Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U Performance Spectrum

Core Ultra 5 238V

8 / 8

18,219

0.0%

18,315

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core Ultra 5 238V

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 28W, a 11W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Arc Graphics 130V, while Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,219 vs 18,315).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $454 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌64.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 17W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 238V can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U better than Core Ultra 5 238V?

Yes. Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 11.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 11.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $454 MSRP, and it still gives you a 11.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core Ultra 5 238V only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 11.3% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 PRO 8540U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) 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: 18,315 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 238V packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 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 PRO 8540U — a 4.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 PRO 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 PRO 8540U uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 238V scores 18,219 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U's 18,315 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 238V vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 238V	Ryzen 5 PRO 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 (2024−2025)
PassMark	18,219	18,315
Cinebench R23 Multi	10,000	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,683	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,130	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 238V uses the FCBGA2833 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U uses FP7 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 238V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
Socket	FCBGA2833	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5x-8533	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 238V) / not specified (Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U). The Core Ultra 5 238V includes integrated graphics (Arc Graphics 130V), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core Ultra 5 238V targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 238V rivals Ryzen 5 8640U.