Intel Core i7-11700 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 238V Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V and the Intel Core i7-11700 represent two distinct eras of Intel design, yet they land in the same performance tier. Both processors hold a 75th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 21,981 for the Ultra 5 238V against 21,891 for the i7-11700. This places them within 0.4% of each other in overall average performance, making the choice between them a matter of workload rather than raw capability. The data reveals a clear split: the newer Lunar Lake chip dominates in single-threaded and specific math workloads, while the older Rocket Lake processor leverages its additional threads to win heavily in multi-threaded and integer-heavy tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results paint a picture of two specialized performers. The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is the clear winner in single-threaded workloads, taking the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3,890 against the i7-11700's 3,263 — a 19.2% advantage. This edge carries over to physics simulations, where the Ultra 5 238V scores 1,546 versus 868, a massive 78.1% lead. The Lunar Lake chip also excels in floating-point math, scoring 53,160 compared to 46,369 for the i7-11700, a 14.6% advantage, and in prime number finding, where it scores 174 against just 55, a 216.4% margin. Data encryption is the only other win for the Ultra 5 238V, with a modest 2.9% lead (13,072 vs 12,704).

The Intel Core i7-11700, by contrast, is the multi-threaded workhorse. Its most significant victory comes in integer math, where it scores 79,687 against the Ultra 5 238V's 38,889 — a commanding 51.2% lead. The i7-11700 also wins in data compression (263,563 vs 176,532, a 33% margin) and random string sorting (30,147 vs 21,585, a 28.4% lead). In extended instruction workloads, it leads by 16.1% (18,323 vs 15,377). The multi-threaded PassMark test shows an 11% advantage for the i7-11700 (20,672 vs 18,407). Across the Cinebench suite, the i7-11700 is consistently ahead by roughly 10.5-10.7% in both single-core and multi-core tests, from R15 through R23. In total, the i7-11700 wins 11 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Ultra 5 238V takes 6.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs are built on fundamentally different foundations. The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V uses the Lunar Lake architecture on a 3 nm process node manufactured by TSMC, while the Intel Core i7-11700 uses the Rocket Lake architecture on Intel's 14 nm process. This process gap explains significant differences in power and physical design: the Ultra 5 238V has a 17 W TDP, whereas the i7-11700 has a 65 W TDP. The i7-11700 uses the Intel Socket 1200, while the Ultra 5 238V uses the mobile-oriented Intel BGA 2833 socket.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. Both have 8 cores, but the i7-11700 supports 16 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the Ultra 5 238V has only 8 threads. The i7-11700 also has higher clock speeds, with a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 4.90 GHz boost clock, compared to the Ultra 5 238V's 2.10 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Ultra 5 238V offers 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, with 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-11700 provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a larger 16 MB of shared L3. The i7-11700 has a die size of 276 mm², while the Ultra 5 238V does not report a die size. Memory support also diverges: the i7-11700 supports DDR4 with a 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, while the Ultra 5 238V's memory support is listed as unknown and depends on the motherboard. Both use dual-channel memory buses and do not support ECC memory.

PCIe capabilities favor the i7-11700, which offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Ultra 5 238V offers Gen 5 with only 4 lanes. Integrated graphics differ, with the Ultra 5 238V featuring Arc 130V and the i7-11700 featuring UHD Graphics 750. The production status also differs: the Ultra 5 238V is active, while the i7-11700 is end-of-life. The release dates show a gap of over three years, with the i7-11700 launching on 2024-09-23 and the i7-11700 on 2021-03-15.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded tasks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 238V is faster, winning the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3,890 against the i7-11700's 3,263, a 19.2% advantage.

Q: Why does the Intel Core i7-11700 win so many multi-threaded benchmarks?

A: The i7-11700 has 16 threads compared to the Ultra 5 238V's 8 threads, and it scores higher in multi-threaded workloads like PassMark multithread (20,672 vs 18,407) and Cinebench R23 multicore (17,504 vs 15,645).

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23?

A: The i7-11700 leads in both tests: it scores 17,504 in multicore versus 15,645 for the Ultra 5 238V, and 2,471 in singlecore versus 2,208, representing a 10.6% lead in both cases.

Q: Are there any workloads where the Ultra 5 238V is significantly better?

A: Yes, the Ultra 5 238V excels in physics (1,546 vs 868, a 78.1% lead) and prime number finding (174 vs 55, a 216.4% lead), as well as floating-point math (53,160 vs 46,369, a 14.6% lead).

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Ultra 5 238V has a TDP of 17 W, while the i7-11700 has a TDP of 65 W.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i7-11700 has a shared 16 MB L3 cache, while the Ultra 5 238V has a shared 8 MB L3 cache.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core Ultra 5 238V | Intel Core i7-11700 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Lunar Lake | Rocket Lake |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Threads | 8 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 17 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 2833 | Intel Socket 1200 |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (shared) | 16 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | Unknown | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 4 Lanes | Gen 4, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Arc 130V | UHD Graphics 750 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2024-09-23 | 2021-03-15 |

| Die Size | Not specified | 276 mm² |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victories belong to the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V in specialized math workloads. In the PassMark find prime numbers test, the Ultra 5 238V scores 174 against the i7-11700's 55, a 216.4% advantage. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison. The physics test shows a similarly dramatic gap: 1,546 for the Ultra 5 238V versus 868 for the i7-11700, representing a 78.1% lead. Floating-point math also favors the newer chip, with a 53,160 score versus 46,369, a 14.6% margin. In single-threaded performance, the Ultra 5 238V's 3,890 score beats the i7-11700's 3,263 by 19.2%, and data encryption is a narrow 2.9% win (13,072 vs 12,704).

The Intel Core i7-11700's largest win is in PassMark integer math, where it scores 79,687 against 38,889 — a 51.2% lead. Data compression shows a 33% advantage (263,563 vs 176,532), and random string sorting yields a 28.4% lead (30,147 vs 21,585). Extended instructions favor the i7-11700 by 16.1% (18,323 vs 15,377). In the multi-threaded PassMark test, the i7-11700 wins 20,672 to 18,407, an 11% margin. The Cinebench suite is uniformly in favor of the i7-11700, with consistent 10.6% leads in R20 and R23 multicore and singlecore, and slightly smaller 10.7% and 10.5% leads in R15 multicore and singlecore, respectively. The i7-11700 also wins the PassMark multithread test with 20,672 points, and its 16-thread capability shows in the 3DMark tests, though those are not part of the direct head-to-head comparison. Overall, the i7-11700 wins 11 benchmarks, while the Ultra 5 238V wins 6, confirming that the older chip's thread advantage is more broadly applicable across the tested workloads.