Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K
The Core i5-14600K is about 3% faster in games than the Core Ultra 5 245K (165 vs 160 FPS frame rate limit).
Quick verdict: the Core i5-14600K is a little faster, but the gap is small enough that price and platform should decide it.
Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: Specs and Performance
| Spec | Core Ultra 5 245K | Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming frame rate limit | 160 FPS | 165 FPS |
| Cores | 14 | 14 |
| Threads | 14 | 20 |
| Base clock | — | 3.5 GHz |
| Boost clock | — | 5.3 GHz |
| Socket | LGA 1851 | LGA 1700 |
| Memory | DDR5 | DDR4 or DDR5 |
| Release year | 2024 | 2023 |
| Generation | Intel Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake) | Intel 14th Gen (Raptor Lake Refresh) |
Estimated FPS With an RTX 5080
A processor's gaming performance only shows when the graphics card is not the limit. With an RTX 5080, 1080p favours the Core i5-14600K by 3%, 1440p is a tie, 4K is a tie, which is why the higher the resolution, the less the processor matters. Figures come from our performance model, not from measurements on your PC.
Frame Rate Limit in Popular Games
| Game (settings) | Core Ultra 5 245K | Core i5-14600K |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~135 | ~140 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~200 | ~205 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~175 | ~180 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~350 | ~365 |
The most frames each processor can feed in that game with an unlimited graphics card, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Your real frame rate is the lower of this and what your card can render.
Verdict: Core Ultra 5 245K or Core i5-14600K?
The Core i5-14600K is about 3% faster in games than the Core Ultra 5 245K (165 vs 160 FPS frame rate limit). That ceiling only matters when the graphics card is fast enough to reach it: at 1080p with a high-end card you will see most of the gap, at 4K very little of it.
The Core i5-14600K has 14 cores and 20 threads against 14 and 14 on the Core Ultra 5 245K. Past twelve threads, extra cores do little for games on their own, but they keep things smooth when you stream or run apps in the background.
They sit on different platforms: the Core Ultra 5 245K uses LGA 1851 with DDR5, the Core i5-14600K uses LGA 1700 with DDR4 or DDR5. Switching between them means a new motherboard and possibly new memory, which often costs more than the gap between the processors.
Bottom line: the Core i5-14600K is a little faster, but the gap is small enough that price and platform should decide it.
Which Graphics Card Should You Pair With Them?
Each processor's own page lists the graphics cards it is best matched with at 1080p, 1440p and 4K, and the cards it would hold back:
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- Compare any two processorsThe full CPU vs CPU tool
Core Ultra 5 245K vs Core i5-14600K: Common Questions
Is the Core Ultra 5 245K better than the Core i5-14600K?
The Core i5-14600K is a little faster, but the gap is small enough that price and platform should decide it. The Core i5-14600K is about 3% faster in games than the Core Ultra 5 245K (165 vs 160 FPS frame rate limit).
Which is better for gaming, the Core Ultra 5 245K or the Core i5-14600K?
The Core i5-14600K, with a model frame rate limit of 165 FPS against 160. With an RTX 5080 at 1440p that works out to about 149 FPS for the Core Ultra 5 245K and 149 FPS for the Core i5-14600K.
Which is better for streaming and productivity?
The chip with more cores and threads: the Core i5-14600K has 14 cores and 20 threads, which matters more for rendering, encoding and streaming than for games.
Can I swap the Core i5-14600K for the Core Ultra 5 245K on the same motherboard?
No. The Core Ultra 5 245K uses LGA 1851 and the Core i5-14600K uses LGA 1700, so you would need a new motherboard and possibly new memory (DDR5 vs DDR4 or DDR5).
Data last reviewed October 15, 2026. See the methodology for how every figure is produced.