Core Ultra 5 226V

The Core Ultra 5 226V is a 8-core / 8-thread processor based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 4.5 GHz from a base frequency of 2.1 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 8 MB (total) of L3 cache, plus 2.5 MB (per core) of L2 cache and 192 kB (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 18,400, placing it in the Mid-Range performance tier as a Recent generation product. Geekbench 6 single-core (the most relevant metric for gaming FPS) records 1,962, while multi-core reaches 1,898. Cinebench R23 multi-core (measuring sustained rendering workload performance) scores 9,041.

The Core Ultra 5 226V fits into the FCBGA2833 socket and supports PCIe 3.0 with 8 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR5 memory at speeds up to LPDDR5X-8533 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 16 GB across 2 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). Integrated graphics: Arc 130V — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

It supports AVX-512 instructions — specialized SIMD operations that significantly accelerate AI inference, scientific computing, and video encoding workloads. Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads).

The Core Ultra 5 226V has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 17 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed. No stock cooler is included — you will need to purchase an aftermarket cooler separately. Recommended cooling: Stock.

At an average price of $300, the Core Ultra 5 226V delivers 61 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #856 out of all indexed processors.