Intel Core i7-3920XM vs Intel Core i7-5750HQ vs Intel Core i7-3940XM

Intel Core i7-3920XM

The Intel Core i7-3920XM is the fastest quad-core processor for laptops based on the Ivy Bridge architecture at the time of introduction in April 2012. 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 2.9 GHz but can dynamically increase clock rates with Turbo Boost up to 3.6 GHz (for 4 active cores), 3.7 GHz (for 2 active cores) and 3.8 GHz (for 1 active core). Furthermore, the Extreme CPUs offer an unlocked multiplicator for easy overclocking.

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.

The performance of the Core i7-3920XM is slightly (~5 %) above a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processor due to slight architectural improvements. Therefore, and because of the higher clock speed, the former champion Core i7-2960XM is easily outperformed by 10 to 15%.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers 16 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 650 MHz up to 1300 MHz with Turbo Boost, making it the fastest variant.

The XM CPUs are rated at a TDP of 55 Watts including graphics card and memory controller and therefore 10 Watt higher than the other quad-core models.  Therefore, the CPU is well-suited for laptops 17-inches or greater.

Intel Core i7-5750HQ

The Intel Core i7-5750HQ is a fast quad-core processor based on the Broadwell architecture, which has been launched in June 2015. In addition to four CPU cores with Hyper-Threading clocked at 2.5 - 3.4 GHz (2/3/4 Cores: 3.4 GHz as well), the chip also integrates an Iris Pro Graphics 6200 GPU with on-package eDRAM and a dual-channel LPDDR3-1866/DDR3L-1600 memory controller. The Core i7 is manufactured in a 14 nm process with FinFET transistors.

Architecture

Broadwell represents the "Tick" in Intel's Tick-Tock model, which means a shrink of its predecessor Haswell. The new 14 nm manufacturing process with three-dimensional FinFET transistors allows not only improvements in energy efficiency, but also a significantly smaller die size fit for more compact packages and devices.

Further advantages result from the revised microarchitecture of Broadwell. Due to its improved branch prediction, bigger buffer sizes (1500 instead of 1000 entries in the L2 TLB) and other tweaks, the performance per clock has been increased by more than 5 percent over its predecessor. There are also some new instruction set extensions designed for cryptographic applications.

Performance

Thanks to its improved architecture, the Core i7-5750HQ offers a performance similar to the Haswell-based Core i7-4960HQ (2.6 - 3.8 GHz). Thus, the CPU has sufficient power for demanding applications, modern games and intense multitasking.

Graphics

The integrated Iris Pro Graphics 6200 (GT3e) offers 48 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 300 - 1050 MHz, which can access 128 MB of dedicated eDRAM memory. For an integrated graphics solution, the Iris Pro Graphics 6200 achieves remarkable performance levels and competes with low-end or mid-range graphics cards such as the GeForce 940M. Nevertheless, demanding games as of 2015 will be playable only in low or medium settings.

Broadwell is the first Intel chip to fully support DirectX 11.2 as well as OpenCL 1.3/2.0 and OpenGL 4.3. Video will output natively via DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 1.4a. However, the new HDMI 2.0 standard is not supported.

Power Consumption

The i7-5750HQ is rated at a TDP of 47 W including the graphics card, memory controller and VRMs. Thus, the CPU is best suited for laptops 15-inches or greater. If necessary, the TDP can be lowered to 37 W (cTDP down).

Intel Core i7-3940XM

The Intel Core i7-3940XM is the fastest quad-core processor for laptops (at the time of introduction in September 2012) an successor of the i7-3920XM. 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 3.0 GHz but can dynamically increase clock rates with Turbo Boost up to 3.7 GHz (for 4 active cores), 3.8 GHz (for 2 active cores) and 3.9 GHz (for 1 active core). Furthermore, the Extreme CPUs offer an unlocked multiplicator for easy overclocking.

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.

The performance of the Core i7-3940XM should be slightly above a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processor due to slight architectural improvements. Because of the higher clock speed, the former champion Core i7-3920XM should be outperformed by about 3%.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers 16 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at 650 MHz up to 1350 MHz with Turbo Boost, making it the fastest variant.

The XM CPUs are rated at a TDP of 55 Watts including graphics card and memory controller and therefore 10 Watt higher than the other quad-core models.  Therefore, the CPU is well-suited for laptops 17-inches or greater.