Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus vs Apple M3 Ultra
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We compared two CPUs: the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus vs Apple M3 Ultra. The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus features 18 cores and 18 threads with a maximum clock speed of 5.3 GHz, while the Apple M3 Ultra has 32 cores and 32 threads with a maximum clock speed of N/A. Let's see which CPU performs better in terms of benchmarks and specifications.
Why Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is better than Apple M3 Ultra
- Lower power consumption (125W vs 140 W)
- Released about 1 year later
- Unlocked multiplier for overclocking
Why Apple M3 Ultra is better than Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
- 78% more cores (32 cores vs 18 cores)
- 611% higher memory bandwidth (819 GB/s vs 115.2 GB/s)
Performance Scores
Single-Core Score
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
92
Apple M3 Ultra
90
Multi-Core Score
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
91
Apple M3 Ultra
99
Total Score
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
91
Apple M3 Ultra
95
Geekbench 6
Single-Core
Apple M3 Ultra +2%
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
3,159
Apple M3 Ultra
3,233
Multi-Core
Apple M3 Ultra +31%
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
21,498
Apple M3 Ultra
28,195
| Single-Core | 3,159 | 3,233 |
| Multi-Core | 21,498 | 28,195 |
General Info
| Manufacturer | Intel | Apple |
| Launch Date | March 2026 | March 5, 2025 |
| Generation | Series 2 | Apple M3 family |
| Codename | Arrow Lake | Apple M3 |
| Type | Desktop Processor | Desktop |
| Class | Mid-range | High-end |
| Unlocked Multiplier | Yes | No |
| Architecture | - | - |
| Lithography | 3 nm | 3 nm |
CPU
| Total Cores | 18 | 32 |
| Total Threads | 18 | 32 |
| Performance Cores | 6 | 24 |
| Performance Threads | 6 | 24 |
| Efficient Cores | 12 | 8 |
| Efficient Threads | 12 | 8 |
| P-Core Base Frequency | 4.2 GHz | 4.05 GHz |
| P-Core Max Turbo Frequency | 5.3 GHz | - |
| E-Core Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz | 2.75 GHz |
| E-Core Max Turbo Frequency | 4.6 GHz | - |
| L1 Cache | - | 192KB (Per core) |
| L2 Cache | 30MB | 64 MB (shared) |
| L3 Cache | 30MB (Shared) | - |
Memory
| Memory Type | DDR5-7200 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max Memory Size | 256 GB | 512 GB unified memory |
| Max Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s | 819 GB/s |
| Memory Channels | 2 | 8 |
| ECC Support | Yes | No |
GPU
| Integrated GPU | Intel Arc iGPU | Apple M3 Ultra GPU (80-core) |
| GPU Base Frequency | 300 MHz | - |
| GPU Max Frequency | 2.0 GHz | - |
| Max Resolution HDMI | 4k @ 60Hz, 8k @ 60Hz | 8K @ 60Hz & 4K @ 240Hz |
| Max Resolution DP | 8k @ 60Hz | 8K @ 60 Hz & 4K @ 240Hz |
| 4K Support | Yes | true |
CPU Technologies
| Virtualization | Supported | - |
| Multithreading (SMT) | Supported | - |
| AES Encryption | Supported | - |
| AVX / AVX2 | Supported | - |
Power & I/O
| Socket | FCLGA1851 | Apple M-Socket |
| PCIe Version | 5.0, 4.0 | - |
| PCIe Lanes | 24 | - |
| Base TDP (PL1) | 125W | 140 W |
| Max Turbo Power (PL2) | 159W | - |
| Max Temperature | 105°C | 100 °C |
| Instruction Set | x86-64 | ARMv8 (64-bit) |