Written by Deanne
Edited on
6 October 2025
·
10:43
Everything on the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors
On 3 September 2024, Intel announced the second generation Intel Core Ultra processors. With these new Lunar Lake processors, the RAM and processor are on 1 chip. This makes them faster than the previous generation Intel Core Ultra processors. In addition, the battery life of laptops with an Ultra processor last longer. In this article, you can read all about the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors.
Comparison of processors
| Core Ultra 9 285K | Core Ultra 7 265K | Core Ultra 5 245K | Core Ultra 9 288V | Core Ultra 9 268V | Core Ultra 5 238V | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P/E cores | 8/16 | 12/8 | 8/6 | 8/8 | 8/8 | 8/8 |
| NPU | 13 TOPS | 13 TOPS | 13 TOPS | 48 TOPS | 48 TOPS | 40 TOPS |
| Maximum clock speed | 5.7GHz | 5.5GHz | 5.2GHz | 5.1GHz | 5.0GHz | 4.7GHz |
| Type RAM | DDR5 | DDR5 | DDR5 | DDR5 | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| L3 cache | 36MB | 30MB | 24MB | 12MB | 12MB | 8MB |
| Socket | LGA 1851 | LGA 1851 | LGA 1851 | BGA 2833 | BGA 2833 | BGA 2833 |
| TDP | 125W | 125W | 125W | 30W - 37W | 17W - 37W | 17W - 37W |
| PCIe version | 20x PCie 5.0 | 20x PCie 5.0 | 20x PCie 5.0 | 8x PCIe 5.0 | 8x PCIe 5.0 | 8x PCIe 5.0 |
What's Intel Core Ultra Series 2?
The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 is the successor to the first generation Intel Core Ultra processors, which Intel released in December 2023. These Intel processors introduced a neural processing unit, also known as the NPU. The NPU is a chip that allows you to smoothly perform AI tasks. In addition, you can enjoy a long battery life thanks to the NPU. The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 is the first to combine the RAM and processor in a single chip. This allows you to work even faster and more energy-efficient. The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 also reaches more TOPS than its predecessor, so you can perform AI tasks faster.
RAM and processor on 1 chip
The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors have merged the RAM and processor into 1 chip. The advantage is that this means you can work even faster and more energy-efficiently. The disadvantage is dat you can't expand the RAM anymore, as the RAM is connected to the processor. The chip is available with 16GB DDR5 or 32GB DDR5 RAM.
Clock speed, cores, and threads
The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors have a clock speed of 4.5GHz to 5.1GHz. That's not much faster than the 13th generation Intel processors, but they are more energy-efficient. The Series 2 Ultra processors also have 8 cores and threads, divided into E-cores and P-cores. These cores and threads ensure that a processor can smoothly perform multiple tasks at the same time.
TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second)
The Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors can reach up to 120 TOPS in total. TOPS stands for Trillions of Operations Per Second. The more TOPS, the faster you can render things like AI-generated photos and videos. The 120 TOPS of these processors are divided:
- The GPU (video card) reaches 67 TOPS.
- The NPU (AI chip) reaches 48 TOPS.
- The CPU (processor) reaches 5 TOPS.
Differences between Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake
The Lunar Lake processors are suitable for laptops. For desktops, Intel designed the Arrow Lake processor. The Arrow Lake has an architecture with P and E cores. This allows your desktop to run demanding programs and run large games at high settings. The Arrow Lake also has a 125W TDP, which makes it suitable for a powerful cooling. The Lunar Lake CPU has energy-efficient cores, so it uses less energy. This also means the lifespan of the Arrow Lake processor is longer.
