Intel Core i7-3630QM vs Intel Core i3-6006U

Intel Core i7-3630QM

The Intel Core i7-3630QM is a fast quad-core processor for laptops based on the Ivy Bridge architecture and successor of the i7-3630QM. Due to Hyperthreading, the four cores can handle up to eight threads in parallel leading to better utilization of the CPU. Each core offers a base speed of 2.4 GHz but can dynamically increase clock rates with Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz (for 4 active cores), 3.3 GHz (for 2 active cores) and 3.4 GHz (for 1 active core).

Ivy Bridge is an enhanced die shrink of the Sandy Bridge architecture with improvements on both GPU and CPU performance. The CPUs are produced in 22nm (versus 32nm Sandy Bridge CPUs) and are the first to introduce 3D transistors for increased energy efficiency when compared to similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processors. Other new features are integrated PCI Express 3.0 and  DDR3(L)-1600 support. Except VT-d and vPro the 3630QM supports all functions of the Ivy Bridge core like VT-x, AES or Trusted Execution.

The performance of the Core i7-3630QM should be slightly above a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processor due to slight architectural improvements. As a result, overall performance should be above the former fastest model, the Core i7-2920XM.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers 16 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 650 MHz up to 1150 MHz with Turbo Boost, making it one of the faster variants.

As with most quad-core Ivy Bridge models, the Core i7-3630QM is specified at a TDP of 45 Watts including graphics card and memory controller. Therefore, the CPU is well-suited for laptops 15-inches or greater.

Intel Core i3-6006U

The Intel Core i3-6006U is an ULV (ultra low voltage) dual-core SoC based on the Skylake architecture and has been launched in November 2016. The CPU can be found in small and light notebooks. In addition to two CPU cores with Hyper-Threading clocked at (rather low) 2 GHz (no Turbo Boost), the chip also integrates an HD Graphics 520 GPU (clocked at only 900 MHz) and a dual-channel DDR4-2133/DDR3L-1600 memory controller. The SoC is manufactured using a 14 nm process with FinFET transistors.

Architecture

Skylake replaces both Haswell and Broadwell and brings the same microarchitecture in every TDP class from 4.5 to 45 W. The extensive improvements of the Skylake design include increased out-of-order buffers, optimized prefetching and branch prediction as well as additional performance gains through Hyper-Threading. Overall, however, performance per clock has been increased by only 5 to 10 percent (compared to Haswell) respectively under 5 percent (compard to Broadwell), which is quite modest for a new architecture ("Tock").

Performance

According to the specified clock rates and the improved architecture, the Core i3-6100U should perform slightly above the similar clocked Core i5-5005U of the Broadwell architecture. Thus, the CPU has sufficient power for office and multimedia purposes as well as more demanding applications and light multitasking.

Graphics

The integrated graphics unit called HD Graphics 520 represents the "GT2" version of the Skylake GPU (Intel Gen. 9). The 24 Execution Units, also called EUs, are clocked at 300 - 900 MHz and offer a performance somewhere in range of a dedicated GeForce 820M. Games of 2015 can thus be played smoothly in low settings. For more information about performance and features, check our page for the HD Graphics 520. Clocked at 900 MHz, the i3-6006U features currently the slowest variant of the HD Graphics 520 (clocks up to 1050 MHz in the Core i7 models).

Power Consumption

Specified at a TDP of 15 W (including CPU, GPU and memory controller), the CPU is best suited for small notebooks and ultrabooks (11-inches and above). Optionally, the TDP can be lowered to 7.5 watts (cTDP down), reducing both heat dissipation and performance and allowing even more compact designs.