Intel Core i7-2640M

The Intel Core i7-2640M is the fastest dual core processor at the time of introduction in Q3 2011 and successor of the slower clocked i7-2620M. It is based on the Sandy Bridge architecture and offers Hyperthreading to handle 4 threads at once (for a better usage of the pipeline). Compared to the slower Core i5, the i7 offers a larger last level cache of 4MB. The base clock speed is 2.8 GHz but due to Turbo Boost it can reach 3.3 GHz (2 cores active) and 3.5 GHz (1 core active).

Sandy Bridge is the evolutionary successor of the Arrandale architecture. The most noteable improvements are the new 256Bit AVX instructions, the improved Turbo 2.0 and the integration of the graphics card into the 32nm CPU core.

Der i7-2640M offers an integrated graphics card ( Intel HD Graphics 3000) which is clearly faster then the older Intel HD Graphics in the Arrandale CPUs. As the new GPU is included in the CPU, it is also manufactured in 32nm and shares the fast level 3 cache with the CPU cores (using a new ring bus). In the 2620M it is clocked from 650-1300MHz (Turbo Boost), and in the 2640M it should be similar.

Furthermore, an improved dual-channel DDR3 memory controller is included on the CPU die that is used by the CPU and GPU part.

Due to the improved architecture and the new Turbo Boost 2.0, the average performance of the Core i7-2640M is higher than a similar clocked Arrandale Core i7 dual core. The performance should even excel the old high-end quad core models like the Core i7-820QM.

The 35W TDP rating includes the integrated GPU and memory controller.

Series	Intel Core i7
Codename	Sandy Bridge
Clock Rate	2800 - 3500 MHz
Level 1 Cache	128 KB
Level 2 Cache	512 KB
Level 3 Cache	4096 KB
Number of Cores / Threads	2 / 4
Max. Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power)	35 Watt
Transistor Count	624 Million
Manufacturing Technology	32 nm
Die Size	149 mm2
Max. Temperature	100 °C
Features	HD Graphics 3000, DDR3-1066/1333 Memory Controller (max 8GB), HyperThreading, AVX, Quick Sync, Virtualization
64 Bit	64 Bit support
Hardware Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d
Starting Price	$346 U.S.
Announcement Date	09/04/2011

CPU Benchmarks

3DMark 06 - CPU:

100%

min: 3882 avg: 3933.5 (45.16%) max: 3978 Points

Model	Memory	GPU			Result
Vaio VPC-SE2M9E/B	8192 MB	Radeon HD 6630M	485 / 800MHz	1024MB 8.862.4.2000	3882
U44SG	4096 MB	GeForce 610M	740 / 800MHz	1024MB Optimus mit Nvidia Geforce 610M und Intel HD Graphics 3000 nvlddmkm 8.17.12.8548 (Forceware 285.48) Win7/64 + igdumd64 8.15.10.2462 Win7/64	3909
ThinkPad X1 NWK3QGE	8192 MB	HD Graphics 3000	650 / MHz	Turbo bis 1300 MHz 8.15.10.2476	3922
ThinkPad T420s 4174-PEG	4096 MB	NVS 4200M	740 / 800MHz	1024MB Shadertakt: 1480 MHz, DDR3-VRAM ForceWare 268.71	3926
	4096 MB	HD Graphics 3000	650-1300 / MHz	8.15.10.2361	3928
Vaio VPC-SE1Z9E/B	6144 MB	Radeon HD 6630M	485 / 800MHz	1024MB Catalyst 8.862.4.0	3960
Latitude XT3	8192 MB	HD Graphics 3000	650 / 667MHz	shared memory igdumd64 8.15.10.2418 Win7/64	3963
Schenker XMG P701 PRO	8192 MB	Radeon HD 6990M	715 / 900MHz	2048MB GDDR5-VRAM Clevo 8.850.0.0	3978

Cinebench R10 in comparison
Intel Atom Z670 (min)	691
...
Intel Core 2 Extreme (Desktop) QX6700	9520
AMD A-Series (Desktop) A8-3850	9534
Intel Core i5 3320M	9553.6
Intel Core i7 2640M	9765.9
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9100	10081
Intel Core i5 3360M	10110.6
Intel Core i7 3520M	10166.7
...
Intel Core i7 (Desktop) 3960X (max)	27189.5

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Intel Core i7-2640M

CPU Benchmarks

Reviews for the Intel Core i7 2640M processor

Other CPUs of the series Intel Core i7

Surrounding CPUs