Core Ultra 5 125U 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 Ultra 5 125U

#153

Core i7-1370P

MSRP: $438|Avg: $280

106%

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

104%

#161

Core Ultra 7 268V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

102%

#162

Core Ultra 7 256V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $350

101%

#165

Core Ultra 5 125U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

98%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

97%

#173

Core Ultra 5 238V

MSRP: $454|Avg: $454

94%

#176

Core i9-13900HK

MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A

91%

#178

Core i7-1360P

MSRP: $480|Avg: $280

90%

#179

Core i7-1260P

MSRP: $432|Avg: $432

90%

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 Ultra 5 125U in both compute-intensive tasks (1.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core Ultra 5 235U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Meteor Lake-P (2023) / 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core Ultra 5 235U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 Ultra 5 125U Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 125U and Core Ultra 5 235U

Core Ultra 5 125U

The Core Ultra 5 125U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,152 points. Launch price was $363.

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

Both the Core Ultra 5 125U and Core Ultra 5 235U share an identical 12-core/14-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235U — a 13% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235U (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 125U uses the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture (7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 125U scores 17,152 against the Core Ultra 5 235U's 17,397 — a 1.4% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125U vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 235U.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 125U	Core Ultra 5 235U
Cores / Threads	12 / 14	12 / 14
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.9 GHz+14%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.4 GHz+85%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	—
Process	7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Meteor Lake-P (2023)	Arrow Lake-U (2025)
PassMark	17,152	17,397+1%