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 225F

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $16 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $247 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 235T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 235T

2025

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU, while Core Ultra 5 225F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (12,900 vs 13,028).
❌
6.9% HIGHER MSRP
$247 MSRPvs$231 MSRP

Core Ultra 5 225F

2025

Core Ultra 5 235T

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $16 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $247 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU, while Core Ultra 5 225F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 235T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (12,900 vs 13,028).
❌
6.9% HIGHER MSRP
$247 MSRPvs$231 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225F better than Core Ultra 5 235T?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 225F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1% better Geekbench multi-core, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 225F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.1% 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 225F is the better fit. You are getting 1% 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 225F is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 225F is $16 cheaper on MSRP at $231 MSRP versus $247 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 5.2% better value on MSRP (136.5 vs 129.8 PassMark/$), 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 235T is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 225F Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
1080p
low	256 FPS	262 FPS
medium	244 FPS	252 FPS
high	208 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	219 FPS	220 FPS
medium	187 FPS	189 FPS
high	154 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	150 FPS	149 FPS
medium	127 FPS	127 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Core Ultra 5 235T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
1080p
low	603 FPS	359 FPS
medium	512 FPS	306 FPS
high	421 FPS	257 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	232 FPS
1440p
low	501 FPS	313 FPS
medium	441 FPS	279 FPS
high	372 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	200 FPS
4K
low	301 FPS	187 FPS
medium	266 FPS	170 FPS
high	248 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	141 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Core Ultra 5 235T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
1080p
low	789 FPS	801 FPS
medium	680 FPS	681 FPS
high	609 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	725 FPS	727 FPS
medium	588 FPS	590 FPS
high	515 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	504 FPS
medium	422 FPS	422 FPS
high	377 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Core Ultra 5 235T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
1080p
low	789 FPS	801 FPS
medium	789 FPS	801 FPS
high	777 FPS	757 FPS
ultra	699 FPS	678 FPS
1440p
low	789 FPS	791 FPS
medium	716 FPS	700 FPS
high	623 FPS	606 FPS
ultra	547 FPS	531 FPS
4K
low	560 FPS	554 FPS
medium	510 FPS	500 FPS
high	457 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	392 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Core Ultra 5 235T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225F and Core Ultra 5 235T

Core Ultra 5 225F

The Core Ultra 5 225F 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: 31,541 points. Launch price was $231.

Core Ultra 5 235T

The Core Ultra 5 235T 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 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: 32,053 points. Launch price was $247.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225F packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235T offers 14 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 235T has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225F versus 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235T — a 2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235T (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). Both are built on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture using a 3 nm process. In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225F scores 31,541 against the Core Ultra 5 235T's 32,053 — a 1.6% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,653 vs 2,760, a 4% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,028 vs 12,900 (1% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225F). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 235T.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
Cores / Threads	10 / 10	14 / 14+40%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+50%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm	3 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	31,541	32,053+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	17,050	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,653	2,760+4%
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,028	12,900

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1851 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to DDR5-6400 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 225F supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 24 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 225F) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 235T).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
Socket	LGA1851	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+33%	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core Ultra 5 225F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core Ultra 5 235T includes integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU), while the Core Ultra 5 225F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 235T targets Mainstream Desktop.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Core Ultra 5 235T
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Mainstream Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 225F launched at $231 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 235T debuted at $247. On MSRP ($231 vs $247), the Core Ultra 5 225F is $16 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 225F delivers 136.5 pts/$ vs 129.8 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 235T — making the Core Ultra 5 225F the 5.1% better value option.