Core i3-2312M vs Core i7-680UM

Core i3-2312M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2011

Core i7-680UM

2 Cores4 Thrd18 WWMax: 2.53 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-2312M

2 / 4

1,189

0.0%

Celeron E1200

Celeron B820

Celeron P4505

Celeron Dual-Core T1700

1,196

+0.6%

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 Core i3-2312M is positioned at rank 1200 and the Core i7-680UM is on rank 1036, so the Core i7-680UM 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 Core i3-2312M

#1188

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5557%

#1189

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5475%

#1190

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5027%

#1191

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5004%

#1192

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4958%

#1194

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4788%

#1195

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4591%

#1196

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4583%

#1197

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4460%

#1200

Core i3-2312M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1201

Celeron 857

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1202

Celeron 925

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#1203

Core 2 Duo U7700

MSRP: $262|Avg: $10

97%

#1204

Core 2 Duo E8135

MSRP: $200|Avg: $15

97%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

96%

#1206

Core 2 Duo U7600

MSRP: $250|Avg: $5

96%

#1207

Pentium M 735

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

94%

#1208

Core i7-620LM

MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A

92%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

92%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

90%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

90%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-680UM

#1024

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2453%

#1025

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2417%

#1026

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2219%

#1027

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2209%

#1028

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2189%

#1030

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2114%

#1031

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2027%

#1032

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2023%

#1033

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1969%

#1036

Core i7-680UM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1037

Core i7-8665UE

MSRP: $409|Avg: $409

99%

#1038

Celeron T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1039

Celeron Dual-Core T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $30

98%

#1042

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

97%

#1043

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

97%

#1044

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1045

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

96%

#1046

Pentium N3520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1047

E2-3800

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

95%

#1048

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

94%

#1049

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1050

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

94%

#1051

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-680UM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-2312M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-2312M	Core i7-680UM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-2312M	Core i7-680UM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Core i3-2312M Benchmark Check

Core i7-680UM Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-2312M and Core i7-680UM

Core i3-2312M

The Core i3-2312M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,189 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i7-680UM

The Core i7-680UM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.46 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 1,196 points. Launch price was $317.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-2312M and Core i7-680UM share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-2312M versus 2.53 GHz on the Core i7-680UM — a 18.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-680UM (base: 2.1 GHz vs 1.46 GHz). The Core i3-2312M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-680UM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-2312M scores 1,189 against the Core i7-680UM's 1,196 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-680UM. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-2312M vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-680UM.

Feature	Core i3-2312M	Core i7-680UM
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	2.53 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz+44%	1.46 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,189	1,196
Geekbench 6 Multi	731	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-2312M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-680UM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-2312M	Core i7-680UM
Socket	PGA988	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i3-2312M) / not specified (Core i7-680UM). The Core i3-2312M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Core i7-680UM requires a dedicated GPU.