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 225T

2025

Why buy it

✅+19.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $89 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 64.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Graphics (16EU), while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 26,874).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.2 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅+19.8% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $89 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 64.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Graphics (16EU), while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (22,430 vs 26,874).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.2 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225T better than Ryzen 7 3700X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 3700X is ahead with a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225T pulls ahead with 19.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 3700X also has the bigger cache pool with 60% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 20 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225T is the better fit. You are getting 19.8% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads.

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 $89 cheaper on MSRP at $240 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you 19.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 3700X is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 64.2% better value on MSRP (112.0 vs 68.2 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 7 3700X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 10 threads instead of 8/16. 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 225T Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	253 FPS	200 FPS
medium	244 FPS	163 FPS
high	206 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	175 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	217 FPS	156 FPS
medium	186 FPS	121 FPS
high	153 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	132 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	148 FPS	84 FPS
medium	126 FPS	71 FPS
high	98 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225T Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	595 FPS	561 FPS
medium	508 FPS	525 FPS
high	420 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	498 FPS	545 FPS
medium	438 FPS	471 FPS
high	370 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	317 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	299 FPS	350 FPS
medium	264 FPS	304 FPS
high	246 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	217 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225T Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	672 FPS	561 FPS
medium	672 FPS	561 FPS
high	609 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	672 FPS	561 FPS
medium	588 FPS	561 FPS
high	515 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	499 FPS
medium	422 FPS	394 FPS
high	377 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	275 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225T Open Ryzen 7 3700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	672 FPS	561 FPS
medium	672 FPS	561 FPS
high	672 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	672 FPS	561 FPS
medium	672 FPS	561 FPS
high	611 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	535 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	550 FPS	561 FPS
medium	501 FPS	501 FPS
high	448 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	396 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225T Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225T and Ryzen 7 3700X

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.

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225T packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225T versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225T (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225T uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225T scores 26,874 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 18% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225T. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225T vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	10 / 10+25%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+11%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	32 MB+60%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)+500%	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-57%	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	26,874+20%	22,430
Geekbench 6 Single	2,677	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,943	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225T uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225T versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X — the Core Ultra 5 225T supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core Ultra 5 225T supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% 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 225T) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	LGA1851	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+100%	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	24	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225T) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). The Core Ultra 5 225T includes integrated graphics (Arc Graphics (16EU)), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225T rivals Ryzen 5 9600X.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225T	Ryzen 7 3700X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Arc Graphics (16EU)	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Budget	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 225T launched at $240 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 3700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($240 vs $329), the Core Ultra 5 225T is $89 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 225T delivers 112.0 pts/$ vs 68.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 3700X — making the Core Ultra 5 225T the 48.6% better value option.