Core Ultra 5 225U vs Ryzen Z1

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 225U

2025

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 14W instead of 15W, a 1W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores), while Ryzen Z1 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 vs 18,434).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 225U

2025

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 14W instead of 15W, a 1W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores), while Ryzen Z1 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (18,406 vs 18,434).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225U better than Ryzen Z1?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Z1 is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225U pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Ryzen Z1 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 225U is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 225U still looks like the safer overall buy. Core Ultra 5 225U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.2% better PassMark.

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

Core Ultra 5 225U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2023) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 6/12. 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 225U Benchmark Check

Ryzen Z1 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	277 FPS	262 FPS
medium	248 FPS	234 FPS
high	210 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	167 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	231 FPS
medium	185 FPS	187 FPS
high	152 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	161 FPS	162 FPS
medium	131 FPS	133 FPS
high	101 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Ryzen Z1

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	416 FPS	429 FPS
medium	335 FPS	339 FPS
high	295 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	250 FPS
1440p
low	354 FPS	356 FPS
medium	296 FPS	295 FPS
high	266 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	276 FPS	268 FPS
medium	237 FPS	227 FPS
high	219 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	188 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Ryzen Z1

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	437 FPS
high	409 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	306 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Ryzen Z1

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	461 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	461 FPS	460 FPS
medium	461 FPS	460 FPS
high	461 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	370 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 225U Open Ryzen Z1

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225U and Ryzen Z1

Core Ultra 5 225U

The Core Ultra 5 225U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,434 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen Z1

The Ryzen Z1 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,406 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen Z1 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225U versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen Z1 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z1 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Ryzen Z1 uses Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225U scores 18,434 against the Ryzen Z1's 18,406 — a 0.2% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225U. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 225U vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Z1.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
Cores / Threads	12 / 14+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	4.9 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.2 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	12 MB	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	—	1 MB (per core)
Process	5 nm	4 nm-20%
Architecture	Arrow Lake-U (2025)	Phoenix (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark	18,434	18,406
Geekbench 6 Single	2,374	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,846	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Z1 uses FP8 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 225U	Ryzen Z1
Socket	FCBGA2049	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-6400 / LPDDR5x-8400	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core Ultra 5 225U) / not specified (Ryzen Z1). The Core Ultra 5 225U includes integrated graphics (Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)), while the Ryzen Z1 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225U rivals Ryzen 5 8640U.