CPU Comparison
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H vs Intel Core Ultra X7 368H
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core Ultra X7 358H is a 16-core, 16-thread high-end mobile SoC from Intel’s Panther Lake family, built on the Intel 18A compute tile and paired with a 12-Xe3 Intel Arc B390 integrated GPU and a 50 TOPS NPU, targeting thin-and-light AI PCs and premium creator laptops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Gaming
Virtualization
Efficiency
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- NPU 5 with 50 TOPS INT8 and strong GPU AI throughput.
- Intel shows up to ~5.5× better GPU AI vs older Raptor Lake‑P and large leads vs some AMD Strix Point competitors in Geekbench AI and UL Procyon AI workloads.
- Well suited for local small‑medium LLMs, AI background effects and image generation.
- 50 TOPS NPU for INT8 inference, suitable for local LLMs and image generation.
- GPU contributes additional AI performance via Xe Matrix Extensions (XMX).
- Well‑positioned for Copilot+ PC and on‑device AI workloads.
Content Creation
Gaming
- Arc B390 with 12 Xe3 cores is a major step up from Arc 140V/Xe2 iGPUs.
- Fine for 1080p medium/high in many esports and AAA titles with upscaling.
- Still not a match for a dedicated RTX 4050/4060 laptop GPU at higher settings.
- 12‑core Arc B390 iGPU significantly faster than typical Intel integrated graphics.
- Suitable for 1080p medium/high and some 1440p gaming at reduced settings.
- Best experience in GPU‑bound titles; CPU‑heavy or high‑refresh‑rate games still favor higher‑TDP HX‑class CPUs.
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- 16 hybrid cores with strong multi‑thread performance for mobile
- Arc B390 iGPU is a huge generational leap over older Intel iGPUs
- 50 TOPS NPU enables serious local AI workloads
- Intel 18A brings improved efficiency and performance over Arrow Lake
- Supports LPDDR5X‑9600 and up to 96 GB memory
- Good balance of performance and power for thin designs
Cons
- Only 12 PCIe lanes from the CPU, limiting multi‑GPU / heavy NVMe configs
- Locked multiplier limits enthusiast tuning
- Not intended for desktop‑class sustained workloads at very high TDP
- Platform is still new; early firmware and driver stacks are maturing
- Higher‑end X9 model offers more GPU and CPU headroom in the same family
Pros
- 16 hybrid cores with strong ST and MT performance for 25 W base power.
- Arc B390 iGPU with 12 Xe3 cores delivers best‑in‑class integrated graphics and compute.
- 50 TOPS NPU enables serious on‑device AI and Copilot+ experiences.
- LPDDR5X‑9600 support provides high memory bandwidth in a low‑power envelope.
- Full vPro enterprise manageability and security features.
Cons
- No Hyper‑Threading; 16 threads may limit some heavily threaded workloads vs 24‑thread HX parts.
- Max 96 GB non‑ECC memory may be restrictive for large workstations.
- Locked multiplier and OEM‑dependent power limits reduce tuning flexibility.
- Absolute CPU performance still below higher‑TDP gaming CPUs and Apple M5 Pro/Max in some scenarios.
- New architecture and 18A node still have limited long‑term field data.
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
- Compare head-to-headAMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470Rival
High-End Mobile AI APU
- AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370Rival
High-End Mobile AI APU
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285HRival
High-End Mobile (Arrow Lake-H)
- Apple M5 Pro (10‑core CPU)Rival
Premium Mobile SoC
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E‑84‑100Rival
ARM-based AI PC SoC
Higher‑end Panther Lake SKU with more GPU headroom and slightly higher clocks if you need maximum iGPU performance.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core Ultra 7 265HAlt
Arrow Lake‑H alternative if you prefer DDR5 SO‑DIMMs and more traditional platform features over Panther Lake’s iGPU and NPU upgrades.
- Apple M5 Pro (15‑core)Alt
Best‑in‑class efficiency and CPU performance per watt on macOS, if you’re not tied to x86.
Intel Core Ultra X7 368H
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HSRival
High‑End Mobile
- Apple M5 Pro (12‑core)Rival
High‑End Mobile / Workstation
- Intel Core Ultra 9 388HRival
High‑End Mobile Workstation
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core Ultra 7 366HRival
High‑End Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HXRival
High‑End Gaming / DTR
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265HXAlt
Higher‑power Arrow Lake‑HX part with more threads and often higher sustained CPU performance for gaming/DTR rigs.
Our Verdict on Each
A very strong mobile SoC for AI PCs and premium thin-and-lights, offering excellent CPU multi-thread, a huge iGPU leap and serious NPU performance, though platform PCIe constraints and locked multiplier limit enthusiast tuning.
Best for: You want a thin‑and‑light AI PC or premium business laptop where strong CPU, iGPU and NPU performance matter more than maximum PCIe expansion or overclocking.
Read the full reviewA very capable mobile workstation and AI‑oriented SoC with strong multi‑threaded CPU performance, a potent integrated GPU and best‑in‑class NPU for its power envelope, though absolute CPU performance still trails higher‑TDP gaming chips and Apple’s latest Pro silicion.
Best for: High‑end laptop or mobile workstation where AI, GPU and efficiency matter more than extreme CPU multi‑thread performance.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core Ultra X7 358H or Intel Core Ultra X7 368H?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H comes out ahead with a score of 8.4/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Do Intel Core Ultra X7 358H and Intel Core Ultra X7 368H use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the FCBGA2540 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.