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 i7-10700K

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.0 vs 61.3 PassMark/$ ($387 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
❌635.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 17W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 226V moves to FCBGA2833 and DDR5.

Core Ultra 5 226V

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $87 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 27.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.3 vs 48.0 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $387 MSRP).
✅Draws 17W instead of 125W, a 108W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2833 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-10700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,041 vs 14,144).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Core i7-10700K

2020

Core Ultra 5 226V

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $87 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $387 MSRP).
✅Delivers 27.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 61.3 vs 48.0 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $387 MSRP).
✅Draws 17W instead of 125W, a 108W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA2833 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.0 vs 61.3 PassMark/$ ($387 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
❌635.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 17W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 226V moves to FCBGA2833 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-10700K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,041 vs 14,144).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-10700K better than Core Ultra 5 226V?

Yes. Core i7-10700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 45.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 56.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 0.9% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-10700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 45.4% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-10700K is the better fit. You are getting 56.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i7-10700K is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Core i7-10700K is 29.0% more expensive on MSRP at $387 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it gives you a 45.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 226V only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 45.4% in the shared gaming data.

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

Core Ultra 5 226V is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FCBGA2833 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. 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 i7-10700K Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 226V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	302 FPS	180 FPS
medium	265 FPS	145 FPS
high	223 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	191 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	148 FPS
medium	195 FPS	117 FPS
high	160 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	83 FPS
medium	136 FPS	71 FPS
high	105 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i7-10700K Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	464 FPS	212 FPS
medium	464 FPS	176 FPS
high	457 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	407 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	464 FPS	181 FPS
medium	464 FPS	154 FPS
high	422 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	362 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	405 FPS	137 FPS
medium	342 FPS	122 FPS
high	320 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	275 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core i7-10700K Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	460 FPS
high	464 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	460 FPS
high	464 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	384 FPS
high	432 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	362 FPS	272 FPS

Open Core i7-10700K Open Core Ultra 5 226V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
1080p
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	460 FPS
high	464 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	460 FPS
high	464 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	464 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	464 FPS	460 FPS
medium	464 FPS	460 FPS
high	464 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	408 FPS

Open Core i7-10700K Open Core Ultra 5 226V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-10700K and Core Ultra 5 226V

Core i7-10700K

The Core i7-10700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 18,561 points. Launch price was $400.

Core Ultra 5 226V

The Core Ultra 5 226V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,400 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-10700K packs 8 cores / 16 threads, matching the Core Ultra 5 226V's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i7-10700K versus 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 226V — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-10700K (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-10700K uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 226V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-10700K scores 18,561 against the Core Ultra 5 226V's 18,400 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-10700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 14,144 vs 9,041 (44% advantage for the Core i7-10700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,290 vs 1,962, a 41.3% lead for the Core Ultra 5 226V that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,404 vs 1,898 (126.3% advantage for the Core i7-10700K). L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i7-10700K vs 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 226V.

Feature	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 8
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+13%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+81%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB (total)+100%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)+900%
Process	14 nm	3 nm-79%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	18,561	18,400
Cinebench R23 Multi	14,144+56%	9,041
Geekbench 6 Single	1,290	1,962+52%
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,404+343%	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-10700K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 226V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Core i7-10700K versus LPDDR5X-8533 on the Core Ultra 5 226V — the Core Ultra 5 226V supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-10700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-10700K) vs 8 (Core Ultra 5 226V) — the Core i7-10700K offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 400 Series,Intel 500 Series (Core i7-10700K) and SoC (Core Ultra 5 226V).

Feature	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA2833
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	LPDDR5X-8533+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+700%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+100%	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-10700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core Ultra 5 226V supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i7-10700K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 226V). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-10700K) and Arc 130V (Core Ultra 5 226V) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-10700K targets Gaming/Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i7-10700K rivals Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	Core i7-10700K	Core Ultra 5 226V
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Arc 130V
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming/Workstation	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-10700K launched at $387 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 226V debuted at $300. On MSRP ($387 vs $300), the Core Ultra 5 226V is $87 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-10700K delivers 48.0 pts/$ vs 61.3 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 226V — making the Core Ultra 5 226V the 24.5% better value option.