Core Ultra 5 226V vs Core Ultra 5 236V

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 226V

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc 130V, while Core Ultra 5 236V needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 236V mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 18,400).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 226V can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 226V

2024

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc 130V, while Core Ultra 5 236V needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 236V mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 18,400).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 226V can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 226V better than Core Ultra 5 236V?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 236V is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 226V pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 226V is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 226V is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 226V is at an unclear MSRP at $300 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core Ultra 5 236V is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 226V is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 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 226V Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 236V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	180 FPS	180 FPS
medium	145 FPS	147 FPS
high	117 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	148 FPS
medium	117 FPS	118 FPS
high	95 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	83 FPS
medium	71 FPS	71 FPS
high	57 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 226V Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	212 FPS	212 FPS
medium	176 FPS	176 FPS
high	158 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	181 FPS	181 FPS
medium	154 FPS	154 FPS
high	142 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	137 FPS
medium	122 FPS	122 FPS
high	115 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 226V Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	460 FPS	458 FPS
high	460 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	460 FPS	458 FPS
high	460 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	424 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	384 FPS	458 FPS
high	343 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 226V Open Core Ultra 5 236V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	460 FPS	458 FPS
high	460 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	460 FPS	458 FPS
high	460 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	460 FPS	458 FPS
medium	460 FPS	458 FPS
high	460 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	418 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 226V Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 226V and Core Ultra 5 236V

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.

Core Ultra 5 236V

The Core Ultra 5 236V 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 4.7 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: 18,313 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core Ultra 5 226V and Core Ultra 5 236V share an identical 8-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 226V versus 4.7 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 236V — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 236V (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). Both are built on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture using a 3 nm process. In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 226V scores 18,400 against the Core Ultra 5 236V's 18,313 — a 0.5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 226V. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.7 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2.5 MB (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm	3 nm
Architecture	Lunar Lake (2024)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	18,400	18,313
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,041	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,962	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,898	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the FCBGA2833 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
Socket	FCBGA2833	FCBGA2833
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5X-8533	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 226V) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 236V). The Core Ultra 5 226V includes integrated graphics (Arc 130V), while the Core Ultra 5 236V requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 226V	Core Ultra 5 236V
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Arc 130V	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

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Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 226V launched at $300 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 236V debuted at $0. On MSRP ($300 vs $0), the Core Ultra 5 236V is $300 cheaper.