Core Ultra 5 225T vs EPYC 72F3

Intel

Core Ultra 5 225T

10 Cores10 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2025
Core Ultra family
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VS
AMD

EPYC 72F3

8 Cores16 Thrd180 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2021
EPYC family
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Core Ultra 5 225T vs EPYC 72F3 Performance Spectrum

About PassMark

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.

Core Ultra 5 225T vs EPYC 72F3 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core Ultra 5 225T vs EPYC 72F3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Why buy it

  • Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
  • Newer platform on LGA1851 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Graphics (16EU), while EPYC 72F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 72F3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (26,874 vs 27,252).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 72F3, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
  • Launch MSRP is still $240 MSRP, while EPYC 72F3 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

EPYC 72F3

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

  • 176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
  • Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core Ultra 5 225T moves to LGA1851 and DDR5.
  • No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 72F3 better than Core Ultra 5 225T?
Not really, because they are built for different jobs. EPYC 72F3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core Ultra 5 225T is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, EPYC 72F3 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a clear cache advantage at 256 MB versus 20 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 72F3 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 1180% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 20 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 72F3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core Ultra 5 225T is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. EPYC 72F3 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $240 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 225T is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core Ultra 5 225T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA1851 and DDR5 instead of SP3. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core Ultra 5 225T vs EPYC 72F3 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Core Ultra 5 225T

The Core Ultra 5 225T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2025 (recentemente). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 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: 26,874 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

EPYC 72F3

The EPYC 72F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,252 points. Launch price was $2,468.

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225T packs 10 cores / 10 threads, while the EPYC 72F3 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225T versus 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 72F3 — a 17.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225T (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225T uses the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture (3 nm), while the EPYC 72F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225T scores 26,874 against the EPYC 72F3's 27,252 — a 1.4% lead for the EPYC 72F3. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225T vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 72F3.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225TEPYC 72F3
Cores / Threads
10 / 10+25%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz+20%
4.1 GHz
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache
20 MB (total)
256 MB (total)+1180%
L2 Cache
3 MB (per core)+500%
512 kB (per core)
Process
3 nm-57%
7 nm+
Architecture
Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark
26,874
27,252+1%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,677
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,943
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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225T uses the LGA1851 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 72F3 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225TEPYC 72F3
Socket
LGA1851
SP3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity
256 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
24
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225T) / not specified (EPYC 72F3). The Core Ultra 5 225T includes integrated graphics (Arc Graphics (16EU)), while the EPYC 72F3 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225T rivals Ryzen 5 9600X.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225TEPYC 72F3
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Arc Graphics (16EU)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Budget