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 i9-13900HK

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225T across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($697 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $457 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (26,874 vs 27,217).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-13900HK

2023

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅16.7% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $457 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).
✅Delivers 186.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $697 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225T across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($697 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (26,874 vs 27,217).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225T better than Core i9-13900HK?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 225T is ahead with a 8.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900HK pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark. Core i9-13900HK also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13900HK is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 225T is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 225T is $457 cheaper on MSRP at $240 MSRP versus $697 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-13900HK is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.3% better PassMark. It is also 186.8% better value on MSRP (112.0 vs 39.0 PassMark/$), 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 225T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023). 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 i9-13900HK Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 225T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	262 FPS	253 FPS
medium	253 FPS	244 FPS
high	210 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	223 FPS	217 FPS
medium	192 FPS	186 FPS
high	154 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	148 FPS
medium	132 FPS	126 FPS
high	101 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HK Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	635 FPS	595 FPS
medium	543 FPS	508 FPS
high	458 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	377 FPS
1440p
low	553 FPS	498 FPS
medium	492 FPS	438 FPS
high	416 FPS	370 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	317 FPS
4K
low	325 FPS	299 FPS
medium	296 FPS	264 FPS
high	279 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HK Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	648 FPS	672 FPS
medium	530 FPS	672 FPS
high	467 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	672 FPS
medium	491 FPS	588 FPS
high	427 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	439 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	504 FPS
medium	374 FPS	422 FPS
high	339 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HK Open Core Ultra 5 225T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	680 FPS	672 FPS
medium	680 FPS	672 FPS
high	680 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	680 FPS	672 FPS
medium	680 FPS	672 FPS
high	626 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	550 FPS
medium	504 FPS	501 FPS
high	451 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	394 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i9-13900HK Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13900HK and Core Ultra 5 225T

Core i9-13900HK

The Core i9-13900HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 27,217 points. Launch price was $697.

Core Ultra 5 225T

The Core Ultra 5 225T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2025 (recentemente). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 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: 26,874 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13900HK packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 225T offers 10 cores / 10 threads — the Core i9-13900HK has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13900HK versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225T — a 9.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-13900HK (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i9-13900HK uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13900HK scores 27,217 against the Core Ultra 5 225T's 26,874 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i9-13900HK. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,629 vs 2,677, a 1.8% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225T that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-13900HK vs 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225T.

Feature	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+40%	10 / 10
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+10%	4.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+4%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+20%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	27,217+1%	26,874
Geekbench 6 Single	2,629	2,677+2%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	8,943

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13900HK uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 225T supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 96 GB — 90.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 28 (Core i9-13900HK) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 225T) — the Core i9-13900HK offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Mobile (Core i9-13900HK) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 225T).

Feature	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	96 GB	256 GB+167%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	28+17%	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-13900HK has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-13900HK supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 96EU (Core i9-13900HK) and Arc Graphics (16EU) (Core Ultra 5 225T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225T rivals Ryzen 5 9600X.

Feature	Core i9-13900HK	Core Ultra 5 225T
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics 96EU	Arc Graphics (16EU)
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-13900HK launched at $697 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 225T debuted at $240. On MSRP ($697 vs $240), the Core Ultra 5 225T is $457 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-13900HK delivers 39.0 pts/$ vs 112.0 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 225T — making the Core Ultra 5 225T the 96.6% better value option.