Between the M4 Ultra and Core Ultra 5 225, the M4 Ultra comes out ahead in cores and l3 cache, while the Core Ultra 5 225 wins on tdp and boost clock. Overall, the M4 Ultra scores 63.1 and the Core Ultra 5 225 scores 47.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The M4 Ultra is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 15.3 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the M4 Ultra if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are cores, l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi).
Pick the Core Ultra 5 225 if you care most about tdp and boost clock. Its strongest claims are tdp, boost clock.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the M4 Ultra is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M4 Ultra wins
- ▲Cores — 220.00% more. 32 vs 10.
- ▲L3 cache — 220.00% more. 64 MB vs 20 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 189.01% more. 52600 vs 18200.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 wins
- ▲TDP — 55.00 W less. 65 vs 120.
- ▲Boost clock — 8.89% more. 4.9 GHz vs 4.5 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 Ultra | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 32lead | 10 |
| Threadsⓘ | 32lead | 10 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.3 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.5 GHz | 4.9 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 64 MBlead | 20 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 Ultra | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1851 |
| TDPⓘ | 120 W | 65 Wlead |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 Ultra | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 52600lead | 18200 |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2290lead | 1980 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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