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 i7-13700K

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 20 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 129.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core Ultra 5 225.

Core Ultra 5 225

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $169 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.7 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM2), unlike Core i7-13700K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,020 vs 31,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 30 MB).

Core i7-13700K

2022

Core Ultra 5 225

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 20 MB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $169 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 129.7 vs 111.9 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Intel Laminar RM2), unlike Core i7-13700K.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 111.9 vs 129.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core Ultra 5 225.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-13700K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,020 vs 31,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 30 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-13700K better than Core Ultra 5 225?

Yes. Core i7-13700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 82.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 47.0% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-13700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.2% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-13700K is the better fit. You are getting 82.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core i7-13700K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core Ultra 5 225 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-13700K is 70.4% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $240 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 225 is also 15.9% better value on MSRP (129.7 vs 111.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1851 + DDR5 setup, Core Ultra 5 225 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core Ultra 5 225 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i7-13700K Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 225 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
1080p
low	284 FPS	256 FPS
medium	268 FPS	244 FPS
high	223 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	238 FPS	219 FPS
medium	200 FPS	187 FPS
high	159 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	150 FPS
medium	134 FPS	127 FPS
high	103 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 225

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
1080p
low	689 FPS	603 FPS
medium	580 FPS	512 FPS
high	484 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	439 FPS	378 FPS
1440p
low	595 FPS	501 FPS
medium	525 FPS	441 FPS
high	441 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	319 FPS
4K
low	348 FPS	301 FPS
medium	314 FPS	266 FPS
high	295 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	261 FPS	218 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 225

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
1080p
low	648 FPS	778 FPS
medium	530 FPS	680 FPS
high	467 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	405 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	591 FPS	725 FPS
medium	491 FPS	588 FPS
high	427 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	439 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	504 FPS
medium	374 FPS	422 FPS
high	339 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 225

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
1080p
low	970 FPS	778 FPS
medium	883 FPS	778 FPS
high	766 FPS	777 FPS
ultra	689 FPS	699 FPS
1440p
low	829 FPS	778 FPS
medium	740 FPS	716 FPS
high	642 FPS	623 FPS
ultra	566 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	567 FPS	560 FPS
medium	515 FPS	510 FPS
high	463 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	404 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i7-13700K Open Core Ultra 5 225

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-13700K and Core Ultra 5 225

Core i7-13700K

The Core i7-13700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,784 points. Launch price was $409.

Core Ultra 5 225

The Core Ultra 5 225 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: 31,137 points. Launch price was $246.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-13700K packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 225 offers 10 cores / 10 threads — the Core i7-13700K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-13700K versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225 — a 9.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-13700K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-13700K uses the Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 225 uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-13700K scores 45,784 against the Core Ultra 5 225's 31,137 — a 38.1% lead for the Core i7-13700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 31,000 vs 17,020 (58.2% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,846 vs 2,653, a 7% lead for the Core i7-13700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 18,980 vs 13,028 (37.2% advantage for the Core i7-13700K). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-13700K vs 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+60%	10 / 10
Boost Clock	5.4 GHz+10%	4.9 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+3%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)+50%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+50%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake, Raptor Cove, Gracemont (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	45,784+47%	31,137
Cinebench R23 Multi	31,000+82%	17,020
Geekbench 6 Single	2,846+7%	2,653
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,980+46%	13,028

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-13700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 225 uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-5600 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 225 supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 192 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-13700K) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 225) — the Core Ultra 5 225 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z790,Intel H770,Intel B760,Intel Z690,Intel H670,Intel B660,Intel H610 (Core i7-13700K) and Z890,B860,H810 (Core Ultra 5 225).

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB	256 GB+33%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-13700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (Core i7-13700K) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core Ultra 5 225). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-13700K) and Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores) (Core Ultra 5 225) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225 targets Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency. Direct competitor: Core i7-13700K rivals Ryzen 9 7900X; Core Ultra 5 225 rivals Ryzen 5 8600G.

Feature	Core i7-13700K	Core Ultra 5 225
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel Arc Graphics (2 Xe-cores)
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Mainstream Desktop / Efficiency

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-13700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 225 debuted at $240. On MSRP ($409 vs $240), the Core Ultra 5 225 is $169 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-13700K delivers 111.9 pts/$ vs 129.7 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 225 — making the Core Ultra 5 225 the 14.7% better value option.