Core i7-2720QM vs Athlon PRO 300U
Core i7-2720QM
Athlon PRO 300U
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 Core i7-2720QM is positioned at rank 1062 and the Athlon PRO 300U is on rank 1006, so the Athlon PRO 300U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2720QM
Performance Per Dollar Athlon PRO 300U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-2720QM | Athlon PRO 300U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Raven Ridge 2 (2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-2720QM | Athlon PRO 300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($378) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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 Core i7-2720QM and Athlon PRO 300U
Core i7-2720QM
The Core i7-2720QM 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 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 4,015 points. Launch price was $378.
Athlon PRO 300U
The Athlon PRO 300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,080 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i7-2720QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Athlon PRO 300U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i7-2720QM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-2720QM versus 3.3 GHz on the Athlon PRO 300U — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-2720QM uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon PRO 300U uses Raven Ridge 2 (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-2720QM scores 4,015 against the Athlon PRO 300U's 4,080 — a 1.6% lead for the Athlon PRO 300U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-2720QM vs 4 MB (total) on the Athlon PRO 300U.
| Feature | Core i7-2720QM | Athlon PRO 300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz | 3.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.4 GHz+9% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total)+50% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Raven Ridge 2 (2019) |
| PassMark | 4,015 | 4,080+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 700 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,600 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-2720QM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon PRO 300U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1600 on the Core i7-2720QM versus DDR4-2400 on the Athlon PRO 300U — the Athlon PRO 300U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-2720QM) vs 8 (Athlon PRO 300U) — the Core i7-2720QM offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM65,HM67,QM67 (Core i7-2720QM) and AMD FP5 (Athlon PRO 300U).
| Feature | Core i7-2720QM | Athlon PRO 300U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | FP5 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | DDR4-2400+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+100% | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-2720QM) / not specified (Athlon PRO 300U). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Core i7-2720QM) and AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon PRO 300U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2720QM targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-2720QM rivals AMD A8-3510MX.
| Feature | Core i7-2720QM | Athlon PRO 300U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 3000 | AMD Radeon Vega 3 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Performance Laptop | — |
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