Core i5-11500B vs Core Ultra 5 235U

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-11500B

#27

Core Ultra 7 265HX

MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A

118%

#31

Ryzen 5 230

MSRP: $200|Avg: $190

109%

#36

Core i5-11500B

MSRP: $185|Avg: $185

100%

#42

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

MSRP: $749|Avg: N/A

95%

#49

Core i9-12900HX

MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 235U

#153

Core i7-1370P

MSRP: $438|Avg: $280

105%

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

102%

#161

Core Ultra 7 268V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

101%

#162

Core Ultra 7 256V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $350

100%

#163

Core Ultra 5 235U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

97%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

96%

#173

Core Ultra 5 238V

MSRP: $454|Avg: $454

92%

#176

Core i9-13900HK

MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A

90%

#178

Core i7-1360P

MSRP: $480|Avg: $280

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core Ultra 5 235U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-11500B in both compute-intensive tasks (1.9% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-11500B	Core Ultra 5 235U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($185)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Tiger Lake-H (2021) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-11500B	Core Ultra 5 235U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($185)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

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 i5-11500B Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11500B and Core Ultra 5 235U

Core i5-11500B

The Core i5-11500B is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. L2 cache: 7.5 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,075 points. Launch price was $299.

Core Ultra 5 235U

The Core Ultra 5 235U 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 4.9 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: 17,397 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-11500B packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 235U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-11500B versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235U — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235U (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-11500B uses the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11500B scores 17,075 against the Core Ultra 5 235U's 17,397 — a 1.9% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235U. Both processors carry 12 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-11500B	Core Ultra 5 235U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 14+100%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+38%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB	12 MB
L2 Cache	7.5 MB	—
Process	10 nm	5 nm-50%
Architecture	Tiger Lake-H (2021)	Arrow Lake-U (2025)
PassMark	17,075	17,397+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11500B uses the FCBGA1787 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core Ultra 5 235U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-11500B	Core Ultra 5 235U
Socket	FCBGA1787	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11500B) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 235U). The Core i5-11500B includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 32EU), while the Core Ultra 5 235U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11500B targets Desktop / Mini PC.