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Core i5-3210M vs i7-920


Description
The i5-3210M is based on Ivy Bridge architecture while the i7-920 is based on Nehalem Westmere.

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i5-3210M gets a score of 53.7 k points while the i7-920 gets 47.2 k points.

Summarizing, the i5-3210M is 1.1 times faster than the i7-920 . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
306a9
106a5
Core
Ivy Bridge
Bloomfield
Architecture
Ivy Bridge
Base frecuency
2.5 GHz
2.667 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.1 GHz
2.993 GHz
Socket
Socket G2 (988B)
LGA 1366
Cores/Threads
2 /2
4/8
TDP
35 W
130 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
32+32 kB
Cache L2
2x256 kB
256 kB
Cache L3
3072 kB
8192 kB
Date
June 2012
November 2008
Mean monothread perf.
24.9k points
16.33k points
Mean multithread perf.
51.73k points
47.2k points

Non-optimized benchmark
The benchmark in Mode 0 (FPU) measures cpu performance with non-optimized software. It uses the basic µinstructions from the i386 architecture with the i387 floating point unit. This mode is compatible with all CPUs so it's practical to compare very different CPUs
Monothread
i5-3210M
i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
3.08k
1.97k (x0.64)
Test#2 (FP)
8.58k
4.43k (x0.52)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.76k
2.75k (x0.73)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.99k
2.53k (x0.63)
TOTAL
19.42k
11.68k (x0.6)

Multithread

i5-3210M

i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
5.79k
7.71k (x1.33)
Test#2 (FP)
18.77k
18.81k (x1)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
8.74k
13.76k (x1.57)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.59k
5.07k (x1.1)
TOTAL
37.89k
45.34k (x1.2)

SSE3 optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode I (SSE) is optimized for the use of SIMD instructions with 128 bits register and the SSE set up to version 3. Nearly every modern CPU has support for this mode.
Monothread
i5-3210M
i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
8.59k
6.12k (x0.71)
Test#2 (FP)
8.88k
4.76k (x0.54)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
3.59k
2.78k (x0.78)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.45k
2.67k (x0.77)
TOTAL
24.51k
16.33k (x0.67)

Multithread

i5-3210M

i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
20.18k
19.26k (x0.95)
Test#2 (FP)
19.96k
14.96k (x0.75)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
8.93k
8.05k (x0.9)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.6k
4.92k (x1.07)
TOTAL
53.67k
47.2k (x0.88)

Performance/W
i5-3210M
i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
577 points/W
148 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
570 points/W
115 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
255 points/W
62 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
131 points/W
38 points/W
TOTAL
1533 points/W
363 points/W

Performance/GHz
i5-3210M
i7-920
Test#1 (Integers)
2772 points/GHz
2044 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2864 points/GHz
1591 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1157 points/GHz
930 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1114 points/GHz
891 points/GHz
TOTAL
7908 points/GHz
5457 points/GHz

Monothread performance graph
Monothread performance graphics gives the performance vs time. They are useful to measure the time it takes to the CPU to reach the maximum performance.

Usually, CPU's performance will be steady during these tests but if it has a slow frequency strategy, the first samples will show a lower score.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Multithread performance graph
Multithread graphs measure the performance against a heavy load during certain time.

If CPU's TDP doesn't limit the frequency and the machine is properly cooled, performance should remain steady vs time. Otherwise, the performance score will oscillate or decrease over time.


Test#1 (Integers) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#2 (FP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#3 (Generic, ZIP) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com


Test#1 (Memory) [points vs time]

grafica bm.hardlimit.com

Hardlimit Benchmark Central - Ver. 3.11.4