Intel Core i9-13980HX vs Intel Core Ultra 5 235A Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data splits these two processors cleanly by workload type. The Intel Core i9-13980HX wins 10 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A takes 7. The i9-13980HX dominates heavily threaded tasks, with its largest victory being an 87.8% lead in PassMark integer math. The Ultra 5 235A counters with commanding single-thread wins, including a 54.2% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core.

The i9-13980HX is the pick for users whose workloads scale across many cores: rendering, compression, encryption, and general multithreaded productivity. The Ultra 5 235A is the pick for single-thread-sensitive applications and tasks where per-core efficiency matters, such as light-threaded creative work or legacy code paths. Both CPUs sit at the 90th percentile versus all CPUs in the database, so neither is a weak choice, but the data clearly separates them by usage pattern.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and use fundamentally different designs. The Core i9-13980HX is built on Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node, fabricated by Intel. It packs 24 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its cache layout is 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. The i9 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, includes ECC memory support, and integrates UHD Graphics 770. It is an unlocked multiplier part, meaning overclocking is available. The die size is 257 mm².

The Core Ultra 5 235A uses Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm node from TSMC. It has 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its cache is larger per core: 192 KB L1 per core and 3 MB L2 per core, but the shared L3 is smaller at 24 MB. It supports only DDR5 memory, dual-channel, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It lacks ECC memory support. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU. The die is slightly smaller at 243 mm², but the transistor count is explicitly listed at 17,800 million. The Ultra 5 has a locked multiplier.

The socket differences matter as well. The i9-13980HX uses Intel BGA 1964, a mobile socket, while the Ultra 5 235A uses Intel Socket 1851, a desktop socket. The market segment field confirms one is mobile and the other desktop. Both support PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, and both are currently listed as Active in production.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory for the i9-13980HX is in passMark integer math, where it scores 166455 against the Ultra 5's 88626, a delta of 87.8%. The multithreaded passMark suite also favors the i9-13980HX substantially: 46409 versus 38392, a 20.9% lead. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-13980HX scores 4717 versus 3289, a 43.4% advantage. Cinebench R20 multi-core gives the i9-13980HX 16187 versus 13705, an 18.1% edge. The i9 also wins data compression by 49.4% (588,306 versus 393,800), data encryption by 17.2% (35,332 versus 30,136), extended instructions by 7.1% (33,868 versus 31,625), random string sorting by 33.6% (66,125 versus 49,489), and physics by 5.7% (2,575 versus 2,437). In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i9 wins narrowly: 2285 versus 1934, an 18.1% lead.

The Ultra 5 235A dominates single-thread and light-thread workloads. Cinebench R23 single-core is its biggest win: 4607 versus 2110, a 54.2% advantage. Cinebench R23 multi-core also goes to the Ultra 5: 32633 versus 30273, a 7.2% edge, despite the i9's greater core count. Cinebench R15 single-core favors the Ultra 5 at 464 versus 304.5, a 34.4% lead. PassMark single-thread gives the Ultra 5 4557 versus 4252, a 6.7% difference. The Ultra 5 also wins passMark find prime numbers with a 51.3% lead (392 versus 191) and passMark floating point math by a razor-thin 0.1% (118,778 versus 118,645).

The pattern is clear: the i9's 24 cores with hyperthreading favor heavy parallel loads, while the Ultra 5's newer architecture gives it a substantial per-thread advantage in many tests, especially the Cinebench R23 suite.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i9-13980HX wins 10 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 235A wins 7.

Q: How much faster is the i9-13980HX in the largest multithreaded win?

A: The i9-13980HX leads by 87.8% in passMark integer integer, scoring 166,455 versus 88,626 for the Ultra 5.

Q: What is the biggest single-thread win for the Core Ultra 5 235A?

A: The Ultra 5 leads by 54.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core, scoring 4,607 versus 2,110 for the i9-13980HX.

Q: Does the Ultra 5 235A lose all multi-core tests?

A: No, the Ultra 5 wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 32,633 versus 30,273, a 7.2% lead, despite losing Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core and passMark multithread.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i9-13980HX has an average benchmark score of 50,398, while the Ultra 5 235A has an average of 48,201. Both are at the 90th percentile versus all CPUs.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Ultra 5 235A has a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s; the i9-13980HX does not have a memory bandwidth figure recorded in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-13980HX is the clear winner for heavily parallel, compute-heavy workloads. Its 87.8% integer math lead and 49.4% data compression advantage suggest strong performance in integer-heavy code, database compression, and data processing pipelines. The 33.6% lead in random string sorting points to text processing or sorting-heavy tasks. The 20.9% multithreaded lead and 18.1% Cinebench R20 multi-core win highlight its suitability for 3D rendering, video encoding, and scientific simulation. The 17.2% encryption lead also makes it a better choice for security-heavy workloads, including full-disk encryption and network traffic processing. The physics score (5.7% ahead) also benefits any engine simulation.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235A wins on single-thread responsiveness and specific modern workloads. Its 54.2% Cinebench R23 single-core lead and 34.4% Cinebench R15 single-core lead make it the better choice for legacy applications, scripting, and tasks that rely on per-core speed. The 51.3% lead in prime number finding suggests mathematical or primality-testing workloads run faster here. The 7.2% Cinebench R23 multi-core win is a notable exception, indicating that the Ultra 5's newer architecture can beat the older i9 in certain well-optimized multi-threaded rendering tasks. The 6.7% passMark single-thread win supports its edge in general desktop responsiveness. The floating-point math tie (0.1% difference) means either CPU is fine for floating-point-heavy scientific code, but the Ultra 5 has a slight edge.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category.

Architecture and Node: The i9-13980HX is Raptor Lake (Raptor Lake-HX) on a 10 nm Intel node. The Ultra 5 235A is Arrow Lake (Arrow Lake-S) on a 3 nm TSMC node.

Cores and Threads: The i9-13980HX has 24 cores and 32 threads. The Ultra 5 has 14 cores and 14 threads.

Clock Speeds: The i9-13980HX has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The Ultra 5 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

TDP: The i9-13980HX is rated at 55 W. The Ultra 5 is rated at 65 W.

Socket: The i9-13980HX uses Intel BGA 1964. The Ultra 5 uses Socket 1851.

Process and Foundry: The i9-13980HX uses Intel foundry on 10 nm. The Ultra 5 uses TSMC on 3 nm.

Transistors and Die Size: The i9-13980HX has no listed transistor count and a 257 mm² die. The Ultra 5 has 17,800 million transistors and a 243 mm² die.

Cache Layout: The i9-13980HX has 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3. The Ultra 5 has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3.

Memory: The i9-13980HX supports DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel, with ECC support. The Ultra 5 supports only DDR5, dual-channel, with a recorded bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and no ECC.

Integrated Graphics: The i9-13980HX has UHD Graphics 770. The Ultra 5 has Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU.

Unlocked Multiplier: The i9-13980HX is unlocked. The Ultra 5 is locked.

Release Date: The i9-13980HX was released on 2023-01-03. The Ultra 5 was released on 2025-07-28.

Launch MSRP: The i9-13980HX had a launch MSRP of $668. The Ultra 5 had a launch MSRP of $269.

Market Segment: The i9-13980HX is listed as Mobile. The Ultra 5 is listed as Desktop.

Part Number: The i9-13980HX is SRME9. The Ultra 5 is SRWPN.