Core i7-3720QM vs Ryzen 3 PRO 1200

Core i7-3720QM vs Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 Performance Spectrum

Core i7-3720QM

4 / 8

5,591

0.0%

5,609

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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.

Core i7-3720QM vs Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i7-3720QM vs Ryzen 3 PRO 1200: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i7-3720QM

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (5,591 vs 5,609).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Ryzen 3 PRO 1200

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-3720QM across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $109 MSRP, while Core i7-3720QM mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 better than Core i7-3720QM?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-3720QM is ahead with a 13.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $109 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-3720QM is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 13.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (51.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2012), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-3720QM vs Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Ryzen 3 PRO 1200

The Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 5,609 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3720QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-3720QM versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3720QM (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-3720QM uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3720QM scores 5,591 against the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200's 5,609 — a 0.3% lead for the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3720QM vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200.

Feature	Core i7-3720QM	Ryzen 3 PRO 1200
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.1 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	5,591	5,609

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3720QM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.