Intel Arc G3 EXTREME vs Intel Core Ultra 5 236V Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors along a clear line. The Intel Arc G3 EXTREME wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V wins only 2. The Arc G3 EXTREME holds an average benchmark score of 36699 against 21952 for the Core Ultra 5 236V, a gap that places the Arc G3 EXTREME in the 85th percentile of all CPUs versus the 75th percentile for the Core Ultra 5 236V.

The Arc G3 EXTREME is the choice for workloads that scale with core count and sustained throughput. Its 14 cores and 14 threads give it a structural advantage over the 8-core, 8-thread Core Ultra 5 236V, and the recorded deltas confirm this: 66.8% ahead in Cinebench R20 multi-core, 66.9% ahead in PassMark multithread, and 73.9% ahead in data compression. The Core Ultra 5 236V remains competitive in one important area: Cinebench R23. It leads the Arc G3 EXTREME by 6.2% in multi-core (15628 versus 14655) and by 15.6% in single-core (2206 versus 1862). That single-core result is the only meaningful victory for the Lunar Lake part outside of R23.

The data suggests a straightforward assignment. Users running heavily threaded rendering, compression, encryption, or math workloads should pick the Arc G3 EXTREME. Users whose software responds primarily to single-core performance, particularly in Cinebench R23-style rendering, may find the Core Ultra 5 236V delivers a faster result in that specific test, though the Arc G3 EXTREME still wins PassMark single-thread by 10.3% (4293 versus 3893).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Arc G3 EXTREME has 14 cores and 14 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 236V has a base clock of 2.10 GHz, while the Intel Arc G3 EXTREME has a base clock of 1.90 GHz. Both share the same boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Intel Arc G3 EXTREME records an average benchmark score of 36699, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V records 21952. The Arc G3 EXTREME sits in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, and the Core Ultra 5 236V sits in the 75th percentile.

Q: In which tests does the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V win?

A: The Core Ultra 5 236V wins Cinebench R23 multi-core (15628 versus 14655, a 6.2% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (2206 versus 1862, a 15.6% lead).

Q: How large is the Arc G3 EXTREME's lead in encryption and integer math?

A: The Arc G3 EXTREME leads by 83% in PassMark data encryption (23881 versus 13049) and by 83.6% in PassMark integer math (71164 versus 38765).

Q: Do both processors use the same process node?

A: Yes, both are built on a 3 nm process node, but the Arc G3 EXTREME uses Intel as the foundry while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families. The Intel Arc G3 EXTREME belongs to the Panther Lake generation, codenamed Panther Lake, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2, using the Lunar Lake architecture and Lunar Lake codename. Both are mobile parts with active production status, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The core configurations differ substantially. The Arc G3 EXTREME uses 14 cores and 14 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses 8 cores and 8 threads. Both allocate 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core. The shared L3 cache differs: 18 MB for the Arc G3 EXTREME versus 8 MB for the Core Ultra 5 236V.

The integrated graphics also differ. The Arc G3 EXTREME carries the Arc B390, while the Core Ultra 5 236V carries the Arc 130V. The Arc G3 EXTREME supports LPDDR5X memory, while the memory support field for the Core Ultra 5 236V is listed as unknown and dependent on the motherboard. Both use dual-channel memory buses, and both use Gen 5 PCIe with 4 lanes (CPU only). Neither supports ECC memory. The process node is 3 nm for both, but the foundry differs: Intel for the Arc G3 EXTREME, TSMC for the Core Ultra 5 236V.

The sockets are different as well. The Arc G3 EXTREME uses Intel BGA 2540, while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses Intel BGA 2833. The part numbers also differ: SA4R3 for the Arc G3 EXTREME, and SRPN2SRPN3 for the Core Ultra 5 236V.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show several divergences. Core count: 14 versus 8. Thread count: 14 versus 8. Base clock: 1.90 GHz versus 2.10 GHz. Boost clock: identical at 4.70 GHz. TDP: 25 watts for the Arc G3 EXTREME versus 17 watts for the Core Ultra 5 236V. Socket: Intel BGA 2540 versus Intel BGA 2833. L3 cache: 18 MB shared versus 8 MB shared. Memory support: LPDDR5X versus unknown, dependent on motherboard. Memory bandwidth: 136.5 GB/s for the Arc G3 EXTREME, while the Core Ultra 5 236V has no recorded bandwidth figure. Integrated graphics: Arc B390 versus Arc 130V. Foundry: Intel versus TSMC. Release date: 2026-05-27 for the Arc G3 EXTREME versus 2024-09-23 for the Core Ultra 5 236V.

The specifications that remain identical include the 3 nm process node, the 192 KB per-core L1 cache, the 2.5 MB per-core L2 cache, dual-channel memory, Gen 5 PCIe with 4 lanes (CPU only), no ECC support, mobile market segment, active production status, and locked multiplier. Neither part has a recorded launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data favors the Arc G3 EXTREME in nearly every recorded test, often by wide margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Arc G3 EXTREME scores 2192 against 1575, a 39.2% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 267 against 222, a 20.3% lead. Cinebench R20 amplifies the gap: 10945 versus 6563 in multi-core, a 66.8% lead, and 1545 versus 926 in single-core, also a 66.8% lead.

Cinebench R23 reverses the trend. The Core Ultra 5 236V scores 15628 in multi-core against 14655 for the Arc G3 EXTREME, a 6.2% win. In single-core, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 2206 against 1862, a 15.6% win. These are the only two victories for the Lunar Lake part across all 17 recorded tests.

PassMark results are uniformly one-sided. Data compression: 307094 versus 176554, a 73.9% lead for the Arc G3 EXTREME. Data encryption: 23881 versus 13049, an 83% lead. Extended instructions: 24017 versus 15451, a 55.4% lead. Find prime numbers: 248 versus 171, a 45% lead. Floating point math: 86929 versus 52774, a 64.7% lead. Integer math: 71164 versus 38765, an 83.6% lead. Multithread: 30659 versus 18375, a 66.9% lead. Physics: 2515 versus 1503, a 67.3% lead. Random string sorting: 37331 versus 21628, a 72.6% lead. Single-thread: 4293 versus 3893, a 10.3% lead, with the same result recorded under the singlethread label.

The nearest rivals in the database place these results in context. The Arc G3 EXTREME's average score of 36699 sits within 1.1% of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093, delta -1.1%) and within 0.9% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, delta -0.9%). The Core Ultra 5 236V's average score of 21952 sits within 0.2% of the AMD EPYC 9534 (21900, delta 0.2%) and within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X (21992, delta -0.2%).

Where Each One Wins

The Arc G3 EXTREME dominates in workloads that use multiple cores and sustained throughput. The Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests show leads of 39.2% and 66.8% respectively, which indicates rendering tasks built around those benchmark versions will scale strongly on the 14-core Panther Lake part. The PassMark multithread score of 30659 against 18375, a 66.9% lead, reinforces this pattern for general parallel processing.

Data-heavy operations also belong to the Arc G3 EXTREME. Data compression runs 73.9% faster, data encryption runs 83% faster, and random string sorting runs 72.6% faster. Integer math shows an 83.6% lead, floating point math shows a 64.7% lead, and extended instructions show a 55.4% lead. Physics simulation, as measured by PassMark, runs 67.3% faster. These are not marginal differences; they are large enough to define the Arc G3 EXTREME as the clear choice for any workload in those categories.

The Core Ultra 5 236V wins in Cinebench R23, both multi-core and single-core. The multi-core win of 6.2% (15628 versus 14655) is notable because it runs counter to the core count disparity, suggesting the Lunar Lake architecture extracts more efficiency from its 8 cores in this specific test. The single-core win of 15.6% (2206 versus 1862) is the largest margin the Core Ultra 5 236V achieves anywhere in the recorded data. Users running software that mirrors Cinebench R23's rendering workload may see faster completion times on the Core Ultra 5 236V despite its lower core count.

The Core Ultra 5 236V also carries a lower TDP of 17 watts versus 25 watts, which the database records but does not translate into thermal or battery-life measurements. The Arc G3 EXTREME wins the PassMark single-thread test by 10.3%, so the Core Ultra 5 236V's single-core advantage is specific to Cinebench R23 rather than universal across all single-threaded measurements. The overall picture is one-sided: the Arc G3 EXTREME wins 15 tests, the Core Ultra 5 236V wins 2, and the average benchmark scores place the Arc G3 EXTREME a full 10 percentile points higher in the all-CPU distribution.