Core i7-3820 vs Core i7-4720HQ

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-3820

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $286 MSRP, while Core i7-4720HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌12900% higher power demand at 130W vs 1W.

Core i7-4720HQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 130W, a 129W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-3820 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,714 vs 5,787).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 10 MB).

Core i7-3820

2012

Core i7-4720HQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 130W, a 129W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $286 MSRP, while Core i7-4720HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌12900% higher power demand at 130W vs 1W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-3820 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,714 vs 5,787).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 10 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-3820 better than Core i7-4720HQ?

Yes. Core i7-3820 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-3820 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.0% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-3820 is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).

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

Core i7-3820 is the smarter buy today. Core i7-3820 is at an unclear MSRP at $286 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 8.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i7-4720HQ is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-3820 Benchmark Check

Core i7-4720HQ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	140 FPS	140 FPS
high	111 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	141 FPS	141 FPS
medium	117 FPS	119 FPS
high	92 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	67 FPS
medium	57 FPS	60 FPS
high	44 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i7-3820 Open Core i7-4720HQ

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	129 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	141 FPS
medium	145 FPS	124 FPS
high	138 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	136 FPS	110 FPS
medium	120 FPS	100 FPS
high	100 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i7-3820 Open Core i7-4720HQ

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS

Open Core i7-3820 Open Core i7-4720HQ

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	145 FPS	143 FPS
medium	145 FPS	143 FPS
high	145 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	143 FPS

Open Core i7-3820 Open Core i7-4720HQ

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3820 and Core i7-4720HQ

Core i7-3820

The Core i7-3820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Fevereiro 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 10240 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,787 points. Launch price was $400.

Core i7-4720HQ

The Core i7-4720HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) 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. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,714 points. Launch price was $378.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-3820 and Core i7-4720HQ share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-3820 versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4720HQ — a 5.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-3820 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-3820 uses the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-4720HQ uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3820 scores 5,787 against the Core i7-4720HQ's 5,714 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i7-3820. L3 cache: 10240 kB (total) on the Core i7-3820 vs 6 MB on the Core i7-4720HQ.

Feature	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+6%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+38%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	10240 kB (total)+67%	6 MB
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	5,787+1%	5,714
Geekbench 6 Single	624	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3820 uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-4720HQ uses BGA1364 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-3820	Core i7-4720HQ
Socket	LGA2011	BGA1364
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3820) / not specified (Core i7-4720HQ). Primary use case: Core i7-3820 targets HEDT Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3820 rivals FX-8350.