Core i7-4900MQ vs Core i7-8550U

Core i7-4900MQ

4 Cores8 Thrd47 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2013

Core i7-8550U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 4 GHz2017

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-4900MQ

4 / 8

6,146

+0.5%

6,118

0.0%

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 i7-4900MQ is positioned at rank 1058 and the Core i7-8550U is on rank 686, so the Core i7-8550U 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 i7-4900MQ

#1046

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2722%

#1047

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2682%

#1048

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2462%

#1049

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2451%

#1050

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2428%

#1052

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2345%

#1053

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2249%

#1054

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2245%

#1055

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2185%

#1058

Core i7-4900MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $40

100%

#1059

Pentium Dual Core T2370

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

99%

#1060

Celeron P4505

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

99%

#1061

Pentium T4200

MSRP: $99|Avg: $10

99%

#1062

Core i7-2720QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1063

Pentium 2020M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

98%

#1064

Celeron P4500

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

98%

#1065

Pentium Dual Core SU4100

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

97%

#1066

Processor N50

MSRP: $128|Avg: $120

97%

#1067

Athlon II N350

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

97%

#1068

Celeron N3350

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

96%

#1070

Core i7-2675QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

96%

#1071

A9-9410

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

96%

#1073

A8 Pro-7150B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-8550U

#674

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

959%

#675

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

945%

#676

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

868%

#677

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

864%

#678

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

856%

#680

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

826%

#681

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

792%

#682

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

791%

#683

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

770%

#686

Core i7-8550U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#696

Processor N95

MSRP: $160|Avg: $80

98%

#699

Athlon Silver 3050e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $60

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-8550U (2017) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i7-4900MQ	Core i7-8550U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	✨ Modern (Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-4900MQ (2013) relies on 22 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i7-4900MQ	Core i7-8550U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 i7-4900MQ Benchmark Check

Core i7-8550U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-4900MQ and Core i7-8550U

Core i7-4900MQ

The Core i7-4900MQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,146 points. Launch price was $568.

Core i7-8550U

The Core i7-8550U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,118 points. Launch price was $409.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-4900MQ and Core i7-8550U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-4900MQ versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-8550U — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-8550U (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i7-4900MQ uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-8550U uses Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4900MQ scores 6,146 against the Core i7-8550U's 6,118 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i7-4900MQ. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-4900MQ	Core i7-8550U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+56%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)
PassMark	6,146	6,118

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4900MQ uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-8550U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.