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 235T

2025

Why buy it

✅+128.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $1,552 less on MSRP ($247 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 630.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.8 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($247 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

❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 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

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 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 Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,206 vs 2,760).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (7,612 vs 12,900).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 129.8 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $247 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 235T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 5 235T

2025

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅+128.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $1,552 less on MSRP ($247 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 630.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.8 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($247 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

✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 24 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

❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 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

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,206 vs 2,760).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (7,612 vs 12,900).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 129.8 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $247 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 235T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 235T 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 235T is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core Ultra 5 235T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.4% more average FPS across 4 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 235T is the better fit. You are getting 69.5% 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 235T is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 235T is $1,552 cheaper on MSRP at $247 MSRP versus $1,799 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 630.8% better value on MSRP (129.8 vs 17.8 PassMark/$), 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 235T 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 more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 14 threads instead of 32/64. 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 235T Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	262 FPS	198 FPS
medium	252 FPS	177 FPS
high	213 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	180 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	220 FPS	160 FPS
medium	189 FPS	134 FPS
high	154 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	149 FPS	73 FPS
medium	127 FPS	64 FPS
high	99 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	41 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235T Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	359 FPS	536 FPS
medium	306 FPS	483 FPS
high	257 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	313 FPS	473 FPS
medium	279 FPS	424 FPS
high	235 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	187 FPS	295 FPS
medium	170 FPS	265 FPS
high	162 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235T Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	801 FPS	768 FPS
medium	681 FPS	640 FPS
high	610 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	522 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	727 FPS	640 FPS
medium	590 FPS	533 FPS
high	516 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	441 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 235T Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	801 FPS	799 FPS
medium	801 FPS	799 FPS
high	757 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	678 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	791 FPS	728 FPS
medium	700 FPS	644 FPS
high	606 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	531 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	554 FPS	522 FPS
medium	500 FPS	473 FPS
high	446 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	392 FPS	362 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 235T Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 235T and Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Core Ultra 5 235T

The Core Ultra 5 235T 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 2.2 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: 32,053 points. Launch price was $247.

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 235T packs 14 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235T versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — a 17.4% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235T (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 235T 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 235T scores 32,053 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX's 31,945 — a 0.3% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,760 vs 1,206, a 78.4% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,900 vs 7,612 (51.6% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235T). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 235T vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Cores / Threads	14 / 14	32 / 64+129%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+19%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	64 MB+167%
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	32,053	31,945
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	33,213
Geekbench 6 Single	2,760+129%	1,206
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,900+69%	7,612

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 235T 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 235T versus DDR4-2933 on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — the Core Ultra 5 235T 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 192 GB — 165.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core Ultra 5 235T) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). PCIe lanes: 24 (Core Ultra 5 235T) 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 235T) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX).

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235T	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	192 GB	2048 GB+967%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	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. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 235T) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). The Core Ultra 5 235T includes integrated graphics (Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 235T targets Mainstream Desktop, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 235T	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Mainstream Desktop	Extreme Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 235T launched at $247 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX debuted at $1799. On MSRP ($247 vs $1799), the Core Ultra 5 235T is $1552 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 235T delivers 129.8 pts/$ vs 17.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — making the Core Ultra 5 235T the 151.9% better value option.