Core Ultra 5 236V vs Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 28W, a 11W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 18,315).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌64.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 17W.

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 28W, a 11W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 18,315).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌64.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 17W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U better than Core Ultra 5 236V?

Yes. Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U still looks like the safer overall buy. Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 11.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core Ultra 5 236V Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 236V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
1080p
low	180 FPS	265 FPS
medium	147 FPS	237 FPS
high	120 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	148 FPS	229 FPS
medium	118 FPS	185 FPS
high	96 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	159 FPS
medium	71 FPS	129 FPS
high	57 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 236V Open Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core Ultra 5 236V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
1080p
low	212 FPS	409 FPS
medium	176 FPS	333 FPS
high	158 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	246 FPS
1440p
low	181 FPS	344 FPS
medium	154 FPS	292 FPS
high	142 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	217 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	258 FPS
medium	122 FPS	224 FPS
high	115 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	170 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 236V Open Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core Ultra 5 236V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
1080p
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	458 FPS
high	458 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	458 FPS
high	458 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	440 FPS
4K
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	417 FPS
high	404 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	336 FPS	293 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 236V Open Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core Ultra 5 236V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
1080p
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	458 FPS
high	458 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	458 FPS
high	458 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	458 FPS	458 FPS
medium	458 FPS	458 FPS
high	458 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	418 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core Ultra 5 236V Open Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core Ultra 5 236V and Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

Core Ultra 5 236V

The Core Ultra 5 236V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,313 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,315 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core Ultra 5 236V packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core Ultra 5 236V has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 236V versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U — a 4.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core Ultra 5 236V uses the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture (3 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core Ultra 5 236V scores 18,313 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U's 18,315 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 236V vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U.

Feature	Core Ultra 5 236V	Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz	4.9 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.2 GHz+52%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	2.5 MB (per core)+150%	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-25%	4 nm
Architecture	Lunar Lake (2024)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	18,313	18,315

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Memory & Platform

The Core Ultra 5 236V uses the FCBGA2833 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U uses FP7 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.