Core i7-3720QM vs Core i7-3820QM

Core i7-3720QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2012

Core i7-3820QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3720QM

4 / 8

5,591

0.0%

5,607

+0.3%

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 i7-3720QM is positioned at rank 50 and the Core i7-3820QM is on rank 1075, so the Core i7-3720QM 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 i7-3720QM

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

95%

#38

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

210%

#39

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

207%

#40

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

190%

#41

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

189%

#42

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

187%

#44

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

181%

#45

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

173%

#46

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

173%

#47

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

168%

#50

Core i7-3720QM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#51

Celeron N2807

MSRP: $107|Avg: $60

100%

#65

Core i5-3320M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3820QM

#1062

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2874%

#1063

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2832%

#1064

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2599%

#1065

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2588%

#1066

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2564%

#1068

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2476%

#1069

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2374%

#1070

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2370%

#1071

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2307%

#1074

Celeron B730

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

100%

#1075

Core i7-3820QM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1077

A9-9425

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

99%

#1079

Core i5-4402E

MSRP: $266|Avg: $100

99%

#1080

A6-7000

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

98%

#1082

Core i5-2520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

98%

#1083

Core i7-2710QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $40

97%

#1088

Core i5-3610ME

MSRP: $276|Avg: $22

94%

#1089

Core m3-7Y32

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-3820QM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-3720QM in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-3720QM	Core i7-3820QM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-3720QM	Core i7-3820QM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i7-3720QM Benchmark Check

Core i7-3820QM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3720QM and Core i7-3820QM

Core i7-3720QM

The Core i7-3720QM 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 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,591 points. Launch price was $378.

Core i7-3820QM

The Core i7-3820QM 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,607 points. Launch price was $498.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-3720QM and Core i7-3820QM share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-3720QM versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-3820QM — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3820QM (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). Both are built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture using a 22 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i7-3720QM scores 5,591 against the Core i7-3820QM's 5,607 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-3820QM. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3720QM vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-3820QM.

Feature	Core i7-3720QM	Core i7-3820QM
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	3.7 GHz+3%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	2.7 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	5,591	5,607
Geekbench 6 Single	—	604

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the PGA988 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i7-3720QM	Core i7-3820QM
Socket	PGA988	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-3720QM) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3820QM). The Core i7-3820QM includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i7-3720QM requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3820QM targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3820QM rivals A10-4600M.