Between the M4 and Core Ultra 5 225, the M4 comes out ahead in tdp, while the Core Ultra 5 225 wins on l3 cache and boost clock. Overall, the M4 scores 45.9 and the Core Ultra 5 225 scores 47.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (45.9 vs 47.8). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the M4 if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp.
Pick the Core Ultra 5 225 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 l3 cache, boost clock, cinebench r23 (multi).
Both ship with comparable cores, so those specs don't 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 tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - M4 wins
- ▲TDP — 43.00 W less. 22 vs 65.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 wins
- ▲L3 cache — 25.00% more. 20 MB vs 16 MB.
- ▲Boost clock — 11.36% more. 4.9 GHz vs 4.4 GHz.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 8.33% more. 18200 vs 16800.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 10 | 10 |
| Threadsⓘ | 10 | 10 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.3 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.4 GHz | 4.9 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MB | 20 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | LGA1851 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 65 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 5 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 16800 | 18200lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2110lead | 1980 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
More from the same brands
vsMars is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.