Intel Core i7-7500U vs Intel Core i7-3632QM vs Intel Core i5-7600K

Intel Core i7-7500U

The Intel Core i7-7500U is a dual-core processor of the Kaby Lake architecture. It offers two CPU cores clocked at 2.7 - 3.5 GHz and integrates HyperThreading to work with up to 4 threads at once. The architectural differences are rather small compared to the Skylake generation, therefore the performance per MHz is very similar. The SoC includes a dual channel DDR4 memory controller and Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card (clocked at 300 - 1050 MHz). It is manufactured in an improved 14nm FinFET process (14nm+) at Intel. Compared to the old Skylake Core i7-6500U (2.5 - 3.1 GHz), the i7-7500U clock speed is up to 400 MHz higher.

Intel Core i7-3632QM

The Intel Core i7-3632QM is a fast quad-core processor for laptops based on the Ivy Bridge architecture and successor of the i7-3612QM. It is the fastest mobile processor rated at 35 Watt (at the time of announcement in Q3 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 2.2 GHz but can dynamically increase clock rates with Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz (for 4 active cores), 3.1 GHz (for 2 active cores) and 3.2 GHz (for 1 active core). Compared to other quad core CPUs, the 3632QM is specified at a TDP of only 35 Watt (similar to the dual-core CPUs). The BGA version (that is directly soldered to the mainboard) supports VT-d virtualization, whereas the rPGA version does not. Both don't support vPro and Trusted Execution, but otherwise all Ivy Bridge features like AES or VT-x are useable.

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 i7-3632QM is slightly above a similarly clocked Sandy Bridge processor due to the architectural improvements. As a result, overall performance is slightly above the Sandy Bridge Core i7-2820QM. Altough the 3632QM has a higher model number than the 3630QM, it offers slower clock rates and therefore performs worse. However, the 3630QM is specified at a much higher TDP of 45 Watt.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers 16 Execution Units (EUs) and is clocked at 650 MHz (base) up to 1150 MHz (Turbo Boost).

With a TDP of only 35 Watt, the Core i7-3632QM is specified at the level of the dual-core mobile CPUs. Therefore, even smaller laptops can use the Core i7.

Intel Core i5-7600K

The Intel Core i5-7600K is a fast quad-core processor for desktops based on the Kaby Lake architecture and was announced in January 2017. It is the top model of the consumer Kaby-Lake-H Core i5 series at the time of the announcement. The i5 does not support HyperThreading (4 threads only) and runs from 3.8 (base speed) up to 4.2 GHz. As a K-model, the i5-7600K offers an open multiplicator for overclocking.

Architecture

Intel basically uses the same micro architecture compared to Skylake, so the per-MHz performance does not differ. The manufacturer only reworked the Speed Shift technology for faster dynamic adjustments of voltages and clocks, and the improved 14nm process allows much higher frequencies combined with better efficiency than before.

Performance

The performance of the i5-7600K is about 10 percent above the predecessor Core i5-6600K, thanks to clock speed increases and long hold Turbo Boost clocks. Matching clock speed, there is no speed improvement from Skylake. The old top model Core i7-4790K however is still slightly faster.

More information with gaming benchmarks and power measurements can be found in our AMD Ryzen 7 versus Intel CPUs review (upcoming).

Graphics

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 has 24 Execution Units (similar to previous HD Graphics 530) running at 350 - 1150 MHz. The performance depends a lot on the memory configuration; it should be comparable to a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 920M in combination with fast DDR4-2133 dual-channel memory.

Contrary to Skylake, Kaby Lake now supports hardware decoding for H.265/HEVC Main 10 with a 10-bit color depth as well as Google's VP9 codec. The dual-core Kaby Lake processors, which were announced in January, should also support HDCP 2.2.

Power Consumption

The chip is manufactured in an improved 14nm process with FinFET transistors, which improves the efficiency slightly. Intel still specifies the TDP with 91 Watts, which is a lot more than the 45 Watts of the mobile Kaby-Lake-H CPUs.