Core Ultra 5 225F Review – The Only “Budget” CPU I’d Buy New in 2025

This tiny chip is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225F, basically the new “i5” for Arrow Lake LGA 1851. It's currently MASSIVELY underrated. Here it is: https://amzn.to/4owPMFM At launch it made no sense: locked, weaker than a 245K, and too expensive. But now things are changing. Prices dropped, BIOS updates and Windows scheduler improvements landed, and if you add a simple undervolt / BIOS tweak this thing is insane in gaming. In this video I go over what the 225F actually is, why it performs so much better today, how it compares to CPUs like the Ryzen 5 9600X and 7 9700X, and which GPUs you should realistically pair it with. If you’re thinking about building a “budget” new PC on B860 right now, this is probably the only CPU I’d seriously consider. Let me know in the comments if you’re running a 225F already and how it’s going for you 🙂 0:00 Why the 225F review now 0:32 Specs and architecture overview 2:02 Price drop and why it’s underrated 3:15 Gaming performance vs Ryzen chips 4:45 Best GPU pairings for the 225F 6:05 Final verdict and who should buy it 📷 Follow me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imwateringpsus Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/imwateringpsus ⚙️ Gear & Recommendations: Thermal Paste I use: https://amzn.to/4l646mG Electric screwdriver for PC building: https://amzn.to/3IRfndi Mini Air Duster for PC cleaning: https://amzn.to/4l12fzx Deskmat: https://deskmat.io/imwateringpsus DISCLOSURE: Some links are affiliate links, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. #CoreUltra5 #Intel #BudgetGamingPC