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 i9-13905H

2023

Why buy it

✅+10.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌125% higher power demand at 45W vs 20W.

Core Ultra 5 235H

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 45W, a 25W reduction.
✅133.3% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,607 vs 19,384).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).

Core i9-13905H

2023

Core Ultra 5 235H

2025

Why buy it

✅+10.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 45W, a 25W reduction.
✅133.3% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌125% higher power demand at 45W vs 20W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,607 vs 19,384).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 235H better than Core i9-13905H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 235H is ahead with a 13.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13905H pulls ahead with 10.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i9-13905H also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13905H is the better fit. You are getting 10.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 235H still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 5 235H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 13.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core Ultra 5 235H 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 i9-13905H Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	262 FPS	299 FPS
medium	253 FPS	262 FPS
high	210 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	187 FPS
1440p
low	223 FPS	245 FPS
medium	192 FPS	193 FPS
high	154 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	154 FPS	168 FPS
medium	132 FPS	134 FPS
high	101 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	636 FPS	746 FPS
medium	543 FPS	625 FPS
high	458 FPS	499 FPS
ultra	417 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	554 FPS	704 FPS
medium	492 FPS	566 FPS
high	416 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	379 FPS
4K
low	325 FPS	415 FPS
medium	296 FPS	339 FPS
high	279 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	268 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	648 FPS	746 FPS
medium	530 FPS	746 FPS
high	467 FPS	746 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	653 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	746 FPS
medium	491 FPS	721 FPS
high	427 FPS	624 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	628 FPS
medium	374 FPS	519 FPS
high	339 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	383 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Core Ultra 5 235H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	745 FPS	746 FPS
medium	745 FPS	746 FPS
high	745 FPS	746 FPS
ultra	672 FPS	741 FPS
1440p
low	745 FPS	746 FPS
medium	723 FPS	746 FPS
high	626 FPS	677 FPS
ultra	552 FPS	579 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	604 FPS
medium	504 FPS	538 FPS
high	451 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	394 FPS	423 FPS

Open Core i9-13905H Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-13905H and Core Ultra 5 235H

Core i9-13905H

The Core i9-13905H 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: FCBGA1792. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 29,807 points. Launch price was $697.

Core Ultra 5 235H

The Core Ultra 5 235H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-H (2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 MB + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 29,820 points. Launch price was $354.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-13905H packs 14 cores / 20 threads, matching the Core Ultra 5 235H's 14 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13905H versus 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235H — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-13905H (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i9-13905H uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235H uses Arrow Lake-H (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-13905H scores 29,807 against the Core Ultra 5 235H's 29,820 — a 0% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 19,384 vs 17,607 (9.6% advantage for the Core i9-13905H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,300 vs 2,693, a 15.7% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 14,000 vs 14,040 (0.3% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235H). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-13905H vs 18 MB on the Core Ultra 5 235H.

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
Cores / Threads	14 / 20	14 / 14
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+8%	5 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	4.4 GHz+69%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+33%	18 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)	Arrow Lake-H (2025)
PassMark	29,807	29,820
Cinebench R23 Multi	19,384+10%	17,607
Geekbench 6 Single	2,300	2,693+17%
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,000	14,040

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-13905H uses the FCBGA1792 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core Ultra 5 235H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5200 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 235H supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i9-13905H) vs 28 (Core Ultra 5 235H) — the Core Ultra 5 235H offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: WM790,HM770 (Core i9-13905H) and WM880,HM870 (Core Ultra 5 235H).

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
Socket	FCBGA1792	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	192 GB+200%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	12	28+133%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 5 235H has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-13905H) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core Ultra 5 235H). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe 96EU (Core i9-13905H) and Intel Arc 140T Graphics (Core Ultra 5 235H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-13905H targets Workstation, Core Ultra 5 235H targets Thin-and-light Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-13905H rivals Ryzen 9 7940HS; Core Ultra 5 235H rivals Ryzen 7 9800H.

Feature	Core i9-13905H	Core Ultra 5 235H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe 96EU	Intel Arc 140T Graphics
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Workstation	Thin-and-light Performance Laptop