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 225H

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 150W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc 130T GPU, while Xeon Gold 6148 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,526 vs 18,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 28 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6148, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6148

2017

Why buy it

✅+27.4% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+52.8% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $3,072 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌650% higher power demand at 150W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225H moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 225H

2025

Xeon Gold 6148

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 150W, a 130W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2049 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc 130T GPU, while Xeon Gold 6148 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+27.4% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+52.8% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 20 cores / 40 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 28.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,526 vs 18,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 28 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6148, which brings 20 cores / 40 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $3,072 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌650% higher power demand at 150W vs 20W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225H moves to FCBGA2049 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225H better than Xeon Gold 6148?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6148 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 5 225H 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, Xeon Gold 6148 is the better fit. You are getting 27.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 40 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 52.8% larger total L3 cache (28 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 225H is still the faster CPU overall, but Xeon Gold 6148 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 225H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $3,072 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6148 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 27.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Xeon Gold 6148 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (9.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core Ultra 5 225H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2017) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2049 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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 225H Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6148 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	299 FPS	186 FPS
medium	262 FPS	151 FPS
high	218 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	187 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	245 FPS	146 FPS
medium	193 FPS	115 FPS
high	157 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	168 FPS	68 FPS
medium	134 FPS	57 FPS
high	104 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225H Open Xeon Gold 6148

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	685 FPS	397 FPS
medium	543 FPS	345 FPS
high	432 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	241 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	344 FPS
medium	471 FPS	306 FPS
high	385 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	327 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	349 FPS	225 FPS
medium	293 FPS	200 FPS
high	267 FPS	177 FPS
ultra	233 FPS	145 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225H Open Xeon Gold 6148

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	720 FPS	726 FPS
medium	720 FPS	726 FPS
high	720 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	653 FPS	648 FPS
1440p
low	720 FPS	705 FPS
medium	720 FPS	605 FPS
high	624 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	537 FPS	506 FPS
4K
low	628 FPS	455 FPS
medium	519 FPS	357 FPS
high	458 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225H Open Xeon Gold 6148

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
1080p
low	720 FPS	726 FPS
medium	720 FPS	726 FPS
high	720 FPS	663 FPS
ultra	720 FPS	576 FPS
1440p
low	720 FPS	682 FPS
medium	720 FPS	598 FPS
high	677 FPS	516 FPS
ultra	579 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	604 FPS	469 FPS
medium	538 FPS	421 FPS
high	486 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	423 FPS	327 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225H Open Xeon Gold 6148

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225H and Xeon Gold 6148

Core Ultra 5 225H

The Core Ultra 5 225H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-H (2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 MB + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 28,802 points. Launch price was $385.

Xeon Gold 6148

The Xeon Gold 6148 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 25 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 20 cores and 40 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 27.5 MB. L2 cache: 20 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 29,021 points. Launch price was $3,072.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225H packs 14 cores / 14 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6148 offers 20 cores / 40 threads — the Xeon Gold 6148 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225H versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6148 — a 27.9% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225H (base: 4.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225H uses the Arrow Lake-H (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6148 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225H scores 28,802 against the Xeon Gold 6148's 29,021 — a 0.8% lead for the Xeon Gold 6148. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 14,526 vs 18,500 (24.1% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6148). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,678 vs 1,254, a 72.4% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,337 vs 9,445 (26.6% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225H). L3 cache: 18 MB on the Core Ultra 5 225H vs 27.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6148.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
Cores / Threads	14 / 14	20 / 40+43%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+32%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	4.3 GHz+79%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB	27.5 MB+53%
L2 Cache	—	20 MB
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-H (2025)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	28,802	29,021
Cinebench R23 Multi	14,526	18,500+27%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,678+114%	1,254
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,337+31%	9,445

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225H uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Gold 6148 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225H versus DDR4-2666 on the Xeon Gold 6148 — the Core Ultra 5 225H supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6148 supports up to 768 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 142.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 5 225H) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6148). PCIe lanes: 28 (Core Ultra 5 225H) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6148) — the Xeon Gold 6148 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WM880,HM870 (Core Ultra 5 225H) and C620 (Xeon Gold 6148).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
Socket	FCBGA2049	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	768 GB+500%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	48+71%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 5 225H has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Gold 6148 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225H) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6148). The Core Ultra 5 225H includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc 130T GPU), while the Xeon Gold 6148 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225H targets Professional Content Creation Laptop, Xeon Gold 6148 targets Legacy Enterprise Workloads. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225H rivals Ryzen 7 9800H; Xeon Gold 6148 rivals EPYC 7401.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225H	Xeon Gold 6148
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel Arc 130T GPU	—
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Professional Content Creation Laptop	Legacy Enterprise Workloads