Core i3-4030U vs Core i7-2637M

CPU

GPU

Core i3-4030U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2014

Core i7-2637M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-4030U

2 / 4

1,876

0.0%

1,889

+0.7%

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 i3-4030U is positioned at rank 75 and the Core i7-2637M is on rank 1176, so the Core i3-4030U 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 i3-4030U

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

96%

#63

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

235%

#64

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

231%

#65

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

212%

#66

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

211%

#67

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

209%

#69

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

202%

#70

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

194%

#71

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

193%

#72

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

188%

#75

Core i3-4030U

MSRP: $281|Avg: N/A

100%

#79

Atom D2500

MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A

97%

#88

Core 2 Duo T7500

MSRP: $316|Avg: $5

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2637M

#1164

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

4486%

#1165

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4420%

#1166

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

4058%

#1167

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

4040%

#1168

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4003%

#1170

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3865%

#1171

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3706%

#1172

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3700%

#1173

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3601%

#1176

Core i7-2637M

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

100%

#1177

Core 2 Duo SL9600

MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A

99%

#1178

Athlon PRO 3045B

MSRP: $426|Avg: $180

99%

#1179

Core 2 Duo T5600

MSRP: $241|Avg: N/A

99%

#1180

Pentium N3510

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1181

Core i7-7Y75

MSRP: $393|Avg: $285

99%

#1183

Core i7-4500U

MSRP: $398|Avg: N/A

96%

#1185

Athlon Neo X2 L325

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

94%

#1186

Core i3-2370M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

93%

#1187

Core i3-3217UE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

93%

#1188

Celeron T3000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $54

92%

#1189

Core m7-6Y75

MSRP: $393|Avg: $393

92%

#1190

Core M-5Y10

MSRP: $281|Avg: $20

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-2637M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-4030U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.7% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-4030U	Core i7-2637M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($281)	⚠️ Higher cost ($289)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Core i3-4030U holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $281 (vs $289), it costs 3% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 2% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i7-2637M.

Insight	Core i3-4030U	Core i7-2637M
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+2%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($281)	⚠️ Higher cost ($289)

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 i3-4030U Benchmark Check

Core i7-2637M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-4030U and Core i7-2637M

Core i3-4030U

The Core i3-4030U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $281.

Core i7-2637M

The Core i7-2637M 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 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 1,889 points. Launch price was $289.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-4030U and Core i7-2637M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Core i3-4030U versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-2637M — a 38.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-2637M (base: 1.9 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i3-4030U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-2637M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4030U scores 1,876 against the Core i7-2637M's 1,889 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-2637M. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-4030U vs 4 MB on the Core i7-2637M.

Feature	Core i3-4030U	Core i7-2637M
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.9 GHz	2.8 GHz+47%
Base Clock	1.9 GHz+12%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB	4 MB+33%
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,876	1,889
Geekbench 6 Single	—	350
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	628

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4030U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2637M uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-4030U	Core i7-2637M
Socket	FCBGA1168	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	8
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-4030U) / true (Core i7-2637M). The Core i7-2637M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Core i3-4030U requires a dedicated GPU.