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 225F

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,568 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 668.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.5 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($231 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,050 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅+94.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 136.5 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $231 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225F moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 5 225F

2025

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,568 less on MSRP ($231 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 668.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 136.5 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($231 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+94.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 24.
✅166.7% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 24) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,050 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 225F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 136.5 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $231 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225F moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225F better than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 5 225F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the better fit. You are getting 94.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 220% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 225F is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 225F is $1,568 cheaper on MSRP at $231 MSRP versus $1,799 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 94.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 668.9% better value on MSRP (136.5 vs 17.8 PassMark/$), 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 225F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of TR4, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 225F Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	256 FPS	198 FPS
medium	244 FPS	177 FPS
high	208 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	219 FPS	160 FPS
medium	187 FPS	134 FPS
high	154 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	133 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	150 FPS	73 FPS
medium	127 FPS	64 FPS
high	99 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	41 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	603 FPS	536 FPS
medium	512 FPS	483 FPS
high	421 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	501 FPS	473 FPS
medium	441 FPS	424 FPS
high	372 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	301 FPS	295 FPS
medium	266 FPS	265 FPS
high	248 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	218 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	789 FPS	768 FPS
medium	680 FPS	640 FPS
high	609 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	725 FPS	640 FPS
medium	588 FPS	533 FPS
high	515 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	504 FPS	469 FPS
medium	422 FPS	377 FPS
high	377 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	280 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	789 FPS	799 FPS
medium	789 FPS	799 FPS
high	777 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	699 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	789 FPS	728 FPS
medium	716 FPS	644 FPS
high	623 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	547 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	560 FPS	522 FPS
medium	510 FPS	473 FPS
high	457 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	402 FPS	362 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225F and Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Core Ultra 5 225F

The Core Ultra 5 225F 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 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 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: 31,541 points. Launch price was $231.

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 31,945 points. Launch price was $1,799.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225F packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 22 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225F versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225F (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225F uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225F scores 31,541 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX's 31,945 — a 1.3% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 17,050 vs 33,213 (64.3% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,653 vs 1,206, a 75% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 13,028 vs 7,612 (52.5% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225F). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Cores / Threads	10 / 10	32 / 64+220%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+17%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+10%	3 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	64 MB+220%
L2 Cache	3 MB (per core)+500%	512K (per core)
Process	3 nm-75%	12 nm
Architecture	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	31,541	31,945+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi	17,050	33,213+95%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,653+120%	1,206
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,028+71%	7,612

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225F uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-6400 on the Core Ultra 5 225F versus DDR4-2933 on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — the Core Ultra 5 225F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 5 225F) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 5 225F) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 40 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 225F) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Socket	LGA1851	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	2048 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	24	64+167%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core Ultra 5 225F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). Primary use case: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Extreme Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 225F launched at $231 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX debuted at $1799. On MSRP ($231 vs $1799), the Core Ultra 5 225F is $1568 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 225F delivers 136.5 pts/$ vs 17.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — making the Core Ultra 5 225F the 154% better value option.