Core i7-720QM vs Core i5-4220Y

CPU

GPU

Core i7-720QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2009

Core i5-4220Y

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-720QM

4 / 8

1,658

+0.4%

1,652

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 i7-720QM is positioned at rank 1218 and the Core i5-4220Y is on rank 185, so the Core i5-4220Y 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 i7-720QM

#1206

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6448%

#1207

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6354%

#1208

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5833%

#1209

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5807%

#1210

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5753%

#1212

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5556%

#1213

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5327%

#1214

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5319%

#1215

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5176%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

100%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

98%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

95%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

92%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

89%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

89%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

86%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

83%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

73%

#1233

Core Duo T2700

MSRP: $663|Avg: N/A

62%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4220Y

#49

Core i9-12900HX

MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

355%

#174

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

350%

#175

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

321%

#176

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

320%

#177

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

317%

#179

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

306%

#180

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

293%

#181

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

293%

#182

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

285%

#185

Core i5-4220Y

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#193

Pentium Gold 4417U

MSRP: $161|Avg: N/A

98%

#195

Atom N475

MSRP: $75|Avg: N/A

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-720QM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-4220Y in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-720QM	Core i5-4220Y
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($364)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-720QM	Core i5-4220Y
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($364)	✅ 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 i7-720QM Benchmark Check

Core i5-4220Y Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-720QM and Core i5-4220Y

Core i7-720QM

The Core i7-720QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,658 points. Launch price was $546.

Core i5-4220Y

The Core i5-4220Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,652 points. Launch price was $281.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-720QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-4220Y offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i7-720QM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-720QM versus 2 GHz on the Core i5-4220Y — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-720QM (base: 1.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Core i7-720QM uses the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4220Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-720QM scores 1,658 against the Core i5-4220Y's 1,652 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-720QM. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-720QM vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4220Y.

Feature	Core i7-720QM	Core i5-4220Y
Cores / Threads	4 / 8+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+40%	2 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+100%	3 MB
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Clarksfield (2009−2010)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,658	1,652

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-720QM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4220Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.