Core i5-7260U vs Core i7-2675QM

The Core i5-7260U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-2675QM offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-2675QM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-7260U versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-2675QM — a 9.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-7260U (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-7260U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-2675QM uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-7260U scores 3,953 against the Core i7-2675QM's 3,913 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-7260U. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i5-7260U vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-2675QM.

The Core i5-7260U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2675QM uses FCBGA1224 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-7260U versus DDR3-1333 on the Core i7-2675QM — the Core i5-7260U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-7260U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-7260U) vs 16 (Core i7-2675QM) — the Core i7-2675QM offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-7260U) vs VT-x (Core i7-2675QM). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Plus Graphics 640 (Core i5-7260U) and HD Graphics 3000 (Core i7-2675QM) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7260U targets Mainstream Laptop, Core i7-2675QM targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-7260U rivals A12-9720P.