Intel’s latest mobile chip, the Core Ultra 7 268V from the Lunar Lake family, has set new benchmarks for single-core performance, outperforming key competitors.
Outperforms AMD Ryzen in Efficiency
Intel Core Ultra 7 268V was tested on a Dell XPS 13 9350 laptop with 32 GB LPDDR5X-8533 and Windows 11 Home OS. Single core benchmarks such as Cinebench R23 indeed showed Intel’s chip as superior to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the Apple m3 chips with a score of 2054 against 2049 from the Ryzen and 1932 from the M3 respectively. A defining factor that makes this result even more impressive is that the Intel chip has a TDP of just 15 Watts; the new Ryzen from the red team, on the other hand, has a TDP of 21 Watts; so, the Haswell Core Ultra 268V is way more efficient. However, the Apple M3 still retains the efficiency advantage in terms of 6W configuration.
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Both Core Ultra 268V and Core i9-13900K are almost identical in terms of base and boost clock speeds, but the former has a hybrid Lion Cove P-Cores and Skymont E-Cores design, which enhances power efficiency. This makes the 268V suitable for lightweight applications while at the same ensuring it does not lag when it comes to performance in the same.
Multithread Performance Lags Behind
As for multiple thread performance, the Core Ultra 268V is somewhat behind compared to other similar CPUs. This is not shocking considering the fact that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has 24 threads and the Ryzen Z1 Extreme has 16 threads as compared to the Intel chip that works with a mere 8 threads. So, the Core Ultra 268V is not intended for equally multi-threaded purposes, but to offer remarkable efficiency for low to medium loads.
As also noted in the performance review by WCCF Tech, the Core Ultra 268V is not positioned for power users who perform high-IO operations such as 3D modeling, and video editing. It is not designed for heavy gaming or heavy work but it is great for common usage and moderate usage.
Graphics Performance: Arc 140V GPU Impresses
Even in terms of graphics performance, the Core Ultra 7 268V posted very good scores. The Arc 140V GPU obtained the same score in the TimeSpy graphics test, 3715, while the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 was a little behind at 3562. This nicely illustrates the potential of the Arc 140V as an impressive integrated GPU that will be able to cope with most games without any problems.
However, when it comes to actual gaming performance the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 performs better than the Core Ultra 268V if more power is allowed. While the Dell XPS 13 was limited to a 17W mode, the reviewer pushed the Ryzen-powered Vivobook S14 to 55W, resulting in superior gaming frame rates in titles like Far Cry 6 and Black Myth: Wukong. Finally, in Far Cry 6, the higher-end Ryzen chip is made to surpass 50 FPS and the integrated Intel chip has a float in the mid-thirties.
Battery Life: Balanced but Room for Improvement
Battery life is another area of focus in the Lunar Lake chips with Intel insisting on designing the gadgets to be power-efficient. The Dell XPS 13 with the Core Ultra 7 268V reached to 5.30 hours on a 55Wh battery run. While this might be below the company’s initial estimates, it gives fair duration, more so to users with average computing demands. It could go longer with a 70Wh battery and other reviews indicate higher runtimes on actual consumer models rather than what the engineering sample depicted here.
Final Thoughts: Ideal for Light to Medium Workloads
The Intel Core Ultra 7 268V “Lunar Lake” is going to be a significant contender for users concerned with power saving and single-threaded workloads. It is, therefore, not the best suited for heavy usage or gaming without a discrete GPU but is ideal for use in lightweight tasks and energy efficiency. Thus, Intel’s choice to focus on efficiency instead of raw potency places the Core Ultra 268V in a great position for handheld devices and ultraportable laptops like the MSI Claw 8 which is expected to be powered by Intel’s Meteor Lake platform. In case you are in the market for a modern, performance-oriented mobile processor for daily computations, then it may be rational to look into the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V.
