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

✅+1.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $1,093 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Delivers 458.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.7 vs 23.2 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2295 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2295, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon W-2295

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+23.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (12,863 vs 13,028).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.2 vs 129.7 PassMark/$ ($1,333 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, 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 W-2295

2019

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $1,093 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Delivers 458.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.7 vs 23.2 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+23.8% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2295 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2295, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (12,863 vs 13,028).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 23.2 vs 129.7 PassMark/$ ($1,333 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, 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 W-2295?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-2295 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225 is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better Geekbench 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 $1,093 cheaper on MSRP at $240 MSRP versus $1,333 MSRP, and it gives you 1.3% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Xeon W-2295 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 16.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 458.1% better value on MSRP (129.7 vs 23.2 PassMark/$), 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 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 10 threads instead of 18/36. 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 W-2295 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
1080p
low	256 FPS	286 FPS
medium	244 FPS	254 FPS
high	208 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	219 FPS	234 FPS
medium	187 FPS	190 FPS
high	154 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	150 FPS	165 FPS
medium	127 FPS	134 FPS
high	99 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon W-2295

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
1080p
low	603 FPS	551 FPS
medium	512 FPS	457 FPS
high	421 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	345 FPS
1440p
low	501 FPS	457 FPS
medium	441 FPS	395 FPS
high	372 FPS	337 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	291 FPS
4K
low	301 FPS	286 FPS
medium	266 FPS	248 FPS
high	248 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon W-2295

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
1080p
low	778 FPS	775 FPS
medium	680 FPS	775 FPS
high	609 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	775 FPS
1440p
low	725 FPS	775 FPS
medium	588 FPS	775 FPS
high	515 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	620 FPS
medium	422 FPS	522 FPS
high	377 FPS	462 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	389 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon W-2295

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
1080p
low	778 FPS	775 FPS
medium	778 FPS	775 FPS
high	777 FPS	775 FPS
ultra	699 FPS	775 FPS
1440p
low	778 FPS	775 FPS
medium	716 FPS	775 FPS
high	623 FPS	742 FPS
ultra	547 FPS	631 FPS
4K
low	560 FPS	704 FPS
medium	510 FPS	611 FPS
high	457 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225 Open Xeon W-2295

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225 and Xeon W-2295

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 W-2295

The Xeon W-2295 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 30,986 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225 packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Xeon W-2295 offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon W-2295 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225 versus 4.8 GHz on the Xeon W-2295 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3 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 W-2295's 30,986 — a 0.5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,653 vs 1,703, a 43.6% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,028 vs 12,863 (1.3% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225 vs 24.75 MB on the Xeon W-2295.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
Cores / Threads	10 / 10	18 / 36+80%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	24.75 MB+24%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)	—
Process	3 nm-79%	14 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	—
PassMark	31,137	30,986
Cinebench R23 Multi	17,020	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,653+56%	1,703
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,028+1%	12,863

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225 uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon W-2295 uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225 versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon W-2295 — the Core Ultra 5 225 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon W-2295 supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 5 225) vs 4 (Xeon W-2295). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 5 225) vs 48 (Xeon W-2295) — the Xeon W-2295 offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860,H810 (Core Ultra 5 225) and C422 (Xeon W-2295).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
Socket	LGA1851	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	1024 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	48+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon W-2295 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core Ultra 5 225) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon W-2295). The Core Ultra 5 225 includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores)), while the Xeon W-2295 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225 targets Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency, Xeon W-2295 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225 rivals Ryzen 5 8600G.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225	Xeon W-2295
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores)	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 225 launched at $240 MSRP, while the Xeon W-2295 debuted at $1333. On MSRP ($240 vs $1333), the Core Ultra 5 225 is $1093 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 225 delivers 129.7 pts/$ vs 23.2 pts/$ for the Xeon W-2295 — making the Core Ultra 5 225 the 139.2% better value option.