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Core i7-930 vs Core 2 Quad Q8400


Description
The i7-930 is based on Westmere architecture while the Q8400 is based on Core.

Using the multithread performance as a reference, the i7-930 gets a score of 69.4 k points while the Q8400 gets 51.9 k points.

Summarizing, the i7-930 is 1.3 times faster than the Q8400 . To get a proper comparison between both models, take a look to the data shown below.

Specs
CPUID
106a5
1067a
Core
Bloomfield
Yorkfield
Architecture
Base frecuency
2.8 GHz
2.666 GHz
Boost frecuency
3.067 GHz
2.666 GHz
Socket
LGA 1366
LGA 775
Cores/Threads
4/8
4/4
TDP
130 W
95 W
Cache L1 (d+i)
32+32 kB
128+128 kB
Cache L2
256 kB
4096 kB
Cache L3
8192 kB
0 kB
Date
February 2010
April 2009
Mean monothread perf.
17.58k points
14.04k points
Mean multithread perf.
69.39k points
51.92k 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
i7-930
Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
1.94k
2.44k (x1.26)
Test#2 (FP)
4.38k
6.24k (x1.42)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
2.64k
2.62k (x0.99)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.41k
1.43k (x0.59)
TOTAL
11.37k
12.73k (x1.12)

Multithread

i7-930

Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
7.3k
9.71k (x1.33)
Test#2 (FP)
19.36k
24.81k (x1.28)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
13.43k
10.51k (x0.78)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.01k
2.03k (x1.01)
TOTAL
42.11k
47.05k (x1.12)

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
i7-930
Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
7.28k
3.08k (x0.42)
Test#2 (FP)
4.82k
6.8k (x1.41)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
2.86k
2.73k (x0.95)
Test#1 (Memory)
2.62k
1.42k (x0.54)
TOTAL
17.58k
14.04k (x0.8)

Multithread

i7-930

Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
28.09k
12.25k (x0.44)
Test#2 (FP)
21.62k
26.84k (x1.24)
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
14.83k
10.82k (x0.73)
Test#1 (Memory)
4.85k
2.02k (x0.42)
TOTAL
69.39k
51.92k (x0.75)

Performance/W
i7-930
Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
216 points/W
129 points/W
Test#2 (FP)
166 points/W
283 points/W
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
114 points/W
114 points/W
Test#1 (Memory)
37 points/W
21 points/W
TOTAL
534 points/W
547 points/W

Performance/GHz
i7-930
Q8400
Test#1 (Integers)
2372 points/GHz
1157 points/GHz
Test#2 (FP)
1571 points/GHz
2551 points/GHz
Test#3 (Generic, ZIP)
933 points/GHz
1025 points/GHz
Test#1 (Memory)
855 points/GHz
532 points/GHz
TOTAL
5732 points/GHz
5265 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