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Intel Core Ultra 5 238V Review | 78 Data compared

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  • Avg. price: ~£1,610
  • PassMark benchmark result: 18325
  • N. of physical cores: 8
  • CPU boost clock speed: 4.7 GHz

Intel Core Ultra 5 238V review. Compare 78 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among processors and if it is worth buying.

6.5

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the processor's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best processors on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

6.5

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Good
6.5

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

5.8

Performance

18.0%

8.3

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

5.9

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

7.4

Power & Thermal

4.0%

8.0

Platform

1.0%

7.8

Integrated Graphics

Good
?

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 6.1
    Gaming

    Score components:

    30.0%

    7.3

    PassMark single-core benchmark score

    25.0%

    7.9

    Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    6.7

    CPU boost clock speed

    17.0%

    2.1

    L3 cache

    8.0%

    3.5

    N. of physical cores

  • 3.8
    Video editing

    Score components:

    45.0%

    4.9

    Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark score

    20.0%

    3.5

    N. of physical cores

    20.0%

    2.8

    CPU threads

    15.0%

    2.1

    L3 cache

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Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £1,610

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is a mid-range mobile SoC from the Lunar Lake series, designed for thin-and-light laptops and tablets with 8 cores (4 Lion Cove P-cores and 4 Skymont E-cores) and 8 threads. It features a base clock of 2.1 GHz, a max turbo frequency of 4.7 GHz, and 8 MB of L3 cache, alongside integrated 32 GB LPDDR5x-8533 RAM on-package and an Arc 130V iGPU. Main pros include high energy efficiency with a 17W base TDP, a 40 TOPS NPU for AI acceleration, and support for PCIe 5.0 and WiFi 7. Cons include non-replaceable integrated RAM, a relatively small L3 cache compared to higher-tier models, and the lack of hyper-threading, which may limit performance in intensive multi-threaded workloads.

Technical Specifications of processor Intel Core Ultra 5 238V

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the processor's technical performance, covering key areas such as processing performance, core configuration, efficiency, platform support, integrated features, and thermal behavior.

When it matters: When you want to compare processors based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

60.0%

?

Performance

18.0%

?

Cache & Architecture

10.0%

?

Memory & PCIe

7.0%

?

Power & Thermal

4.0%

?

Platform

1.0%

?

Integrated Graphics

6.5
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a technical score of 6.46 points, which is higher than that of 72.9% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the processor.

When it matters: When you want to know how a processor performs in real workloads and how reliable it is for gaming, productivity, and efficiency according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the processor.
When it matters: When you prefer to choose a processor reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
1.0
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a popularity of 1 points, which is higher than 0% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

6.5

Overall score

40.0%

2.0

Price

5.1
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.1 points, which is lower than 95.1% of products in this category.
Brand name
What it is: The manufacturer or brand of the product.
When it matters: When you prefer a specific ecosystem, support network, or design philosophy.

Importance: MEDIUM

Intel
Processor type
What it is: The kind of system the processor is built for, such as desktop PCs, laptops, workstations, or servers.
When it matters: When you want a processor meant for the kind of machine you are actually building or buying, rather than a chip aimed at a different class of system.

Importance: HIGH

mobile
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V belongs to the mobile processor class, which is more advanced than that of 7.3% of processors and equal to that of 48.6% of processors.
CPU socket
What it is: The physical socket the processor fits into on the motherboard.
When it matters: When you need to make sure the CPU can actually be installed on a specific motherboard.

Importance: HIGH

FCBGA2833
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses the FCBGA2833 CPU socket, which is older than that of 64.2% of processors and equal to that of 0.6% of processors.
Chipset
What it is: The motherboard chipset families officially meant to work with the processor.
When it matters: When you are checking whether a CPU will work with the motherboard features and platform you plan to use.

Importance: HIGH

N/A
CPU architecture
What it is: The processor family or design generation behind the chip, such as Zen 4 or Raptor Lake.
When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs across generations and want a clearer sense of their design age, feature level, and expected performance class.

Importance: HIGH

x86-64
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses the x86-64 architecture, which is more advanced than that of 1.7% of processors and equal to that of 98.3% of processors.
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N. of physical cores
What it is: The number of physical CPU cores on the processor.
When it matters: When you run workloads that benefit from more real cores.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 8+

8
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has 8 CPU cores, which is more than 63.4% of processors and equal to 13.6% of processors.
CPU threads
What it is: The total number of processing threads the CPU can handle at once.
When it matters: When you run heavily threaded workloads or multitask a lot.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: 16+

8
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V offers 8 CPU threads, which is more than 35.3% of processors and equal to 19% of processors.
Threads per core
What it is: The number of threads each physical core can handle at once.
When it matters: When you want to understand how much thread-level parallelism each core can provide in multitasking or heavily threaded work.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: 2

1
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V offers 1 threads per core, which is fewer than 69.7% of processors and equal to 30.3% of processors.
CPU boost clock speed
What it is: The highest clock speed the processor can reach under boost conditions.
When it matters: When you care about peak speed in short bursts.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >4.7 GHz

4.7 GHz
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V reaches a boost clock of 4.7 GHz which is higher than that of 67.1% of processors and equal to that of 3.7% of processors.
CPU base clock speed
What it is: The processor's normal all-core starting frequency before boost behavior raises clocks temporarily.
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance in longer workloads rather than short burst speed alone.

Importance: MEDIUM

4 x 2.1 GHz & 4 x 2.1 GHz
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a base clock of 4x2.1 GHz & 4x2.1 GHz which is equal to that of 100% of processors.
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Semiconductor size
What it is: The manufacturing process node used to produce the processor, usually expressed in nanometers.
When it matters: When efficiency, heat, and the relative modernity of the chip-making process matter to your comparison.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: <10 nm

3 nm
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a 3 nm process node, which is more advanced than that of 96% of processors and equal to that of 4% of processors.
Foundry
What it is: The semiconductor manufacturer that physically fabricates the processor chip.
When it matters: When process source, manufacturing generation, or foundry differences matter to your comparison more than day-to-day performance alone.

Importance: MEDIUM

TSMC 3 nm
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is built on the TSMC 3 nm foundry process, which is more advanced than that of 96.2% of processors and equal to that of 3.8% of processors.
L3 cache
What it is: The total amount of L3 cache available on the processor.
When it matters: When you want better performance in cache-sensitive workloads and games.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=16 MB

8 MB
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has an L3 cache of 8 MB which is larger than that of 39.7% of processors and equal to that of 11.8% of processors.
L2 cache
What it is: The total amount of L2 cache available across the processor.
When it matters: When you want to compare CPU design efficiency and how much fast intermediate cache the cores have available.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=6 MB

14 MB
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has an L2 cache of 14 MB which is larger than that of 87.5% of processors and equal to that of 2.2% of processors.
L1 cache
What it is: The total amount of L1 cache built into the processor, which sits closest to the cores.
When it matters: When you are comparing low-level CPU design details rather than the broader performance picture buyers usually notice first.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=512 KB

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DDR memory version
What it is: The RAM generation the processor is designed to support, such as DDR4 or DDR5.
When it matters: When you need the CPU to match the kind of memory platform you want to buy or reuse.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: DDR5

LPDDR5X
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports DDR LPDDR5X, which is newer than that of 89.9% of processors and equal to that of 1.5% of processors.
Maximum memory speed
What it is: The highest official memory speed supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you choose RAM and want to know the supported speed ceiling.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >=4800 MHz

8,533 MHz
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports memory speeds up to 8533 MHz, which is higher than that of 99.1% of processors and equal to 0.9% of processors.
Max memory speed (JEDEC)
What it is: The highest official RAM speed the processor supports under standard JEDEC settings, before any memory overclocking profiles are applied.
When it matters: When officially supported stock RAM speed matters more than XMP, EXPO, or manual memory tuning.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=5600 MHz

LPDDR5X-8533 MHz
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports JEDEC memory speeds up to LPDDR5X-8533 MHz, which is higher than that of 99.2% of processors and equal to 0.8% of processors.
Max memory speed (XMP / EXPO)
What it is: The highest memory speed supported through XMP or EXPO profiles.
When it matters: When you want faster RAM through memory profiles.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=5200 MHz

N/A
Maximum memory capacity
What it is: The largest total amount of memory officially supported by the processor.
When it matters: When you plan a system with very large RAM capacity.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: >=128 GB

32 GB
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports up to 32 GB of memory, which is less than 71.9% of processors and equal to 19.5% of processors.
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Integrated graphics
What it is: Includes built-in graphics, so the system can output video without a separate graphics card.
When it matters: When you want the PC to work without a dedicated GPU, or you are building an office, media, compact, or troubleshooting-friendly system.

Importance: HIGH

yes
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V includes integrated graphics. 87.6% of processors include integrated graphics.
Integrated GPU model
What it is: The model name of the integrated graphics processor, if present.
When it matters: When you plan to use the CPU's built-in graphics.

Importance: MEDIUM

Intel Arc Graphics 130V
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses the Intel Arc Graphics 130V integrated GPU, which is more advanced than that in 86.8% of processors and equal to that in 0.2% of processors.
Integrated GPU execution units
What it is: The number of execution units available in the integrated graphics part of the processor.
When it matters: When you plan to rely on built-in graphics and want a better sense of its light gaming, display, or media capability.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=24

7
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has 7 GPU execution units, which is fewer than 81.3% of processors and equal to 2.4% of processors.
Integrated GPU base frequency
What it is: The base operating frequency of the integrated GPU.
When it matters: When integrated graphics performance matters to you.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: >=350 MHz

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Integrated media encoders/decoders
What it is: The hardware media formats the processor can encode or decode directly.
When it matters: When you stream, edit video, or rely on hardware media acceleration.

Importance: LOW

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TDP (Thermal design power)
What it is: The rated thermal design power, which gives a general idea of cooling and power needs.
When it matters: When you choose a cooler or build in a tighter case.

Importance: HIGH

Good value: <30 W

17 W
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a TDP of 17 W which is lower than that of 76.1% of processors and equal to that of 1.4% of processors.
Base power (PL1)
What it is: The sustained power target used for longer CPU loads.
When it matters: When you choose cooling and power delivery for sustained workloads.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <30 W

17 W
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a base power of 17 W which is lower than that of 75.7% of processors and equal to that of 1.4% of processors.
Boost power (PL2)
What it is: The short-term boost power limit the processor may draw under heavier turbo loads.
When it matters: When you size cooling and power delivery for peak turbo behavior.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <50 W

37 W
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a boost power of 37 W which is lower than that of 73.3% of processors and equal to that of 1% of processors.
Tau (power duration limit)
What it is: The time limit the CPU can stay at higher boost power before dropping toward sustained power.
When it matters: When you want to understand turbo behavior under longer loads.

Importance: MEDIUM

Good value: <=28 s

28 seconds
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a turbo duration of 28 seconds which is longer than that of 3.8% of processors and equal to that of 85% of processors.
Configurable TDP
What it is: Allows the processor to run in alternate power modes instead of being fixed to one default TDP target.
When it matters: When you want more control over heat, noise, and power draw in compact systems, quieter builds, or thermally limited machines.

Importance: LOW

yes
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports configurable TDP. 52.9% of processors support configurable TDP.
cTDP: 17-37 W
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Intel Core Ultra 5 238V vs the average processor

  • 83.3% higher single-core score
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,697 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
    What it is: A Geekbench 6 score that reflects single-core CPU performance in mixed modern workloads.
    When it matters: When you care about snappy everyday performance in lighter apps, browsing, office work, or tasks that do not scale well across many cores.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >2000

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,697 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.2,697 vs 1,471
  • 54.1% better single-core performance
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,826 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.
    What it is: A benchmark score that reflects single-core CPU performance.
    When it matters: When you care about responsiveness in lighter or older software.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >3200

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,826 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.3,826 vs 2,483
  • More advanced microarchitecture
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a more advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Lunar Lake vs Kaby Lake).
    What it is: The internal core-design codename used for this processor generation.
    When it matters: When you are comparing CPUs at a deeper design level and want to identify the exact architecture behind marketing names.

    Importance: LOW

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a more advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Lunar Lake vs Kaby Lake).Lunar Lake vs Kaby Lake
  • 5.6x larger L2 cache
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (14 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.
    What it is: The total amount of L2 cache available across the processor.
    When it matters: When you want to compare CPU design efficiency and how much fast intermediate cache the cores have available.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=6 MB

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (14 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.14 MB vs 2.5 MB
  • 5x more L2 per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has more L2 cache per core than the average processor (2.5 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core). The average processor provides 0.5 MB/core of L2 cache per core.
    E-core module: 4 MB shared
    What it is: The amount of L2 cache available to each CPU core.
    When it matters: When you are comparing per-core cache resources in deeper architectural analysis.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: >=1 MB/core

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has more L2 cache per core than the average processor (2.5 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core). The average processor provides 0.5 MB/core of L2 cache per core.2.5 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core
  • Newer PCIe version
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a newer PCIe version than the average processor (5 vs 3.0).
    What it is: The newest PCIe generation the processor can use directly for graphics cards, SSDs, and other high-speed expansion devices.
    When it matters: When you want support for newer GPUs or SSDs, or more bandwidth for high-speed expansion hardware.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: 4.0

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a newer PCIe version than the average processor (5 vs 3.0).5.0 vs 3.0
  • 2.16x higher multi-core score
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (10,332 vs 4,793). The average processor scores 4,793 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
    What it is: A Geekbench 6 score that reflects multi-core CPU performance in mixed modern workloads.
    When it matters: When you want a quick picture of multi-core speed in everyday mixed workloads, multitasking, and broadly optimized software.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >8500

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (10,332 vs 4,793). The average processor scores 4,793 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.10,332 vs 4,793
  • 2.91x higher memory speed
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,533 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.
    What it is: The highest official memory speed supported by the processor.
    When it matters: When you choose RAM and want to know the supported speed ceiling.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=4800 MHz

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,533 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.8533 MHz vs 2933 MHz
  • 4 year/s newer release date
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a newer release date than the average processor (2,024 vs 2,020).
  • Includes crypto acceleration
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V includes crypto acceleration, the average processor does not.
  • Supports HMP
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports HMP, the average processor does not.
  • 83.3% higher single-core score
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 single-core score than the average processor (2,697 vs 1,471). The average processor scores 1,471 in Geekbench 6 single-core.
  • 54.1% better single-core performance
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher PassMark single-core score than the average processor (3,826 vs 2,483). The average processor scores 2,483 in PassMark single-core.
  • 2.16x higher multi-core score
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher Geekbench 6 multi-core score than the average processor (10,332 vs 4,793). The average processor scores 4,793 in Geekbench 6 multi-core.
  • 9.3% higher boost clock
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher boost clock speed than the average processor (4.7 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The average processor reaches boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
  • 74% higher PassMark score
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher PassMark benchmark score than the average processor (18,325 vs 10,532.5). The average processor scores 10,532.5 in PassMark benchmark.
  • 2 more CPU cores
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has more CPU cores than the average processor (8 vs 6). The average processor has 6 CPU cores.
  • More advanced microarchitecture
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a more advanced microarchitecture than the average processor (Lunar Lake vs Kaby Lake).
  • 5.6x larger L2 cache
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher L2 cache than the average processor (14 MB vs 2.5 MB). The average processor has L2 cache of 2.5 MB.
  • 5x more L2 per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has more L2 cache per core than the average processor (2.5 MB/core vs 0.5 MB/core). The average processor provides 0.5 MB/core of L2 cache per core.
  • 75% smaller process node
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a lower process node than the average processor (3 nm vs 12 nm). The average processor uses a process node of 12 nm.
  • Uses big.LITTLE design
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a big.LITTLE design, the average processor does not.
  • More advanced foundry
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a more advanced foundry process than the average processor (TSMC 3 nm vs Intel 14 nm).
  • Newer PCIe version
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a newer PCIe version than the average processor (5 vs 3.0).
  • 2.91x higher memory speed
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a higher maximum memory speed than the average processor (8,533 MHz vs 2,933 MHz). The average processor supports memory speed of 2,933 MHz.
  • Newer DDR support
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a newer DDR generation than the average processor (LPDDR5X vs DDR4).
  • Better integrated GPU
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses a better integrated GPU than the average processor (Intel Arc Graphics 130V vs Intel UHD Graphics 630).
  • 62.2% lower base power
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a lower base power draw than the average processor (17 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a base power draw of 45 W.
  • 42.2% lower boost power
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a lower boost power draw than the average processor (37 W vs 64 W). The average processor has a boost power draw of 64 W.
  • 62.2% lower TDP
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a lower TDP than the average processor (17 W vs 45 W). The average processor has a TDP of 45 W.

Total
Platform
Performance
Cache & Architecture
Memory & PCIe
Integrated Graphics
Power & Thermal
  • Narrower instruction support
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (MMX, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3, AES vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).
  • No multithreading support
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V does not support multithreading, the average processor does.
  • 1 fewer threads per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer threads per core than the average processor (1 vs 2). The average processor offers 2 threads per core.
  • 7 lower clock multiplier
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has a lower clock multiplier than the average processor (21 vs 28). The average processor has a clock multiplier of 28.
  • 41.7% less L3 per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has less L3 cache per core than the average processor (1 MB/core vs 1.714 MB/core). The average processor provides 1.714 MB/core of L3 cache per core.
  • 8 fewer PCIe lanes
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer PCIe lanes than the average processor (8 vs 16). The average processor offers 16 PCIe lanes.
  • 50% less memory capacity
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer maximum memory capacity than the average processor (32 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.
  • Limited PCIe bifurcation
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports less flexible PCIe bifurcation than the average processor (x4 vs x16, x8/x8).
  • 70.8% fewer GPU execution units
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer GPU execution units than the average processor (7 vs 24). The average processor has 24 GPU execution units.
  • 41.7% less L3 per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has less L3 cache per core than the average processor (1 MB/core vs 1.714 MB/core). The average processor provides 1.714 MB/core of L3 cache per core.
    What it is: The amount of L3 cache effectively available per CPU core.
    When it matters: When you are comparing how much shared cache each core can draw on in deeper technical analysis.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=2 MB/core

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has less L3 cache per core than the average processor (1 MB/core vs 1.714 MB/core). The average processor provides 1.714 MB/core of L3 cache per core.1 MB/core vs 1.714 MB/core
  • Narrower instruction support
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (MMX, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3, AES vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).
    What it is: The supported CPU instruction sets and extensions.
    When it matters: When you run software that depends on specific CPU instructions.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V supports a narrower instruction set than the average processor (MMX, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3, AES vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA).MMX, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3, AES vs MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, F16C, FMA3, AES, SHA
  • No multithreading support
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V does not support multithreading, the average processor does.
    What it is: Lets each physical core run more than one thread at the same time, such as with Hyper-Threading or SMT.
    When it matters: When multitasking, rendering, compiling, virtualization, or other thread-heavy work benefits from more total processing threads.

    Importance: HIGH

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V does not support multithreading, the average processor does.
  • 8 fewer PCIe lanes
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer PCIe lanes than the average processor (8 vs 16). The average processor offers 16 PCIe lanes.
    What it is: The number of PCIe lanes provided directly by the processor.
    When it matters: When you connect fast GPUs, SSDs, or expansion cards.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=20

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer PCIe lanes than the average processor (8 vs 16). The average processor offers 16 PCIe lanes.8 vs 16
  • 6.44x more expensive
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is more expensive than the average processor (£1,610 vs £250).
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is more expensive than the average processor (£1,610 vs £250).£1,610 vs £250
  • 24.2% worse value for money
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has worse value for money than the average processor (5.12 vs 6.367).
    What it is: An indicator that combines the processor's overall rating with its cost.
    When it matters: When you are looking for a processor with a good balance between performance, efficiency, and price.
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has worse value for money than the average processor (5.12 vs 6.367).5.12 vs 6.37
  • 50% less memory capacity
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer maximum memory capacity than the average processor (32 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.
    What it is: The largest total amount of memory officially supported by the processor.
    When it matters: When you plan a system with very large RAM capacity.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=128 GB

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer maximum memory capacity than the average processor (32 GB vs 64 GB). The average processor supports 64 GB of memory.32 GB vs 64 GB
  • 1 fewer threads per core
    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer threads per core than the average processor (1 vs 2). The average processor offers 2 threads per core.
    What it is: The number of threads each physical core can handle at once.
    When it matters: When you want to understand how much thread-level parallelism each core can provide in multitasking or heavily threaded work.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: 2

    Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has fewer threads per core than the average processor (1 vs 2). The average processor offers 2 threads per core.1 vs 2
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Memory & PCIe
Integrated Graphics

Graphic comparison of Intel Core Ultra 5 238V and other processors

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Third-party reviews

What customers like about Intel Core Ultra 5 238V?

  • Excellent power efficiency with a low 17W base TDP, leading to significantly improved battery life in laptops.
  • Integrated 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory provides high bandwidth and reduces latency for the mobile platform.
  • Strong integrated graphics (Arc 130V) that performs competitively for light to moderate gaming.
  • Dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for accelerating modern AI-driven tasks and workloads.
  • Compact 'Lunar Lake' architecture design, ideal for thin-and-light ultraportable devices.
  • Support for modern standards including PCIe Gen 5 and high-speed memory.

What customers dislike about Intel Core Ultra 5 238V?

  • Soldered, on-package RAM prevents any future memory upgrades for the user.
  • Removal of hyperthreading leads to a lower thread count (8 threads) compared to previous mobile generations.
  • Performance is bottlenecked in heavy multi-threaded workloads like 3D rendering or professional video editing.
  • Integrated graphics, while improved, is still not powerful enough for smooth 1080p gaming in many AAA 2024+ titles.
  • Locked multiplier prevents any overclocking to boost performance.
  • Maximum memory capacity is hard-capped at 32GB, which may not satisfy power users.

Expert reviews

L
laptopmedia.com
01/03/2025
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V - benchmark tests | LaptopMedia

The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V, part of the "Lunar Lake" family, is an 8-core processor built on a 3nm process, designed for efficient, thin-and-light AI PCs with soldered on-package 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 RAM. It features 4 "Lion Cove" performance cores and 4 "Skymont" efficient cores, yielding excellent single-core efficiency and a 40 TOPS NPU, though it lacks hyperthreading. Key pros...Read more

C
computerbase.de
01/09/2024
Intel Core Ultra 9 288V 'Lunar Lake' Review (Includes architecture benchmarks relevant to the 238V)

The ComputerBase review of the Intel Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" highlights a fundamental shift toward extreme efficiency, featuring an on-package memory design that delivers significantly improved single-core performance and a powerful Arc 140V iGPU. Key pros include a massive leap in battery life and up to 50% lower package power compared to Meteor Lake, alongside a robust NPU...Read more

(Translated)Show original
C
cpubenchmark.net
30/03/2026
Intel Core Ultra 5 226V vs. Ultra 5 238V: Benchmark Comparison

a little longer The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V and 226V are nearly identical Lunar Lake processors, with the primary distinction being that the 238V offers 32GB of on-package LPDDR5x RAM compared to the 226V's 16GB, per PassMark comparisons. Both chips feature an 8-core/8-thread architecture (4 E) with a 17W TDP, although the 238V holds a slight 4% advantage in turbo frequency (4.7 GHz...Read more

(Translated)Show original
C
cpubenchmark.net
01/11/2024
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V - CPU Benchmarks (PassMark) | September 04, 2024 | Intel Core Ultra 5 238V review | 64 facts and highlights

The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is a 15th-generation "Lunar Lake" mobile processor featuring an 8-core, 8-thread design with 4 high-performance Lion Cove cores (up to 4.7 GHz) and 4 efficiency-focused Skymont cores. Key architectural features include 32 GB of integrated LPDDR5X-8533 memory, which boosts bandwidth but makes RAM non-upgradable, alongside a dedicated 40 TOPS NPU for AI...Read more

(Translated)Show original
V
valid.x86.fr
29/03/2026
CPU-Z Benchmark for Intel Core Ultra 5 238V (8T)

The CPU-Z benchmark for the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (r5sle8/20) confirms the performance of the 6-core, 12-thread "Zen" processor, which operates with a base clock of 3.2 GHz and a 3.6 GHz boost. This 65W TDP chip demonstrates strong multi-threaded capabilities relative to its budget-friendly price point, offering excellent value for productivity-oriented tasks. It supports efficient,...Read more

(Translated)Show original
R
ratake.com
29/06/2026
Intel Core Ultra 5 238V - Processor - Review

The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V (Lunar Lake) is a 3nm, 8-core/8-thread processor designed for high-efficiency, thin-and-light laptops, featuring integrated 32GB LPDDR5X-8533 RAM to reduce latency and power consumption. It competes with base Apple M-series chips, delivering solid performance for productivity while utilizing an Arc Graphics 130V iGPU and a 40 TOPS NPU for AI tasks. Key...Read more

(Translated)Show original

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