2025 and the i9-13900HK in January 2023.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235H wins in the vast majority of scenarios. Its 96% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 38.4% lead in R15 single-core make it the obvious choice for everyday desktop tasks, web browsing, office applications, and any software that does not scale perfectly across cores. The 59.7% lead in R23 multi-core also makes it strong for content creation, video editing, and 3D rendering, despite having fewer threads than the i9-13900HK. The floating point math win of 37.5% and extended instructions win of 19.6% favor scientific computing and multimedia processing. The data encryption win of 20.4% makes it better for security-related workloads.

The Intel Core i9-13900HK wins in three specific areas. Its 21.1% lead in integer math makes it better for tasks like financial modeling, cryptography that relies on integer operations, and certain database operations. The 8.3% lead in data compression favors archiving tools, backup software, and file transfer utilities that compress data on the fly. The 1.2% lead in random string sorting is marginal but could matter in text-processing pipelines that sort large volumes of strings. Users who spend most of their time in these specific integer-heavy workloads may prefer the i9-13900HK, but for the broad majority of applications, the benchmark data clearly favors the Intel Core Ultra 5 235H.