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 225U

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 14W instead of 17W, a 3W reduction.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core Ultra 5 226V

2024

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225U across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,898 vs 7,846).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌21.4% higher power demand at 17W vs 14W.

Core Ultra 5 225U

2025

Core Ultra 5 226V

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.5% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Draws 14W instead of 17W, a 3W reduction.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225U across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,898 vs 7,846).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌21.4% higher power demand at 17W vs 14W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225U better than Core Ultra 5 226V?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 225U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 313.4% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.2% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 225U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.5% more average FPS across 3 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 225U is the better fit. You are getting 313.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 225U is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Core Ultra 5 225U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.5% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 226V only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 8.5% in the shared gaming data.

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

Core Ultra 5 225U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024), 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 8/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 225U Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 226V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	277 FPS	180 FPS
medium	248 FPS	145 FPS
high	210 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	148 FPS
medium	185 FPS	117 FPS
high	152 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	161 FPS	83 FPS
medium	131 FPS	71 FPS
high	101 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	416 FPS	212 FPS
medium	335 FPS	176 FPS
high	295 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	354 FPS	181 FPS
medium	296 FPS	154 FPS
high	266 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	276 FPS	137 FPS
medium	237 FPS	122 FPS
high	219 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	384 FPS
high	409 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	272 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Core Ultra 5 226V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	408 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225U and Core Ultra 5 226V

Core Ultra 5 225U

The Core Ultra 5 225U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,434 points. Launch price was $299.

Core Ultra 5 226V

The Core Ultra 5 226V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,400 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 226V offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225U versus 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 226V — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 226V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225U scores 18,434 against the Core Ultra 5 226V's 18,400 — a 0.2% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,374 vs 1,962, a 19% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 7,846 vs 1,898 (122.1% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225U). L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 225U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 226V.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+50%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+7%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+14%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	2.5 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	3 nm-40%
Architecture	Arrow Lake-U (2025)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	18,434	18,400
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,041
Geekbench 6 Single	2,374+21%	1,962
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,846+313%	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core Ultra 5 226V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6400 / LPDDR5x-8400 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 225U supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core Ultra 5 225U) vs 8 (Core Ultra 5 226V) — the Core Ultra 5 225U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Meteor Lake SoC (Core Ultra 5 225U) and SoC (Core Ultra 5 226V).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
Socket	FCBGA2049	FCBGA2833
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400 / LPDDR5x-8400	LPDDR5X-8533
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+700%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+150%	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core Ultra 5 226V supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core Ultra 5 225U) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 226V). Both include integrated graphics — Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores) (Core Ultra 5 225U) and Arc 130V (Core Ultra 5 226V) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225U rivals Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225U	Core Ultra 5 226V
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)	Arc 130V
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x / VT-d / EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Productivity	—