Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus vs Intel Core Ultra 5 225H
79Single-core66.7
86.8Multi-core49.4
44.4Efficiencyspec-based75.7
60.5iGPU66
73.9Platformspec-based56.8
15 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus2 spec wins — Intel Core Ultra 5 225H
InnoReviews verdict
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus wins this laptop processor face-off, 73.9 to 60.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+37) and single-core (+12). Intel Core Ultra 5 225H still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
- Stronger single-core score: 79 vs 67
- Stronger multi-core score: 87 vs 49
- 171% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 39,617 vs 14,630
- 109% higher PassMark: 58,672 vs 28,049
- 100% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 4
Reasons to pick the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H
- Stronger iGPU score: 66 vs 61
- 49% lower Base TDP: 28 W vs 55 W
- 28% higher 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU): 2,378 vs 1,855
General
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 5 225H |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2026 | 2025 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Base TDP | 55 W | 28 W+49% |
| Max TDP | 160 W+39% | 115 W |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 5 225H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24+71% | 14 |
| Performance cores | 8+100% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 16+60% | 10 |
| Threads | 24+71% | 14 |
| Base clock | 2.7 GHz+59% | 1.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.5 GHz+12% | 4.9 GHz |
| L3 cache | 36 MB+100% | 18 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 5 225H |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Intel Graphics (4 Xe-cores) | Intel Arc 130T |
| iGPU clock | 2,000 MHz | 2,200 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 5 225H |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-8400 / DDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 256 GB+100% | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 5 225H |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,198+17%Top 11% | 2,727Top 37% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,581+77%Top 9% | 12,222Top 45% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,340+19%Top 3% | 1,969Top 22% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 39,617+171%Top 2% | 14,630Top 37% |
| PassMark | 58,672+109%Top 1% | 28,049Top 26% |
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics (iGPU) | 1,855Top 36% | 2,378+28%Top 30% |
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