Core i7-3612QM vs Xeon L5640

CPU

GPU

Core i7-3612QM

4 Cores8 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012

Xeon L5640

6 Cores12 Thrd60 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3612QM

4 / 8

4,661

0.0%

4,659

0.0%

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 i7-3612QM is positioned at rank 1030 and the Xeon L5640 is on rank 994, so the Xeon L5640 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 i7-3612QM

#1018

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2380%

#1019

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2345%

#1020

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2152%

#1021

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2143%

#1022

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2123%

#1024

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2050%

#1025

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1966%

#1026

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1963%

#1027

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1910%

#1030

Core i7-3612QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

100%

#1031

Pentium 967

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

99%

#1033

Core i5-4400E

MSRP: $266|Avg: $50

99%

#1034

Pentium Dual Core T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

97%

#1037

Core i7-8665UE

MSRP: $409|Avg: $409

96%

#1038

Celeron T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

95%

#1039

Celeron Dual-Core T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $30

95%

#1042

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

94%

#1043

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

94%

#1044

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

93%

#1045

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon L5640

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

44407%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

8384%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

7449%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

5755%

#537

Xeon Platinum 8180

MSRP: $10009|Avg: $2363

82%

#538

Xeon Platinum 8280M

MSRP: $10009|Avg: $6223

80%

#539

Xeon Platinum 8280

MSRP: $10009|Avg: $2940

79%

#994

Xeon L5640

MSRP: $996|Avg: N/A

100%

#995

Xeon E5-4627 v2

MSRP: $2061|Avg: $70

98%

#996

Xeon L5335

MSRP: $380|Avg: $18

98%

#997

Xeon E-2144G

MSRP: $2090|Avg: $389

96%

#998

Xeon X5675

MSRP: $1440|Avg: $22

95%

#999

Xeon Phi 7210

MSRP: $1881|Avg: $150

83%

#1000

Xeon D-1567

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $230

83%

#1001

Xeon E-2126G

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $230

82%

#1004

Xeon D-1531

MSRP: $2057|Avg: $250

80%

#1005

Xeon 5130

MSRP: $316|Avg: $10

79%

#1007

Xeon E5-4640 v3

MSRP: $2859|Avg: $300

78%

#1008

Xeon E5440

MSRP: $690|Avg: $37

73%

#1009

Xeon E5-2643

MSRP: $1552|Avg: $50

72%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($996) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon L5640 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i7-3612QM	Xeon L5640
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($378)	⚠️ Higher cost ($996)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Westmere-EP (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3612QM ($378), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($618 less, 62% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i7-3612QM	Xeon L5640
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+164%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($378)	⚠️ Higher cost ($996)

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 i7-3612QM Benchmark Check

Xeon L5640 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3612QM and Xeon L5640

Core i7-3612QM

The Core i7-3612QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1224. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,661 points. Launch price was $69.

Xeon L5640

The Xeon L5640 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Westmere-EP (2010−2011) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 60 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,659 points. Launch price was $200.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3612QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon L5640 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Xeon L5640 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-3612QM versus 2.8 GHz on the Xeon L5640 — a 10.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-3612QM (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Core i7-3612QM uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Xeon L5640 uses Westmere-EP (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3612QM scores 4,661 against the Xeon L5640's 4,659 — a 0% lead for the Core i7-3612QM. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3612QM vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon L5640.

Feature	Core i7-3612QM	Xeon L5640
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+11%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.26 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	12 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Westmere-EP (2010−2011)
PassMark	4,661	4,659
Geekbench 6 Single	600	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,600	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3612QM uses the FCBGA1224 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon L5640 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1600 on the Core i7-3612QM versus DDR3 1333 MHz on the Xeon L5640 — the Xeon L5640 supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon L5640 supports up to 288 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 160% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-3612QM) vs 3 (Xeon L5640). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-3612QM) vs 0 (Xeon L5640) — the Core i7-3612QM offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM75,HM76,HM77,QM77 (Core i7-3612QM) and Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon L5640).

Feature	Core i7-3612QM	Xeon L5640
Socket	FCBGA1224	LGA1366
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	DDR3 1333 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	288 GB+800%
RAM Channels	2	3+50%
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	16	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3612QM) vs true (Xeon L5640). The Core i7-3612QM includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Xeon L5640 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3612QM targets Mainstream Laptop, Xeon L5640 targets Server Low Power. Direct competitor: Core i7-3612QM rivals AMD A10-5750M.

Feature	Core i7-3612QM	Xeon L5640
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics 4000	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	true
Target Use	Mainstream Laptop	Server Low Power