A4-7210
VS
Core i7-2617M

A4-7210 vs Core i7-2617M

AMD

A4-7210

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2015
VS
Intel

Core i7-2617M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A4-7210 is positioned at rank 737 and the Core i7-2617M is on rank 287, so the Core i7-2617M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar A4-7210

#725
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1054%
#726
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1039%
#727
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
954%
#728
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
949%
#729
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
941%
#731
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
908%
#732
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
871%
#733
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
870%
#734
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
846%
#737
A4-7210
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#744
Pentium 6805
MSRP: $161|Avg: $161
99%
#748
Ryzen 3 7320C
MSRP: $299|Avg: $200
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2617M

#82
Core i7-11700B
MSRP: $323|Avg: $311
99%
#83
Core i7-13700HX
MSRP: $485|Avg: N/A
98%
#86
Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370
MSRP: $500|Avg: $500
97%
#274
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
435%
#275
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
428%
#276
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
393%
#277
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
392%
#278
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
388%
#280
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
375%
#281
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
359%
#282
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
359%
#283
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
349%
#287
Core i7-2617M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-2617M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the A4-7210 in both compute-intensive tasks (1% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightA4-7210Core i7-2617M
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Carrizo-L (2015) / 28 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightA4-7210Core i7-2617M
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A4-7210 and Core i7-2617M

AMD

A4-7210

The A4-7210 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Carrizo-L (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FT3. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,670 points. Launch price was $50.

Intel

Core i7-2617M

The Core i7-2617M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,687 points. Launch price was $100.

Processing Power

The A4-7210 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-2617M offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A4-7210 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the A4-7210 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i7-2617M — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-2617M (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The A4-7210 uses the Carrizo-L (2015) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i7-2617M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A4-7210 scores 1,670 against the Core i7-2617M's 1,687 — a 1% lead for the Core i7-2617M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 208 vs 448, a 73.2% lead for the Core i7-2617M that directly translates to higher frame rates.

FeatureA4-7210Core i7-2617M
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
2.2 GHz
2.6 GHz+18%
Base Clock
1.8 GHz+20%
1.5 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB
L2 Cache
2048 kB+300%
512 kB
Process
28 nm-13%
32 nm
Architecture
Carrizo-L (2015)
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark
1,670
1,687+1%
Geekbench 6 Single
208
448+115%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The A4-7210 uses the FT3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2617M uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The A4-7210 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (A4-7210) vs 2 (Core i7-2617M). PCIe lanes: 8 (A4-7210) vs 16 (Core i7-2617M) — the Core i7-2617M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureA4-7210Core i7-2617M
Socket
FT3
BGA1023
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB+100%
8 GB
RAM Channels
1
2+100%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
8
16+100%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A4-7210) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-2617M). Both include integrated graphics Radeon R3 (A4-7210) and HD Graphics 3000 (Core i7-2617M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-7210 targets Entry Laptop, Core i7-2617M targets Ultrabook. Direct competitor: A4-7210 rivals Pentium N3710; Core i7-2617M rivals A6-3400M.

FeatureA4-7210Core i7-2617M
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon R3
HD Graphics 3000
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Entry Laptop
Ultrabook