Core Ultra 5 225U
VS
Ryzen Z1

Core Ultra 5 225U vs Ryzen Z1

Intel

Core Ultra 5 225U

12 Cores14 Thrd14 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2025
VS
AMD

Ryzen Z1

6 Cores12 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2023

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

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 225U

#27
Core Ultra 7 265HX
MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A
115%
#31
Ryzen 5 230
MSRP: $200|Avg: $190
106%
#35
Core Ultra 5 225U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#36
Core i5-11500B
MSRP: $185|Avg: $185
97%
#42
Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
MSRP: $749|Avg: N/A
92%
#49
Core i9-12900HX
MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A
87%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen Z1

#144
Core i7-12650H
MSRP: $457|Avg: N/A
103%
#150
Ryzen Z1
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#153
Core i7-1370P
MSRP: $438|Avg: $280
99%
#158
Core i9-13900H
MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A
97%
#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
95%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Ryzen Z1 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core Ultra 5 225U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore Ultra 5 225URyzen Z1
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm)
✨ Modern (Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore Ultra 5 225URyzen Z1
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 225U and Ryzen Z1

Intel

Core Ultra 5 225U

The Core Ultra 5 225U 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 4.8 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: 18,434 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen Z1

The Ryzen Z1 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,406 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 225U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen Z1 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225U versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen Z1 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z1 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Ryzen Z1 uses Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 225U scores 18,434 against the Ryzen Z1's 18,406 — a 0.2% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225U. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 225U vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Z1.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225URyzen Z1
Cores / Threads
12 / 14+100%
6 / 12
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz
4.9 GHz+2%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.2 GHz+33%
L3 Cache
12 MB
16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache
1 MB (per core)
Process
5 nm
4 nm-20%
Architecture
Arrow Lake-U (2025)
Phoenix (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark
18,434
18,406
Geekbench 6 Single
2,374
Geekbench 6 Multi
7,846
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 225U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Z1 uses FP8 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225URyzen Z1
Socket
FCBGA2049
FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-6400 / LPDDR5x-8400
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core Ultra 5 225U) / not specified (Ryzen Z1). The Core Ultra 5 225U includes integrated graphics (Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)), while the Ryzen Z1 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 225U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225U rivals Ryzen 5 8640U.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 225URyzen Z1
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x / VT-d / EPT
Target Use
Productivity