Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 8540U
Core Ultra 5 238V
Ryzen 5 8540U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 238V
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 8540U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 238V | Ryzen 5 8540U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($454) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Lunar Lake (2024) / 3 nm) | ✨ Modern (Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) / 4 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core Ultra 5 238V | Ryzen 5 8540U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($454) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 238V and Ryzen 5 8540U
Core Ultra 5 238V
The Core Ultra 5 238V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,219 points. Launch price was $299.
Ryzen 5 8540U
The Ryzen 5 8540U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,359 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The Core Ultra 5 238V packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 8540U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 238V has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 238V versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8540U — a 4.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8540U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 238V uses the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8540U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 238V scores 18,219 against the Ryzen 5 8540U's 18,359 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 8540U. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 10,000 vs 9,823 (1.8% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 238V). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,683 vs 2,504, a 6.9% lead for the Core Ultra 5 238V that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 10,130 vs 9,280 (8.8% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 238V). L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 238V vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8540U.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 238V | Ryzen 5 8540U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 8+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.7 GHz | 4.9 GHz+4% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz+52% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 16 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB (per core)+150% | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 3 nm-25% | 4 nm |
| Architecture | Lunar Lake (2024) | Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) |
| PassMark | 18,219 | 18,359 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 10,000+2% | 9,823 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 2,683+7% | 2,504 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 10,130+9% | 9,280 |
Memory & Platform
The Core Ultra 5 238V uses the FCBGA2833 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 8540U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to LPDDR5x-8533 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 8540U supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Core Ultra 5 238V) vs 14 (Ryzen 5 8540U) — the Ryzen 5 8540U offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Core Ultra 5 238V) and SoC (Ryzen 5 8540U).
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 238V | Ryzen 5 8540U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA2833 | FP7 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+25% | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5x-8533 | DDR5-5600, LPDDR5x-7500 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 256 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 14+75% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Ryzen 5 8540U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 238V) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8540U). Both include integrated graphics — Arc Graphics 130V (Core Ultra 5 238V) and Radeon 740M (Ryzen 5 8540U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 238V targets Productivity, Ryzen 5 8540U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 238V rivals Ryzen 5 8640U; Ryzen 5 8540U rivals Core i5-1335U.
| Feature | Core Ultra 5 238V | Ryzen 5 8540U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Arc Graphics 130V | Radeon 740M |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | Yes |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | AMD-V (SVM) |
| Target Use | Productivity | Productivity |
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