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This Core Ultra 5 225F review is about the cheapest way onto Intel’s newest platform. The 225F is the entry-level Arrow Lake chip: no integrated graphics, a modest price, and the same efficient architecture as its bigger siblings. It is the chip for builders who want modern Intel without paying for features they will not use.
It is easy to overlook. It should not be.
What you get
The 225F combines 6 performance cores with 4 efficiency cores, for 10 cores in total. There is no integrated graphics — the “F” means you must pair it with a dedicated graphics card, which is exactly what a gaming PC does anyway. It boosts to respectable speeds, includes the same built-in NPU as other Core Ultra chips, and runs on the LGA 1851 socket with DDR5 memory.
In everyday use it is quick and responsive. Browsing, streaming, office work, photo editing and gaming all run without fuss. It is the kind of chip that does its job quietly — which, for a budget processor, is exactly what you want.
Gaming performance
Paired with a budget or mid-range graphics card, the 225F delivers smooth gaming at 1080p and 1440p. Esports titles run at high frame rates, and demanding games at medium to high settings are comfortable. At 1440p the graphics card matters more, and the 225F keeps pace with processors that cost much more.
Compared with the Core Ultra 5 245K, you lose a few cores and some speed, but you save real money — and the platform is the same. Compared with the older Intel Core i5-13400F, the 225F is more efficient and more modern, though the older chip’s total platform cost is lower thanks to cheap DDR4 boards. Our CPU benchmarks put all three side by side.
Efficiency is the point
The 225F’s real selling point is efficiency. It sips power compared with older Intel chips of similar speed, so a modest air cooler handles it easily, the PC stays quiet, and you do not need a high-wattage power supply. For a first build, that matters: every pound saved on cooling and power can go toward a better graphics card.
It also means a smaller, quieter PC is within reach. A compact case and a modest cooler are all you need, which opens up living-room and small-form-factor builds that a hot chip would make miserable.
Productivity and multitasking
Ten cores make the 225F a capable worker. Photo editing, code compiling, streaming and running several applications at once are all comfortable. It will not match the Core Ultra 7 265K in long renders, but for the mixed use most people actually do — gaming in the evening, work during the day — it is more than enough.
The NPU handles AI features in Windows without loading the main cores, a small bonus today that may matter more as software catches up. See our Core Ultra 9 285K review for more on what the platform can do.
Who should buy the 225F?
- Budget builders who want the newest Intel platform for the least money
- Anyone starting fresh who likes the LGA 1851 platform’s upgrade path
- People who value a quiet, cool PC over raw benchmark numbers
- Buyers who would rather spend the savings on a better graphics card
The verdict
This Core Ultra 5 225F review concludes that the cheapest Arrow Lake chip is one of the smartest budget buys in Intel’s current line-up — provided you are building a new system and pairing it with a graphics card. It is fast enough for modern gaming, efficient enough to run cool and quiet, and fairly priced. If that sounds like your build, start here — and check our buying guides and the best budget CPUs for gaming guide to finish planning it.
