Core Ultra 5 238V
VS
Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Core Ultra 5 238V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Intel

Core Ultra 5 238V

8 Cores8 Thrd17 WWMax: 4.7 GHz2024
VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

6 Cores12 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2024

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core Ultra 5 238V

#158
Core i9-13900H
MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A
111%
#161
Core Ultra 7 268V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
109%
#162
Core Ultra 7 256V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $350
108%
#167
Core Ultra 7 258V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
105%
#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
104%
#173
Core Ultra 5 238V
MSRP: $454|Avg: $454
100%
#176
Core i9-13900HK
MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A
97%
#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
96%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
96%
#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
92%
#185
Ryzen 7 5825C
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
91%
#187
Core Ultra 9 288V
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
84%
#188
Core i7-10870H
MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A
84%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

#220
Xeon 6520P
MSRP: $1295|Avg: $1295
108%
#221
Xeon Gold 6314U
MSRP: $2977|Avg: N/A
107%
#222
Xeon E-2478
MSRP: $568|Avg: $269
107%
#223
Xeon W-1390
MSRP: $494|Avg: $400
106%
#225
Xeon W-1250
MSRP: $285|Avg: $333
105%
#226
EPYC 9135
MSRP: $1214|Avg: $95
104%
#227
Xeon E-2378
MSRP: $362|Avg: $562
103%
#228
Xeon w3-2525
MSRP: $609|Avg: $800
103%
#230
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX
MSRP: $1337|Avg: $368
102%
#232
EPYC 7282
MSRP: $650|Avg: $199
101%
#233
Xeon w5-2545
MSRP: $889|Avg: $1100
100%
#234
Xeon W-1250P
MSRP: $311|Avg: $311
100%
#235
Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#237
Xeon w3-2535
MSRP: $739|Avg: $800
99%
#239
EPYC 7313P
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
98%
#240
Ryzen 7 PRO 1700
MSRP: $329|Avg: $60
98%
#241
Xeon w5-2555X
MSRP: $1069|Avg: $1145
97%
#242
Xeon E-2246G
MSRP: $311|Avg: $268
97%
#244
Xeon w3-2423
MSRP: $359|Avg: $300
96%
#245
EPYC 8434P
MSRP: $1517|Avg: $3137
96%
#247
EPYC 7443P
MSRP: $1337|Avg: $1045
93%
#248
EPYC 4564P
MSRP: $1517|Avg: $1517
93%
#249
Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX
MSRP: $1340|Avg: $1340
93%
#250
EPYC 7D12
MSRP: $1000|Avg: $100
92%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core Ultra 5 238V in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore Ultra 5 238VRyzen 5 PRO 8540U
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($454)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Lunar Lake (2024) / 3 nm)
✨ Modern (Hawk Point (2024−2025) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore Ultra 5 238VRyzen 5 PRO 8540U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($454)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 PRO 8540U

Intel

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.

AMD

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.

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.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 238VRyzen 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
🧠

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.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 238VRyzen 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
PCIe Lanes
8
🔧

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.

FeatureCore Ultra 5 238VRyzen 5 PRO 8540U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Arc Graphics 130V
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Productivity