Core Ultra 5 236V vs Xeon W-1290T

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

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon W-1290T

#268

Xeon w5-2565X

MSRP: $1389|Avg: $1389

112%

#269

Xeon Silver 4416+

MSRP: $1186|Avg: $1176

110%

#270

Xeon E-2176G

MSRP: $367|Avg: $405

110%

#271

EPYC 7401

MSRP: $1500|Avg: $450

109%

#274

EPYC 7313

MSRP: $1083|Avg: $764

107%

#275

Xeon w5-2455X

MSRP: $1039|Avg: $1049

106%

#276

Xeon w3-2425

MSRP: $529|Avg: $529

105%

#278

Xeon Gold 5416S

MSRP: $1445|Avg: N/A

104%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

MSRP: $1149|Avg: $1130

103%

#281

EPYC 7402P

MSRP: $1280|Avg: $1090

101%

#282

Xeon w5-3525

MSRP: $1339|Avg: $1392

100%

#283

Xeon W-1290T

MSRP: $546|Avg: $494

100%

#284

Xeon D-1581

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

98%

#285

Xeon w5-3535X

MSRP: $1699|Avg: N/A

97%

#286

Xeon w5-2465X

MSRP: $1389|Avg: $1499

97%

#287

EPYC 9355P

MSRP: $2998|Avg: $3026

96%

#288

Xeon w7-2595X

MSRP: $2039|Avg: $1600

96%

#289

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9965WX

MSRP: $2899|Avg: $2699.99

96%

#290

Xeon Gold 5420+

MSRP: $1848|Avg: $1848

93%

#292

Xeon w7-2575X

MSRP: $1689|Avg: $1860

93%

#294

Xeon Gold 6444Y

MSRP: $3622|Avg: N/A

92%

#295

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

MSRP: $2649|Avg: $2782

92%

#296

Xeon Platinum 8380

MSRP: $2010|Avg: $965

92%

#297

EPYC 7453

MSRP: $1570|Avg: $1253

92%

#298

Xeon Gold 5418Y

MSRP: $1483|Avg: N/A

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($494) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon W-1290T is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 236V	Xeon W-1290T
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($403)	⚠️ Higher cost ($494)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Lunar Lake (2024) / 3 nm)	✨ Modern (Legacy / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core Ultra 5 236V ($403), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($91 less, 18% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core Ultra 5 236V	Xeon W-1290T
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+22%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($403)	⚠️ Higher cost ($494)

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 236V Benchmark Check

Xeon W-1290T Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 236V and Xeon W-1290T

Core Ultra 5 236V

The Core Ultra 5 236V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,313 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon W-1290T

The Xeon W-1290T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 18,409 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 236V packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon W-1290T offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 236V versus 4.7 GHz on the Xeon W-1290T — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.1 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 236V is built on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 18,313 against the Xeon W-1290T's 18,409 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon W-1290T. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 236V vs 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon W-1290T.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 236V	Xeon W-1290T
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	10 / 20+25%
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz+11%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	20 MB Intel® Smart Cache+150%
L2 Cache	2.5 MB (per core)	—
Process	3 nm-79%	14 nm
Architecture	Lunar Lake (2024)	—
PassMark	18,313	18,409

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 236V uses the FCBGA2833 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon W-1290T uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 236V	Xeon W-1290T
Socket	FCBGA2833	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Core Ultra 5 236V launched at $0 MSRP, while the Xeon W-1290T debuted at $546. At current prices ($403 vs $494), the Core Ultra 5 236V is $91 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core Ultra 5 236V delivers 45.4 pts/$ vs 37.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-1290T — making the Core Ultra 5 236V the 19.8% better value option.