CPU Comparison
Intel Core Ultra 5 335 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core Ultra 5 335 is an 8-core, 8-thread mobile SoC from Intel’s Panther Lake family, built on the Intel 18A process for thin-and-light and mainstream business laptops with strong AI acceleration and integrated Xe3 graphics.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Responsive office work, multi‑tab browsing, and light content creation; multi‑threaded workloads benefit from the 8 cores but are limited by 8 threads and no SMT.
Single-threaded performance is competitive with other mid-range mobile CPUs, and the 12 cores provide solid multi-core throughput for typical productivity workloads.
Gaming
Smooth for esports and older titles at 1080p with reduced settings; modern AAA games will often need a discrete GPU for high settings.
Arc B370 iGPU is a major improvement over older Intel graphics, enabling 1080p gaming at medium settings in many titles, but still behind low-end discrete GPUs like the RTX 4050 in more demanding games.
Virtualization
Can handle light VM workloads, but memory and core counts are more constrained than on H‑series or desktop chips.
Capable of running light VMs and containers, but not designed for heavy workstation-class virtualization; memory and core counts are modest for that use case.
Efficiency
Intel 18A and the 25–55 W power envelope enable strong efficiency for thin laptops, with real‑world battery life often matching comparable Snapdragon X Elite systems in early tests.
At 25 W base power, Panther Lake is far more efficient than older Intel H-series chips; real-world battery life will depend heavily on OEM power tuning.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- NPU 5 with up to 50 TOPS INT8 is tailored for on‑device AI features like Windows Studio Effects and local LLM assistants.
- CPU + GPU + NPU together enable modest AI workloads, but not a replacement for high‑end discrete AI accelerators.
- Dedicated NPU 5 with 47 INT8 TOPS accelerates Windows Studio Effects and local AI models.
- CPU and GPU also support DL Boost and XMX-based AI workloads, but TOPS are lower than on higher-end Ultra 7/9 models.
- Well suited for consumer AI features and small models, not for training or large-scale inference.
Content Creation
Gaming
- Xe3 iGPU significantly better than older UHD Graphics but not intended for serious gaming.
- Esports titles (Valorant, CS2, LoL) generally playable at 1080p medium/high.
- AAA titles typically require low settings and often upscaling for playable frame rates.
- Arc B370 10 Xe3 cores at up to 2.4 GHz deliver roughly 70% more performance than Intel’s previous Arc 140V/140T iGPUs and comfortably outpace AMD’s Radeon 890M in synthetic tests.
- At 35 W, the B370’s Time Spy Graphics score is around 5,933 points, placing it between older RTX 3050 Ti and RTX 4050 laptop GPUs in some scenarios.
- Best suited for 1080p medium settings; more demanding AAA titles may require resolution scaling or lower presets.
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Intel 18A brings improved performance per watt for mobile designs.
- 8 cores (4P + 4LP) handle everyday multitasking and light parallel workloads well.
- NPU 5 enables modern on‑device AI features without heavily loading CPU or GPU.
- Xe3 iGPU with ray tracing and modern media engines is a big step over older UHD Graphics.
- 25–55 W configurable TDP fits a wide range of laptop form factors.
Cons
- Only 8 threads; no SMT limits heavy multi‑threaded throughput versus 12–16 thread rivals.
- Gaming capability is still modest; not a replacement for a discrete GPU.
- Soldered BGA package means no CPU upgrades; you’re stuck with what the laptop ships with.
- Maximum 128 GB memory and 12 PCIe lanes may feel restrictive for high‑end workloads.
- New platform; early firmware and driver quirks are possible in first‑generation designs.
Pros
- Major leap in integrated GPU performance vs older Intel iGPUs
- Good single-threaded performance for everyday and lightly threaded workloads
- 12-core design provides solid multi-core throughput for the TDP
- NPU accelerates AI features without heavily loading CPU or GPU
- 25 W base power enables thin-and-light designs with decent battery life
- Modern I/O: PCIe 5.0, Thunderbolt 4, LPDDR5X, Wi-Fi 7 (platform dependent)
Cons
- Not intended for heavy sustained multi-threaded workloads like high-end rendering
- iGPU still falls short of low-end discrete GPUs like RTX 4050 in more demanding games
- Locked multiplier limits overclocking headroom
- Actual performance and thermals depend heavily on laptop OEM power tuning
- New platform; early firmware and drivers may still be maturing
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core Ultra 5 335
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 345Rival
Mobile AI/Performance
- AMD Ryzen 7 8840URival
Thin-and-Light
- Intel Core Ultra 7 258VRival
Premium Thin-and-Light (Lunar Lake)
- Intel Core Ultra 5 235URival
Mainstream Mobile (Arrow Lake U)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X EliteRival
ARM-based AI PC
Intel Core Ultra 5 338H
- AMD Ryzen AI 7 350Rival
Mid-Range Mobile AI APU
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255HRival
Higher-End Panther Lake Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 7 8840HSRival
Mainstream Mobile APU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100Rival
Premium Arm-Based Mobile
- Intel Core Ultra 5 228VRival
Lower-Power Lunar Lake Mobile
- Laptop with RTX 4050/5050 discrete GPUAlt
If gaming is your priority and you can tolerate a thicker chassis, a low-end discrete GPU will outperform the Arc B370 iGPU in more demanding titles.
Our Verdict on Each
A capable mid-range mobile SoC that balances performance, power, and AI features for mainstream laptops, though gamers and heavy creators will still want a dGPU.
Best for: Business and productivity‑focused thin‑and‑light laptops where AI features, modern connectivity, and integrated graphics matter more than heavy gaming or multi‑GPU workloads.
Read the full reviewA well-rounded mid-range mobile SoC that finally delivers competitive integrated graphics and solid multi-core CPU performance in a reasonable power envelope, though its value depends heavily on laptop design and pricing.
Best for: You want a thin-and-light laptop with strong integrated graphics and AI features for light gaming, content creation, and everyday work, and you value battery life more than maximum CPU/GPU performance.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core Ultra 5 335 or Intel Core Ultra 5 338H?
For gaming, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H leads with a gaming performance score of 78/100 among Intel Core Ultra 5 335 and Intel Core Ultra 5 338H.
Do Intel Core Ultra 5 335 and Intel Core Ultra 5 338H use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the FCBGA2540 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core Ultra 5 335 (8 cores), Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (12 cores).