Core i7-3940XM vs Pentium Gold 8500
Core i7-3940XM
Pentium Gold 8500
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 i7-3940XM is positioned at rank 936 and the Pentium Gold 8500 is on rank 527, so the Pentium Gold 8500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3940XM
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-3940XM | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-3940XM | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 i7-3940XM and Pentium Gold 8500
Core i7-3940XM
The Core i7-3940XM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,957 points. Launch price was $1,096.
Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i7-3940XM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-3940XM versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 — a 12% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Core i7-3940XM is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i7-3940XM scores 5,957 against the Pentium Gold 8500's 5,949 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-3940XM. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-3940XM vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500.
| Feature | Core i7-3940XM | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 5 / 6+25% |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz | 4.4 GHz+13% |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | — |
| Process | 22 nm | Intel 7 nm-68% |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | — |
| PassMark | 5,957 | 5,949 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 720 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-3940XM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-3940XM | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3940XM) / not specified (Pentium Gold 8500). The Core i7-3940XM includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Pentium Gold 8500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3940XM targets Extreme Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3940XM rivals A10-5750M.
| Feature | Core i7-3940XM | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 4000 | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Extreme Performance Laptop | — |
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