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 5 235

2025

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,000 vs 14,000).
❌Launch MSRP is still $257 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core Ultra 5 235HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+7.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Core Ultra 5 235

2025

Core Ultra 5 235HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+7.7% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (13,000 vs 14,000).
❌Launch MSRP is still $257 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 235HX better than Core Ultra 5 235?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 235HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 7.7% better Geekbench multi-core, 0.5% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, the two CPUs are effectively a wash in the available data.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 235HX is the better fit. You are getting 7.7% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 14 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 235HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core Ultra 5 235 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 235HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $257 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 235 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (155.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 235HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 14 threads instead of 14/14. 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 5 235 Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
1080p
low	278 FPS	264 FPS
medium	263 FPS	252 FPS
high	222 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	222 FPS
medium	194 FPS	189 FPS
high	158 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	152 FPS	150 FPS
medium	128 FPS	127 FPS
high	99 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235 Open Core Ultra 5 235HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
1080p
low	663 FPS	656 FPS
medium	562 FPS	557 FPS
high	467 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	421 FPS
1440p
low	574 FPS	572 FPS
medium	509 FPS	503 FPS
high	426 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	342 FPS	338 FPS
medium	306 FPS	303 FPS
high	291 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	256 FPS	251 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235 Open Core Ultra 5 235HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
1080p
low	839 FPS	839 FPS
medium	681 FPS	685 FPS
high	610 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	727 FPS	727 FPS
medium	590 FPS	596 FPS
high	516 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	504 FPS
medium	422 FPS	425 FPS
high	377 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	323 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235 Open Core Ultra 5 235HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
1080p
low	989 FPS	1001 FPS
medium	891 FPS	906 FPS
high	778 FPS	786 FPS
ultra	699 FPS	714 FPS
1440p
low	810 FPS	820 FPS
medium	717 FPS	729 FPS
high	624 FPS	631 FPS
ultra	548 FPS	560 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	559 FPS
medium	512 FPS	505 FPS
high	459 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235 Open Core Ultra 5 235HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 235 and Core Ultra 5 235HX

Core Ultra 5 235

The Core Ultra 5 235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: 39,924 points. Launch price was $257.

Core Ultra 5 235HX

The Core Ultra 5 235HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 13 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-HX (2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2114. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 40,122 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core Ultra 5 235 and Core Ultra 5 235HX share an identical 14-core/14-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235 versus 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235HX — a 2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235HX (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 235 uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235HX uses Arrow Lake-HX (2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 235 scores 39,924 against the Core Ultra 5 235HX's 40,122 — a 0.5% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235HX. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,600 vs 2,600, a 0% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,000 vs 14,000 (7.4% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235HX). Both processors carry 24 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
Cores / Threads	14 / 14	14 / 14
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+17%	2.9 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	24 MB (total)
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm	3 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Arrow Lake-HX (2025)
PassMark	39,924	40,122
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,677
Geekbench 6 Single	2,600	2,600
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,000	14,000+8%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 235 uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 235HX uses FCBGA2114 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-6400 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 235 supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core Ultra 5 235) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 235HX) — the Core Ultra 5 235HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 235) and HM870,WM880 (Core Ultra 5 235HX).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
Socket	LGA1851	FCBGA2114
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB+33%	192 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 5 235HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU (Core Ultra 5 235) and Intel Graphics (48EU) (Core Ultra 5 235HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 235 targets Mainstream Desktop, Core Ultra 5 235HX targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 235 rivals Ryzen 5 8600G.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235	Core Ultra 5 235HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU	Intel Graphics (48EU)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Mainstream Desktop	Laptop