As you can see, these two new Intel chips are now at the top of the stack in terms of multi-core performance. And as far as the X9 388H is concerned, it is by a good margin. Coming back with a chip that outperforms Apple’s latest M5 by 33% is no easy task, but Intel has succeeded. The same is true in the graphics department, where Intel has taken the lead in integrated graphics. It’s been a long time since I could tell, but Intel is clearly on top again.
The Core Ultra 7 258V listed above was tested on the Dell 14 Plus, a laptop similar in size to the MSI Prestige 14 Flip. As you can see, there is a significant 52% increase in multi-core CPU performance, as well as a 54% GPU upgrade, as tested in 3DMark Steel Nomad Light. Notably, this also exceeds the current generation MacBook Air M4.
Intel still can’t match Apple in single-core performance, and that’s where the improvement is most modest. It’s also not as fast as the M4 Pro or M4 Max, which still have the edge in every category, although the difference in multi-core performance between the X9 and M4 Pro is only 14%. Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max are also fast approaching. I would also like to test the Core Ultra X7358H against upcoming processors in next-generation laptops like the Improved Snapdragon X2 Elite, but I don’t have them on hand yet for comparison.
The graphics really stand out, especially when you get to the X9 chip. For once, the inclusion of the “X” brand in the name is worth it. The X7 and X9 chips use a B390 GPU, which represents the high end of Intel architecture (aside from discrete desktop graphics cards). You get 12 Xe cores in both the X7 and X9 configurations, with the only difference between the two being the clock speed. Intel claimed that Panther Lake’s graphics were 77% faster than previous generation Lunar Lake laptops, and while I didn’t see much of an increase, it’s hard to get a direct apples-to-apples comparison with the laptops.
Regardless, as you can see above, Intel has made a huge leap forward when it comes to integrated graphics. Big numbers are what you want in benchmarks, yes, but as always, what matters is how that translates to an actual product you buy.
What More Performance Really Means
Photography: Luke Larsen
There are two useful applications for integrating more powerful graphics into an otherwise basic environment, thin and light laptop. First, it speeds up all types of tasks, from video editing to local AI inference, without having to resort to a thicker, more expensive device.
