Ultra 5 238V vs i7-2960XM

Place in the ranking	1647	523
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Market segment	Laptop	Laptop
Series	Intel Core i7	no data
Power efficiency	5.14	78.27
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Lunar Lake (2024)
Release date	4 September 2011 (13 years ago)	24 September 2024 (less than a year ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$1,096	no data

Detailed specifications

Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.

Physical cores	4 (Quad-Core)	8 (Octa-Core)
Performance-cores	no data	4
Low Power Efficient-cores	no data	4
Threads	8	8
Base clock speed	2.7 GHz	2.1 GHz
Boost clock speed	3.7 GHz	4.7 GHz
Bus rate	5 GT/s	37 MHz
L1 cache	64K (per core)	192 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256K (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)
L3 cache	8 MB (shared)	8 MB (shared)
Chip lithography	32 nm	3 nm
Die size	216 mm²	no data
Maximum core temperature	100 °C	100 °C
Number of transistors	1,160 million	no data
64 bit support	+	+
Windows 11 compatibility	-	no data
Unlocked multiplier	+	-

Compatibility

Information on Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.

Number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Socket	FCPGA988	FCBGA2833
Power consumption (TDP)	55 Watt	17 Watt

Technologies and extensions

Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.

Instruction set extensions	Intel® AVX	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2
AES-NI	+	+
AVX	+	+
vPro	+	no data
Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST)	+	+
Speed Shift	no data	+
My WiFi	+	no data
Turbo Boost Technology	2.0	no data
Hyper-Threading Technology	+	-
TSX	-	+
Idle States	+	no data
Thermal Monitoring	+	+
Flex Memory Access	+	no data
Demand Based Switching	-	no data
Turbo Boost Max 3.0	no data	-
FDI	+	no data
Fast Memory Access	+	no data
Deep Learning Boost	-	+
Supported AI Software Frameworks	-	OpenVINO™, WindowsML, DirectML, ONNX RT, WebNN

Security technologies

Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.

TXT	+	+
EDB	+	+
Secure Key	no data	+
Identity Protection	+	-
OS Guard	no data	+
Anti-Theft	+	no data

Virtualization technologies

Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V are enumerated here.

AMD-V	+	-
VT-d	+	+
VT-x	+	+
EPT	+	+

Memory specs

Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.

Supported memory types	DDR3	DDR5
Maximum memory size	32 GB	32 GB
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	no data

Graphics specifications

General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.

Integrated graphics card Compare	Intel HD Graphics 3000	Intel Arc Graphics 130V
Quick Sync Video	+	+
Clear Video HD	+	no data
Graphics max frequency	1.3 GHz	1.85 GHz
InTru 3D	+	no data

Graphics interfaces

Available interfaces and connections of Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V integrated GPUs.

Number of displays supported	2	3
eDP	+	no data
DisplayPort	+	-
HDMI	+	-
SDVO	+	no data
CRT	+	no data

Graphics image quality

Maximum display resolutions supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V integrated GPUs, including resolutions over different interfaces.

Max resolution over HDMI 1.4	no data	4096 x 2304 @ 60Hz (HDMI 2.1 TMDS) 7680 x 4320 @ 60Hz (HDMI2.1 FRL)
Max resolution over eDP	no data	3840x2400 @ 120Hz
Max resolution over DisplayPort	no data	7680 x 4320 @ 60Hz

Graphics API support

APIs supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V integrated GPUs, sometimes API versions are included.

DirectX	no data	12.2
OpenGL	no data	4.6

Peripherals

Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V.

PCIe version	2.0	5.0
PCI Express lanes	16	4
PCI support	no data	5.0 and 4.0

Gaming performance

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	2.99	14.06
Integrated graphics card	0.66	11.64
Recency	4 September 2011	24 September 2024
Physical cores	4	8
Chip lithography	32 nm	3 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	55 Watt	17 Watt

Ultra 5 238V has a 370.2% higher aggregate performance score, 1663.6% faster integrated GPU, an age advantage of 13 years, 100% more physical cores, a 966.7% more advanced lithography process, and 223.5% lower power consumption.

The Core Ultra 5 238V is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i7-2960XM in performance tests.

Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-2960XM and Core Ultra 5 238V, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.