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Core i7-2640M vs i3-2120


Description
Both models i7-2640M and i3-2120 are based on Sandy Bridge architecture.

"Sandy Bridge codename was originally ""Gesher"". The development began in 2005 and four years later, the first Sandy Bridge CPU was presented. The most prominent features are Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, AES encryption and SHA-1 hashing acceleration, Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) 256-bit instruction set and the ability to have up to 8 physical cores or 16 logical cores through Hyper-Threading."

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i7-2640M gets a score of 54.9 k points while the i3-2120 gets 53.5 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-2640M is 1 times faster than the i3-2120 . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
206a7
206a7
Core
Sandy Bridge
Sandy Bridge
Architecture
Base frecuency
2.8 GHz
3.3 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.5 GHz
3.3 GHz
Socket
PGA 988B
LGA 1155
Cores/Threads
2/4
2/2
TDP
35 W
65 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
2x32+2x32 kB
2x32+2x32 kB
Cache L2
2x256 kB
2x256 kB
Cache L3
4096 kB
3072 kB
Date
September 2011
February 2012
Mean monothread perf.
25.86k points
24.23k points
Mean multithread perf.
54.86k points
53.48k points

AVX optimized benchmark
The benchmark in mode II (AVX) is optimized to used 256 bits registers beside the first version of the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). The first AVX compatible CPU was released in 2011.
Monothread
i7-2640M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
9.63k
9.07k (x0.94)
Test#2 (FP)
8.33k
8.25k (x0.99)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
4.08k
3.99k (x0.98)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.82k
2.92k (x0.76)
TOTAL
25.86k
24.23k (x0.94)

Multithread

i7-2640M

i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
21.22k
20.86k (x0.98)
Test#2 (FP)
19.6k
19.51k (x1)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
10.09k
10.09k (x1)
Test#1 (Memory)
3.94k
3.03k (x0.77)
TOTAL
54.86k
53.48k (x0.97)

Performance/W
i7-2640M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
606 points/W
321 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
560 points/W
300 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
288 points/W
155 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
112 points/W
47 points/W
TOTAL
1567 points/W
823 points/W

Performance/GHz
i7-2640M
i3-2120
Test#1 (Integers)
2752 points/GHz
2748 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
2380 points/GHz
2499 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
1165 points/GHz
1210 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
1092 points/GHz
886 points/GHz
TOTAL
7390 points/GHz
7343 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