PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 5 225

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores), while Xeon E7-4890 v2 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM2), unlike Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 38 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $240 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (38 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,500 vs 17,020).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Core Ultra 5 225 moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 225

2025

Xeon E7-4890 v2

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 155W, a 90W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores), while Xeon E7-4890 v2 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM2), unlike Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Why buy it

✅+87.5% larger total L3 cache (38 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 15 cores / 30 threads, plus 32 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (32 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 38 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E7-4890 v2, which brings 15 cores / 30 threads and 32 PCIe lanes.
❌Launch MSRP is still $240 MSRP, while Xeon E7-4890 v2 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,500 vs 17,020).
❌138.5% higher power demand at 155W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Core Ultra 5 225 moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225 better than Xeon E7-4890 v2?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E7-4890 v2 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 5 225 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 225 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225 is the better fit. You are getting 161.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core Ultra 5 225 is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 225 is at an unclear MSRP at $240 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 8.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (129.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core Ultra 5 225 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2014), a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 10 threads instead of 15/30. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core Ultra 5 225 Benchmark Check

Xeon E7-4890 v2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	256 FPS	186 FPS
medium	244 FPS	148 FPS
high	208 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	219 FPS	153 FPS
medium	187 FPS	119 FPS
high	154 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	150 FPS	72 FPS
medium	127 FPS	59 FPS
high	99 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	603 FPS	368 FPS
medium	512 FPS	324 FPS
high	421 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	216 FPS
1440p
low	501 FPS	318 FPS
medium	441 FPS	282 FPS
high	372 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	184 FPS
4K
low	301 FPS	199 FPS
medium	266 FPS	178 FPS
high	248 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	121 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	778 FPS	774 FPS
medium	680 FPS	774 FPS
high	609 FPS	763 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	679 FPS
1440p
low	725 FPS	744 FPS
medium	588 FPS	638 FPS
high	515 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	479 FPS
medium	422 FPS	376 FPS
high	377 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
1080p
low	778 FPS	774 FPS
medium	778 FPS	774 FPS
high	777 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	699 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	778 FPS	774 FPS
medium	716 FPS	686 FPS
high	623 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	547 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	560 FPS	581 FPS
medium	510 FPS	506 FPS
high	457 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	377 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon E7-4890 v2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225 and Xeon E7-4890 v2

Core Ultra 5 225

The Core Ultra 5 225 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 31,137 points. Launch price was $246.

Xeon E7-4890 v2

The Xeon E7-4890 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 15 cores and 30 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 37.5 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 155 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 30,946 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225 packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 15 cores / 30 threads — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225 versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — a 36.1% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225 is built on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225 scores 31,137 against the Xeon E7-4890 v2's 30,946 — a 0.6% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 17,020 vs 6,500 (89.5% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,653 vs 730, a 113.7% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,028 vs 5,500 (81.3% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225 vs 37.5 MB on the Xeon E7-4890 v2.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Cores / Threads	10 / 10	15 / 30+50%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+44%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+18%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	37.5 MB+88%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)	—
Process	3 nm-86%	22 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	—
PassMark	31,137	30,946
Cinebench R23 Multi	17,020+162%	6,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,653+263%	730
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,028+137%	5,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225 uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225 versus DDR3-1600 on the Xeon E7-4890 v2 — the Core Ultra 5 225 supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E7-4890 v2 supports up to 1536 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 5 225) vs 4 (Xeon E7-4890 v2). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 5 225) vs 32 (Xeon E7-4890 v2) — the Xeon E7-4890 v2 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860,H810 (Core Ultra 5 225) and C602 (Xeon E7-4890 v2).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Socket	LGA1851	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+67%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	1536 GB+500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	32+33%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core Ultra 5 225 includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores)), while the Xeon E7-4890 v2 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225 targets Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency, Xeon E7-4890 v2 targets Enterprise Server (Legacy). Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225 rivals Ryzen 5 8600G; Xeon E7-4890 v2 rivals Xeon E5-2697 v2.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon E7-4890 v2
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores)	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency	Enterprise Server (Legacy)