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Intel Core i7-2640M

Intel 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.

SeriesIntel Core i7
CodenameSandy Bridge

Series: Core i7 Sandy Bridge

Intel Core i7-2960XM compare2.7 - 3.7 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2860QM compare2.5 - 3.6 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2920XM compare2.5 - 3.5 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2760QM compare2.4 - 3.5 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2820QM compare2.3 - 3.4 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2720QM compare2.2 - 3.3 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2675QM compare2.2 - 3.1 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2670QM compare2.2 - 3.1 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2635QM compare2 - 2.9 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2630QM compare2 - 2.9 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2640M « 2.8 - 3.5 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2620M compare2.7 - 3.4 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2649M compare2.3 - 3.2 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2629M compare2.1 - 3 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2677M compare1.8 - 2.9 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2637M compare1.7 - 2.8 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2657M compare1.6 - 2.7 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-2617M compare1.5 - 2.6 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Clock Rate2800 - 3500 MHz
Level 1 Cache128 KB
Level 2 Cache512 KB
Level 3 Cache4 MB
Number of Cores / Threads2 / 4
Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power)35 Watt
Transistor Count624 Million
Manufacturing Technology32 nm
Die Size149 mm2
Max. Temperature100 °C
FeaturesHD Graphics 3000, DDR3-1066/1333 Memory Controller (max 8GB), HyperThreading, AVX, Quick Sync, Virtualization
GPUIntel HD Graphics 3000 (650 - 1300 MHz)
64 Bit64 Bit support
Architecturex86
Starting Price$346 U.S.
Announcement Date09/04/2011

Benchmarks

Cinebench R11.5 - Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64 Bit
min: 3.07     avg: 3.1     median: 3.2 (4%)     max: 3.2 Points
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Single (32bit)
min: 4009     avg: 4383     median: 4443 (27%)     max: 4506 points
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Multi (32bit)
min: 9691     avg: 9766     median: 9778 (7%)     max: 9833 points
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Multi (64bit)
min: 11067     avg: 11767     median: 11874 (9%)     max: 12037 Points
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Single (64bit)
min: 5445     avg: 5549     median: 5534 (30%)     max: 5665 Points
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 1024m *
min: 478.5     avg: 493.6     median: 489 (6%)     max: 524 s
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 32m *
min: 15     avg: 15.5     median: 15.1 (3%)     max: 16.61 s
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0 - x264 Pass 2
min: 16.38     avg: 16.9     median: 17 (6%)     max: 17.21 fps
TrueCrypt - TrueCrypt Serpent
min: 0.124     avg: 0.1     median: 0.1 (5%)     max: 0.152 GB/s
TrueCrypt - TrueCrypt Twofish
min: 0.198     avg: 0.2     median: 0.3 (5%)     max: 0.27 GB/s
3DMark 06 - CPU - 3DMark 06 - CPU
min: 3882     avg: 3934     median: 3927 (8%)     max: 3978 Points
Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M *
min: 11     avg: 11.2     median: 11 (2%)     max: 11.66 s
Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 2M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 2M *
min: 25     avg: 26     median: 26 (1%)     max: 27.04 s
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 32M *
min: 604     avg: 626     median: 634 (3%)     max: 639 s
SiSoft Sandra Dhrystone (MIPS) - SiSoft Sandra Dhrystone (MIPS)
min: 64300     avg: 64523     median: 64545 (31%)     max: 64700 MIPS
SiSoft Sandra Whetstone (MFLOPS) - SiSoft Sandra Whetstone (MFLOPS)
min: 39000     avg: 39255     median: 39135 (30%)     max: 39750 MFLOPS
Windows 7 Experience Index - Win7 CPU
min: 7     avg: 7.2     median: 7.1 (91%)     max: 7.6 Points
3DMark Vantage - 3DM Vant. Perf. CPU no Physx
min: 10127     avg: 10509     median: 10559 (10%)     max: 10838 Points
3DMark 11 - 3DM11 Performance Physics
min: 3902     avg: 4140     median: 4172 (11%)     max: 4320 Points
- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

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