Intel Core 7 360 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 238V Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the majority of the head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V wins 15 of the 17 recorded comparisons. The Intel Core 7 360 wins only 2, both being the PassMark single-thread tests.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V scores 15645, which is 12.9% ahead of the Intel Core 7 360's 13634.

Q: Does the Intel Core 7 360 have any benchmark where it leads?

A: Yes, in PassMark single-thread the Core 7 360 scores 4274, which is 9.9% higher than the Core Ultra 5 238V's 3890.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 7 360 has an average benchmark score of 18374, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V averages 21981.

Q: How do the two processors rank against all CPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Core 7 360 sits at the 72nd percentile, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V sits at the 75th percentile.

Q: What is the largest single delta between the two in any test?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Core Ultra 5 238V leads by 31%, scoring 174 versus 120.

Architecture Differences

The two chips share the same 3 nm process node, but they come from different foundries and design lineages. The Intel Core 7 360 is built by Intel and uses the Wildcat Lake codename, part of the Core 5 generation. The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is fabricated by TSMC and uses the Lunar Lake architecture from the Core Ultra Series 2.

Core counts differ meaningfully. The Core 7 360 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 238V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Neither processor supports simultaneous multithreading, so thread counts match core counts. Clock speeds also differ: the Core 7 360 has a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the Core Ultra 5 238V starts at 2.10 GHz and boosts to 4.70 GHz.

Cache hierarchies are similar at the lower levels but diverge at L3. Both chips have 192 KB of L1 per core and 2.5 MB of L2 per core. The Core 7 360 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Core Ultra 5 238V has 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory architecture differs substantially. The Core 7 360 uses a single-channel memory bus supporting DDR5 and LPDDR5X, with a measured memory bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. The Core Ultra 5 238V uses a dual-channel memory bus, though the database records its memory support as motherboard-dependent and lists no bandwidth figure. The Core Ultra 5 238V also uses a different socket, BGA 2833, compared to the Core 7 360's BGA 1516.

PCIe connectivity favors the newer part. The Core 7 360 provides Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while the Core Ultra 5 238V provides Gen 5 with 4 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the Core 7 360 uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while the Core Ultra 5 238V uses Arc 130V. Both are mobile parts, both are active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The Core 7 360 has a launch MSRP of $426; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core Ultra 5 238V.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern: the Core Ultra 5 238V wins nearly every workload, and often by a wide margin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core Ultra 5 238V scores 1576 against 1374, a 12.8% advantage. The single-core R15 result is similar, with 222 versus 193, a 13.1% gap. R20 multi-core repeats the 12.8% delta, 6570 to 5726, and R20 single-core matches that exact 12.8% margin, 927 to 808. R23 multi-core shows 15645 versus 13634, a 12.9% lead, and R23 single-core also lands at 12.9%, 2208 to 1924.

PassMark results widen the gap in several areas. Data compression shows the Core Ultra 5 238V at 176532 versus 142877, a 19.1% lead. Data encryption delivers 13072 against 11164, a 14.6% margin. Extended instructions scale to 15377 versus 12390, a 19.4% difference. Floating point math favors the Core Ultra 5 238V by 15.4%, 53160 to 44963. Integer math is closer at 12%, 38889 to 34238. The multithread test shows 18407 versus 15544, a 15.6% edge for the Core Ultra 5 238V. Physics testing gives 1546 versus 1213, a 21.5% lead. Random string sorting favors the Core Ultra 5 238V by 18.3%, 21585 to 17636.

The single exception to this sweep appears in PassMark single-thread testing. There the Core 7 360 scores 4274, which is 9.9% higher than the Core Ultra 5 238V's 3890. The same result appears twice in the database, once under the test name passmark_single_thread and once under passmark_singlethread, with identical scores. That gives the Core 7 360 its only two wins.

The largest single delta in the entire comparison is in PassMark find prime numbers. The Core Ultra 5 238V scores 174, which is 31% ahead of the Core 7 360's 120. This suggests the Lunar Lake part handles integer-heavy scalar loops considerably better, despite the Core 7 360's higher boost clock. The aggregate picture is unambiguous: the Core Ultra 5 238V holds an average score of 21981, roughly 19.6% above the Core 7 360's 18374.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is the stronger performer across almost every recorded workload. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 12% in integer math to 31% in prime-number finding. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15645 places it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11700F and the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, both with average scores around 21988 and 21992 respectively. The Core Ultra 5 238V's own average of 21981 sits essentially level with those parts.

The Intel Core 7 360 is not without merit, but its strengths are narrow. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4274 beats the Core Ultra 5 238V by 9.9%, which is a meaningful edge for lightly threaded desktop-style tasks. Its average benchmark score of 18374 places it in the 72nd percentile, right alongside the Intel Core i3-13100, which averages 18380, and the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18318. The Core 7 360 also boosts to 4.80 GHz, 100 MHz higher than the Core Ultra 5 238V, and uses a single-channel memory bus, which may suit certain low-power designs.

However, the Core Ultra 5 238V counters with more cores, more L3 cache, dual-channel memory, and a higher base clock. For multi-threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, physics simulation, and extended instruction workloads, the Core Ultra 5 238V is consistently ahead by double digits. Its 8 MB of L3 cache versus 6 MB, combined with 8 cores versus 6, explains much of the gap. The Core 7 360's 6 MB L3 and 6 threads simply cannot keep pace in parallel workloads.

For anyone choosing between the two based strictly on recorded measurements, the Core Ultra 5 238V is the safer pick for general and multi-threaded performance. The Core 7 360 is the better option only when single-thread PassMark results are the priority, and even then the margin is under 10%. The Core Ultra 5 238V's 75th percentile ranking and its proximity to desktop parts like the Ryzen 5 3600X reinforce its position as the higher-performing mobile chip in this comparison.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several recorded specifications. The Core 7 360 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 238V has 8 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks differ: 1.50 GHz for the Core 7 360 versus 2.10 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 238V. Boost clocks are closer, 4.80 GHz versus 4.70 GHz. TDP differs slightly, 15 W versus 17 W.

The Core 7 360 uses socket Intel BGA 1516, while the Core Ultra 5 238V uses Intel BGA 2833. The Core 7 360's codename is Wildcat Lake, and the Core Ultra 5 238V's is Lunar Lake. The Core 7 360 is fabricated by Intel, the Core Ultra 5 238V by TSMC. Both use a 3 nm process.

L3 cache differs: 6 MB shared on the Core 7 360 versus 8 MB shared on the Core Ultra 5 238V. L1 and L2 cache are identical at 192 KB per core and 2.5 MB per core. Memory bus width differs, single-channel for the Core 7 360 and dual-channel for the Core Ultra 5 238V. The Core 7 360 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth; the Core Ultra 5 238V's memory support is recorded as motherboard-dependent with no bandwidth figure. PCIe differs as well, Gen 4 with 6 lanes for the Core 7 360 versus Gen 5 with 4 lanes for the Core Ultra 5 238V. Integrated graphics differ, Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores versus Arc 130V. The Core 7 360 has a launch MSRP of $426; the Core Ultra 5 238V has none recorded. Both are mobile parts, active in production, with locked multipliers.