Intel Core Ultra 5 245K Review: Why So Slow for Gaming?

Today we're checking retired Intel's Core Ultra 5 245K, nan successor to nan mainstream Core i5-14600K. With a existent unit value of $320, it competes straight pinch nan precocious released Ryzen 7 9700X, truthful we're eager to spot really these parts stack up successful some productivity and gaming workloads.

Before diving into nan benchmark data, let's concisely reappraisal immoderate of nan cardinal specifications for nan Core Ultra 5 245K. We'll omit overmuch of nan level and testing specifications already covered successful our Core 9 285K review. For much specifications astir nan level changes successful Intel's latest CPU family, please cheque retired that article first.

The 245K features 6 P-Cores, each pinch a azygous thread, arsenic Hyper-Threading is nary longer used. These P-Cores run astatine a guidelines wave of 4.2 GHz, boosting up to 5.2 GHz – a insignificant 2% wave simplification compared to nan 14600K.

For nan E-Cores, location are 8 successful total, besides pinch 8 threads arsenic location is nary SMT support. These cores tally astatine a guidelines wave of 3.6 GHz, pinch a maximum timepiece of 4.6 GHz, which represents a 15% summation complete nan E-Core wave connected nan 14600K.

In total, there's 24 MB of L3 cache and 26 MB of L2 cache. Each P-core has 3 MB of L2 cache, while nan E-cores stock 4 MB per cluster, pinch each cluster containing 4 E-cores. The guidelines TDP is 125W, pinch a max turbo TDP of 159W. Intel is pricing this exemplary astatine $310 per 1,000 units.

It's besides noteworthy that each K-SKU models – presently nan only ones announced – support dual-channel DDR5-5600 UDIMM representation aliases DDR5-6400 CUDIMM memory. CUDIMM representation incorporates a mini timepiece driver circuit connected nan module itself, which enables nan precise timings basal for higher representation speeds.

Each exemplary provides 20 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes, on pinch a Direct Media Interface 4.0 pinch 8 lanes connecting to nan chipset. As pinch different K-suffix processors, these models characteristic an unlocked multiplier for overclocking capabilities.

Test System Specs

Productivity Benchmarks

Cinebench Clock Behavior

First, let's analyse really nan 265K behaves nether load. For cooling, we're utilizing nan caller MSI MAG Coreliquid I360, provided successful our reappraisal kit, which is specifically designed and optimized for these caller Arrow Lake CPUs. MSI has developed a unsocial bracket that shifts nan acold sheet somewhat north, resulting successful a 3-degree somesthesia simplification by amended targeting nan basking spot connected these CPUs.

With nan Coreliquid I360 installed, we loaded up nan 265K pinch Cinebench and observed an mean timepiece wave of 4.6 GHz connected nan E-Cores and 5.0 GHz connected nan P-Cores. This capacity stayed wrong nan banal 159W powerfulness limit, and nan CPU's highest halfway somesthesia reached conscionable 66°C – good beneath nan 105°C TjMAX.

Cinebench 2024, Multi-Core

In nan Cinebench multi-core test, nan 245K is 9% faster than nan 14600K, making it 26% faster than nan 9700X, an awesome result considering it's somewhat much affordable than nan Ryzen 7 processor.

Cinebench 2024, Single Core

In single-core performance, nan 245K matched nan 9700X pinch a people of 137 points – a 12% summation complete nan 14600K.

Cinebench 2024 Power Consumption

While nan 245K was 26% faster than nan 9700X successful nan multi-core test, it besides consumed 46% much powerfulness astatine 139 watts, which aligns pinch nan powerfulness tie of models for illustration nan 7700X. However, this still represents a 37% simplification successful powerfulness usage compared to nan 14600K.

7-Zip File Manager Compression

When it comes to compression performance, nan 245K underperforms slightly, being slower than nan 14600K and only 8% faster than nan 9700X, which is humble for a next-generation product.

7-Zip File Manager Decompression

Decompression capacity is moreover little impressive, pinch nan 245K only matching older models specified arsenic nan 12700K and 5800X3D. It is 12% slower than nan 9700X and 13% slower than nan 14600K.

Blender Open Data

Blender Open Data results show immoderate improvement: nan 245K is 7% faster than nan 14600K and 16% faster than nan 9700X, making it a coagulated action for budget-conscious rendering.

Corona 10 Benchmark

In nan Corona 10 Benchmark, nan 245K performs well, outperforming nan 14600K by 7% and nan 9700X by 11%. Although nan separator isn't vast, it's still a capacity gain.

Adobe Photoshop 2025

After a fewer tweaks, we've improved nan capacity of nan Arrow Lake CPUs successful Photoshop, bringing them person to expected levels erstwhile Windows 11 updates heighten support. Despite these adjustments, nan 245K remains only 8% faster than nan 14600K, and 10% slower than nan 9700X, indicating room for improvement.

Adobe Premiere Pro 2024

The Premiere Pro results are overmuch stronger; here, nan 245K matches nan 14700K, offering an 11% summation complete nan 14600K and a 14% betterment complete nan 9700X.

Gaming Benchmarks

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Starting pinch nan gaming benchmarks, we statesman pinch Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Here, nan 245K delivers underwhelming performance, reaching an mean of only 142 fps pinch DDR5-7200 memory, which makes it 7% slower than nan 14600K and 12% slower than nan 9700X.

The Last of Us Part 1

The 245K performs importantly amended successful The Last of Us Part 1, matching nan 9700X pinch an mean of astir 180 fps. The 1% lows were besides notably improved. Compared to nan 14600K, nan 245K offers conscionable a 2% capacity gain.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Even pinch nan "Prioritize P-Cores" action enabled successful Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, nan 245K lags, trailing moreover nan 12600K. This results successful it being 16% slower than nan 14600K and 17% slower than nan 9700X – a disappointing result for a next-generation product. Ideally, Intel will reside this capacity spread successful early updates.

Hogwarts Legacy

The results successful Hogwarts Legacy are amended but still modest. The 245K matches nan 14600K, making it 8% slower than nan 9700X.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

In Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), nan 245K falls short again, trailing nan 14600K by 5% and nan 9700X by a important 24%. Unfortunately, nan 245K delivers capacity much akin to nan 12700K successful this title.

Remnant II

The 245K besides struggles successful Remnant II, averaging 112 fps – nan aforesaid capacity level arsenic nan previous-generation 14600K and 11% slower than nan 9700X.

Homeworld 3

Intel CPUs consistently execute poorly successful Homeworld 3, peculiarly pinch 1% lows, crossed each models from nan 12th procreation onward. The 245K is nary exception, falling conscionable down nan 14600K. Its mean framework complaint is 13% little than nan 9700X, and its 1% lows are down by 43%, marking different anemic showing.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

The 245K besides underperforms successful A Plague Tale: Requiem, falling down moreover nan 12600K. It trails nan 14600K by 17% and nan 9700X by a important 27%, different area wherever Intel whitethorn request to analyse and reside capacity issues.

Counter-Strike 2

In Counter-Strike 2, nan 245K again delivers capacity akin to nan 12700K, pinch an mean of 400 fps. It is 13% slower than nan 14600K and 24% slower than nan 9700X.

Starfield

Starfield is 1 of nan fewer games wherever nan 245K performs reasonably well. While it only matches nan 14600K – hardly awesome – this is 1 of its amended results truthful far, moreover outpacing nan 9700X by 10%. Zen 5 processors notably underperform successful this title, which whitethorn explicate nan margin.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

In Space Marine 2, nan 245K lags down some nan 14600K and 9700X by astir 6%, adding to nan database of less-than-stellar results.

Hitman 3

Typically, Intel CPUs execute good successful Hitman 3, but nan Arrow Lake architecture does not clasp up arsenic well. The 245K is 9% slower than nan 14600K and 4% slower than nan 9700X.

Watch Dogs: Legion

Watch Dogs: Legion results are peculiarly mediocre for nan 245K. It finishes past by a notable margin, trailing nan 14600K by 20% and nan 9700X by 23%.

Star Wars Outlaws

The 245K performs adequately successful Star Wars Outlaws, achieving a 2% summation complete nan 14600K. While not remarkable, this is astatine slightest an improvement.

Gaming Power Consumption

Now for a speedy look astatine powerfulness depletion erstwhile gaming. In Cyberpunk 2077, nan 245K consumes conscionable 73 watts – a 13% simplification compared to nan 9700X. However, retrieve it is besides 17% slower, truthful nan Ryzen 7 portion is much power-efficient here.

In The Last of Us Part 1, nan 9700X and 245K devour akin levels of power, yielding astir balanced performance. The 245K edges retired nan 14600K by a fewer percent points while reducing powerfulness depletion by a sizeable 38%, making it notably much businesslike than nan erstwhile generation.

14 Game Average

Across nan 14 games tested, nan 245K was, connected average, 8% slower than nan 14600K and 14% slower than nan 9700X – disappointing results for a next-generation product. This capacity level was achievable arsenic acold backmost arsenic nan 12700K release, while importantly amended gaming capacity tin beryllium recovered pinch nan 5800X3D aliases respective different Ryzen processors from some erstwhile and existent generations.

Cost Per Frame

The costs per framework besides fails to impress. The 245K offers conscionable 9% amended worth than nan 7800X3D astatine its existent inflated value tag of $475, though that CPU was disposable for arsenic debased arsenic $340 not agelong ago, resulting successful a costs per framework of conscionable $1.65.

Currently, nan 245K costs 14% much than nan 9700X per framework and a important 36% much than nan 14600K and 7700X, making it a mediocre worth for gaming contempt being a amended worth than nan 265K and 285K.

What We Learned

Intel's latest CPU procreation has shown disappointing results overall, peculiarly for PC gamers. We had hoped nan Core Ultra 5 245K mightiness beryllium a hidden gem, but sadly no. Like nan remainder of nan lineup, it presents a mixed bag, pinch arguably much drawbacks than benefits astatine this point.

In position of performance, productivity results were so amended than successful gaming, but moreover here, they were not exceptional. Outside of Cinebench and a fewer different rendering benchmarks, location is small to get excited about. Compression and decompression capacity lagged down nan Core i5-14600K, though we did spot reasonable gains successful astir different workloads, though nan 245K didn't ever hit nan 9700X.

Productivity capacity is decidedly a beardown constituent for nan 245K, and its powerfulness ratio is besides competitive, astir matching AMD's efficiency, truthful now they're overmuch nan aforesaid successful that regard.

Where nan 245K genuinely struggled was successful gaming performance. While Arrow Lake has mostly underperformed here, nan 245K was moreover much inconsistent. In immoderate titles, it could astir lucifer nan 265K, but successful others, for illustration Cyberpunk 2077, Counter-Strike 2, Hitman 3, and Watch Dogs: Legion, it lagged noticeably, often ranking adjacent aliases astatine nan bottommost of our charts.

As a result, nan Core Ultra 5 245K represents mediocre value, and you'd beryllium overmuch amended disconnected pinch a Core i5-14600K or, ideally, nan Ryzen 7 7700X. For gamers, nan 245K simply isn't a viable action without a important value simplification and much accordant performance. Realistically, nan value would request to driblet to $250 to make it a consideration, and moreover then, "a consideration" is possibly a much meticulous explanation than "an charismatic option."

Essentially, it would request to scope nan existent value of nan 14600K, and moreover then, it's not an evident prime complete nan typically faster Core i5. The powerfulness savings are a bully benefit, but nan 14600K's ratio isn't overly concerning – surely little truthful erstwhile compared to a exemplary for illustration nan 7700X. In regions pinch mean powerfulness costs, astir users wouldn't find nan 14600K's powerfulness tie problematic, arsenic it's still comparatively easy to cool.

That said, we seldom recommended nan 14600K anyway; for akin pricing, nan 7700X mostly offers amended gaming capacity pinch substantially little powerfulness consumption.

But successful a world wherever neither nan 7700X nor nan 14600K exist, nan Core Ultra 5 245K would still person to compete pinch nan Ryzen 7 9700X. AMD's spot mostly offers faster and much accordant gaming performance. In productivity, nan 245K has a flimsy edge, particularly successful core-heavy workloads, though nan quality isn't ever significant. For strictly core-heavy productivity tasks, nan 245K does look much appealing.

However, those specifically willing successful core-heavy productivity are apt to look beyond nan 245K.

For $320, nan 245K does correspond decent productivity capacity though location are amended alternatives available. Hopefully, Intel tin reside Arrow Lake's issues soon, arsenic location seems to beryllium untapped imaginable here, but until we spot improvements, these CPUs stay difficult to recommend.

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