Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Intel - Core i5-14600K | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24300 | 25400 |
| Boost clock | 5.3 GHz | 5.2 GHz |
Between the Core i5-14600K and Core Ultra 5 245K, the Core i5-14600K comes out ahead in boost clock, while the Core Ultra 5 245K wins on cinebench r23 (multi). Overall, the Core i5-14600K scores 52.1 and the Core Ultra 5 245K scores 51.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (52.1 vs 51.9). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Core i5-14600K if you care most about boost clock. The biggest gaps in its favor are boost clock. The single most decisive one: Boost clock — 1.92% more. 5.3 GHz vs 5.2 GHz.
Pick the Core Ultra 5 245K if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are cinebench r23 (multi). The single most decisive one: Cinebench R23 (multi) — 4.53% more. 25400 vs 24300.
Both ship with comparable cores, l3 cache, tdp, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Intel - Core i5-14600K or Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K?
Intel - Core i5-14600K leads the current Mars Score by 0.2 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare boost clock against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Intel - Core i5-14600K if…
Intel - Core i5-14600K has the measurable edge on boost clock ghz.
Choose Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K if…
Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K has the measurable edge on cinebench r23 multi.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Intel - Core i5-14600K wins
- ▲Boost clock — 1.92% more. 5.3 GHz vs 5.2 GHz.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 4.53% more. 25400 vs 24300.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Intel - Core i5-14600K | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 14 | 14 |
| Threadsⓘ | 20lead | 14 |
| Base clockⓘ | 3.5 GHz | 4.2 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 5.3 GHzlead | 5.2 GHz |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 24 MB | 24 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Intel - Core i5-14600K | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | LGA1700 | LGA1851 |
| TDPⓘ | 125 W | 125 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Intel - Core i5-14600K | Intel - Core Ultra 5 245K |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 24300 | 25400lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2030 | 2080lead |