Core Ultra 5 235U vs Ryzen 7 4980U
Core Ultra 5 235U
Ryzen 7 4980U
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 235U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 7 4980U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 235U | Ryzen 7 4980U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-U (2025) / 5 nm) | ✨ Modern (Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 235U | Ryzen 7 4980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 235U and Ryzen 7 4980U
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.
Ryzen 7 4980U
The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The Core Ultra 5 235U packs 12 cores / 14 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4980U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 5 235U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235U versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 235U uses the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture (5 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 235U scores 17,397 against the Ryzen 7 4980U's 17,469 — a 0.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 4980U. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 235U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 235U | Ryzen 7 4980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 14+50% | 8 / 16 |
| Boost Clock | 4.9 GHz+11% | 4.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz+20% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 5 nm-29% | 7 nm |
| Architecture | Arrow Lake-U (2025) | Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) |
| PassMark | 17,397 | 17,469 |
Memory & Platform
The Core Ultra 5 235U uses the FCBGA2049 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 235U | Ryzen 7 4980U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA2049 | FP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+67% | PCIe 3.0 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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