Intel Core Ultra 5 238V vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete sweep for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 across all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V. No benchmark in the test suite favors the Ultra 5 238V. The margins are substantial in nearly every category, though the gap narrows meaningfully in single-threaded workloads.

The largest relative advantage appears in PassMark integer math, where the Ultra 9 285 scores 164869 against the Ultra 5 238V's 38889, a 76.4% difference. Floating point math shows a similar pattern: 194988 versus 53160, a 72.7% gap. Data encryption favors the Ultra 9 285 by 72.2%, with 46949 against 13072. Data compression and random string sorting both show 70.7% gaps, with the Ultra 9 285 posting 602121 and 73651 respectively against the Ultra 5 238V's 176532 and 21585.

Cinebench results reinforce the multi-core dominance. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Ultra 9 285 scores 48945 while the Ultra 5 238V scores 15645, a 68% gap. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 20556 versus 6570, also 68%. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 4933 versus 1576, a 68.1% gap. The multi-thread PassMark test shows 56602 versus 18407, a 67.5% difference. Extended instructions show 45357 versus 15377, a 66.1% gap. Prime number finding shows 459 versus 174, a 62.1% gap.

Physics performance shows the smallest relative multi-core gap. The Ultra 9 285 scores 3598 against the Ultra 5 238V's 1546, a 57% difference. Even this smaller gap remains decisive.

The single-core story is more nuanced. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 9 285 scores 6909 against 2208, still a 68% gap. Cinebench R20 single-core shows 2901 versus 927, 68%. Cinebench R15 single-core shows 696 versus 222, 68.1%. But PassMark single-thread tells a different story: the Ultra 9 285 scores 4881 against the Ultra 5 238V's 3890, a considerably smaller 20.3% gap. This suggests the single-thread advantage of the Ultra 9 285 is real but less overwhelming than its multi-thread advantage, and the two chips are far closer on a per-thread basis than their core counts would suggest.

The percentile data reinforces the positioning gap. The Ultra 5 238V sits at the 75th percentile among all CPUs, while the Ultra 9 285 sits at the 95th percentile. The average benchmark score for the Ultra 5 238V is 21981, compared to 75488 for the Ultra 9 285.

The nearest rivals in the database provide additional context. The Ultra 5 238V lands within 0.4% of the Intel Core i7-11700F, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, the Intel Core Ultra 5 236V, and the AMD EPYC 9534. Those rivals all cluster around 21900 to 21992 average scores, with deltas of 0 to 0.4%. The Ultra 9 285, by contrast, sits within 0.3% of the AMD EPYC 8224P, the AMD EPYC 4545P, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755. Those rivals cluster around 75373 to 75738.

The Verdict

The data indicates a straightforward hierarchy. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is the stronger processor in every measured benchmark, and the margin is large in multi-threaded workloads. The average benchmark score of 75488 for the Ultra 9 285 is roughly 3.4 times the 21981 average of the Ultra 5 238V. The 95th percentile placement versus the 75th percentile placement confirms that the Ultra 9 285 belongs in a higher performance class entirely.

The Ultra 5 238V does not win any of the 17 head-to-head comparisons. Its single-thread PassMark score of 3890 is within 20.3% of the Ultra 9 285's 4881, which is the closest margin in the entire dataset. That is the only benchmark where the Ultra 5 238V stays within striking distance.

The Ultra 9 285 uses 24 cores and 24 threads with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The Ultra 5 238V uses 8 cores and 8 threads with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The core count difference of 16 cores explains much of the multi-thread gap, but the clock advantage of the Ultra 9 285 also contributes to its single-thread lead.

The TDP figures differ sharply: 65 watts for the Ultra 9 285 versus 17 watts for the Ultra 5 238V. The Ultra 5 238V is a mobile processor with a much lower power envelope, while the Ultra 9 285 is a desktop processor. The database records a launch MSRP of $579 for the Ultra 9 285; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Ultra 5 238V.

Where Each One Wins

The Ultra 9 285 wins every benchmark category in the dataset. Its largest advantages appear in integer math, floating point math, encryption, compression, and random string sorting, all of which exceed 70% gaps. These are compute-heavy workloads that scale with core count and thread count. The 24-core, 24-thread configuration with 36 MB of shared L3 cache gives it a structural advantage in parallel workloads.

The Ultra 5 238V has no benchmark wins, but its closest margin deserves attention. The PassMark single-thread score of 3890 against 4881 represents a 20.3% gap. This is the only test where the Ultra 5 238V stays within a quarter of the Ultra 9 285's performance. For workloads that depend primarily on single-thread performance, the two processors are much closer than their core counts suggest.

The Cinebench single-core tests show a different pattern, with 68% gaps across R15, R20, and R23. The discrepancy between the Cinebench single-core results and the PassMark single-thread result suggests that the two test suites weight different aspects of single-thread performance. The PassMark single-thread test may be more representative of everyday single-thread tasks, while Cinebench may stress the higher boost clock of the Ultra 9 285 more heavily.

The physics test shows the smallest multi-thread gap at 57%. The Ultra 5 238V scores 1546 against the Ultra 9 285's 3598. Physics workloads often show diminishing returns with core count scaling, which may explain why this gap is smaller than the other multi-thread tests.

The Ultra 5 238V is positioned for mobile use with its 17-watt TDP, Intel BGA 2833 socket, and Lunar Lake architecture. The Ultra 9 285 is positioned for desktop use with its 65-watt TDP, Intel Socket 1851, and Arrow Lake architecture. The use-case split is therefore clear: the Ultra 5 238V serves power-constrained mobile systems where the 17-watt envelope is critical, while the Ultra 9 285 serves desktop systems where performance takes priority over power consumption.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 has an average benchmark score of 75488, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 238V has an average score of 21981.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In PassMark single-thread testing, the Ultra 9 285 scores 4881 versus 3890 for the Ultra 5 238V, a 20.3% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Ultra 9 285 scores 6909 versus 2208, a 68% gap.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads. The Ultra 5 238V has 8 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: The Ultra 9 285 has 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 238V has 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The Ultra 9 285 has a TDP of 65 watts. The Ultra 5 238V has a TDP of 17 watts.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Ultra 9 285 supports ECC memory. The Ultra 5 238V does not.

Q: How do the two processors compare in PassMark integer math?

A: The Ultra 9 285 scores 164869 in integer math, while the Ultra 5 238V scores 38889, a 76.4% gap that represents the largest difference in the dataset.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural families within the Core Ultra Series 2. The Ultra 5 238V uses Lunar Lake architecture, while the Ultra 9 285 uses Arrow Lake-S architecture. Both are built on a 3 nm process node at TSMC, but they target different market segments.

The Ultra 5 238V is a mobile processor with a Lunar Lake codename. It uses 8 cores and 8 threads with no hyperthreading. The base clock is 2.10 GHz and the boost clock is 4.70 GHz. The L1 cache is 192 KB per core, and the L2 cache is 2.5 MB per core. The L3 cache is 8 MB shared. The integrated graphics are Arc 130V. The socket is Intel BGA 2833, and the market segment is mobile. The production status is active, and the release date is 2024-09-23.

The Ultra 9 285 is a desktop processor with an Arrow Lake-S codename. It uses 24 cores and 24 threads with no hyperthreading. The base clock is 2.50 GHz and the boost clock is 5.60 GHz. The L1 cache is 192 KB per core, and the L2 cache is 3 MB per core. The L3 cache is 36 MB shared. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The socket is Intel Socket 1851, and the market segment is desktop. The production status is active, and the release date is 2024-12-31.

The transistor count and die size differ. The Ultra 9 285 has 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. No transistor count or die size is recorded for the Ultra 5 238V.

The memory support differs. The Ultra 9 285 supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Ultra 5 238V's memory support is listed as dependent on the motherboard, with dual-channel configuration. ECC memory support is present on the Ultra 9 285 but absent on the Ultra 5 238V.

PCIe capabilities differ. The Ultra 9 285 provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Ultra 5 238V provides Gen 5 with 4 lanes from the CPU.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most prominent difference. The Ultra 9 285 has 24 cores and 24 threads, compared to 8 cores and 8 threads for the Ultra 5 238V.

Clock speeds differ. The Ultra 9 285 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The Ultra 5 238V has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

TDP differs significantly. The Ultra 9 285 uses 65 watts, while the Ultra 5 238V uses 17 watts.

The socket types are different. The Ultra 9 285 uses Intel Socket 1851, while the Ultra 5 238V uses Intel BGA 2833.

The architecture differs. The Ultra 9 285 uses Arrow Lake-S, while the Ultra 5 238V uses Lunar Lake.

The L2 and L3 cache sizes differ. The Ultra 9 285 has 3 MB of L2 per core and 36 MB of shared L3. The Ultra 5 238V has 2.5 MB of L2 per core and 8 MB of shared L3.

Memory support differs. The Ultra 9 285 supports DDR5 with ECC and has a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Ultra 5 238V has memory support that depends on the motherboard and does not support ECC.

PCIe lanes differ. The Ultra 9 285 has 20 Gen 5 lanes, while the Ultra 5 238V has 4 Gen 5 lanes.

The integrated graphics differ. The Ultra 9 285 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU, while the Ultra 5 238V uses Arc 130V.

The market segment differs. The Ultra 9 285 is a desktop processor, while the Ultra 5 238V is a mobile processor.

The release dates differ. The Ultra 9 285 was released on 2024-12-31, while the Ultra 5 238V was released on 2024-09-23.

The part numbers differ. The Ultra 9 285 has part number SRQD4, while the Ultra 5 238V has part number SRPN5SRPN4.

A launch MSRP of $579 is recorded for the Ultra 9 285. No launch MSRP is recorded for the Ultra 5 238V. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.