Core i7-4700HQ vs Core i7-3720QM

Core i7-4700HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd47 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2013

Core i7-3720QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-4700HQ

4 / 8

5,579

0.0%

5,591

+0.2%

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 i7-4700HQ is positioned at rank 989 and the Core i7-3720QM is on rank 50, 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 i7-4700HQ

#977

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2014%

#978

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1984%

#979

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1822%

#980

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1813%

#981

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1797%

#983

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1735%

#984

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1664%

#985

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1661%

#986

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1616%

#989

Core i7-4700HQ

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#991

Pentium 8500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

100%

#992

A6-8500P

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16

99%

#994

Core i7-4700EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $180

98%

#995

Core i3-8145UE

MSRP: $281|Avg: $50

98%

#996

Core i7-4712MQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $60

96%

#997

Core i7-3615QE

MSRP: $400|Avg: $100

96%

#998

Celeron M U3400

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

96%

#999

3015Ce

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

96%

#1000

Core i7-4700MQ

MSRP: $383|Avg: $50

96%

#1001

Athlon II M340

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

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 Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-3720QM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-4700HQ in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-4700HQ	Core i7-3720QM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Crystalwell (2013−2014) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-4700HQ	Core i7-3720QM
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 i7-4700HQ Benchmark Check

Core i7-3720QM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-4700HQ and Core i7-3720QM

Core i7-4700HQ

The Core i7-4700HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 May 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,579 points. Launch price was $378.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-4700HQ and Core i7-3720QM share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Core i7-4700HQ versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-3720QM — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3720QM (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-4700HQ uses the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-3720QM uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4700HQ scores 5,579 against the Core i7-3720QM's 5,591 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-3720QM. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4700HQ vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-3720QM.

Feature	Core i7-4700HQ	Core i7-3720QM
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.6 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+33%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Crystalwell (2013−2014)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	5,579	5,591

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4700HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3720QM uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.