Core i7-740QM vs Core i3-2100

CPU

GPU

Core i7-740QM

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2010

Core i3-2100

2 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-740QM

4 / 8

1,842

0.0%

1,856

+0.8%

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 i7-740QM is positioned at rank 1209 and the Core i3-2100 is on rank 885, so the Core i3-2100 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 i7-740QM

#1197

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6025%

#1198

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5936%

#1199

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5450%

#1200

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5425%

#1201

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5375%

#1203

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5191%

#1204

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4977%

#1205

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4969%

#1206

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4836%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

100%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

98%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

97%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

96%

#1216

Core 2 Quad Q9000

MSRP: $348|Avg: $15

94%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

94%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

93%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

91%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

91%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

88%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

86%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

84%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

83%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-2100

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

19654%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

18571%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

13484%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

4062%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

3218%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2815%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1612%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1591%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1449%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1449%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1432%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1394%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1374%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1369%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1356%

#885

Core i3-2100

MSRP: $117|Avg: $10

100%

#886

A8-3800

MSRP: $130|Avg: $40

99%

#887

Pentium E5200

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

99%

#888

Athlon II X2 235e

MSRP: $69|Avg: $15

99%

#889

Athlon II X2 250e

MSRP: $77|Avg: $15

98%

#890

Core i7-2600S

MSRP: $297|Avg: $99

98%

#891

Athlon II X2 250u

MSRP: $60|Avg: $15

98%

#892

Pentium G6951

MSRP: $89|Avg: $50

98%

#893

Core i3-2125

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

98%

#895

Celeron G1820

MSRP: $110|Avg: $15

97%

#896

Celeron E1600

MSRP: $53|Avg: $10

97%

#897

Athlon II X2 270u

MSRP: $68|Avg: $10

97%

#898

Core i5-4570TE

MSRP: $202|Avg: $40

96%

#899

Core i3-2130

MSRP: $138|Avg: $138

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-2100 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-740QM in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-740QM	Core i3-2100
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($378)	✅ More affordable ($10)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-2100 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 97% cheaper ($10 vs $378) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i7-740QM	Core i3-2100
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+3709%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($378)	✅ More affordable ($10)

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 i7-740QM Benchmark Check

Core i3-2100 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-740QM and Core i3-2100

Core i7-740QM

The Core i7-740QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.73 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 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: 1,842 points. Launch price was $546.

Core i3-2100

The Core i3-2100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,856 points. Launch price was $73.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-740QM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i3-2100 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i7-740QM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Core i7-740QM versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i3-2100 — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Core i3-2100 (base: 1.73 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-740QM uses the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-2100 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-740QM scores 1,842 against the Core i3-2100's 1,856 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-2100. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-740QM vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-2100.

Feature	Core i7-740QM	Core i3-2100
Cores / Threads	4 / 8+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.93 GHz	3.1 GHz+6%
Base Clock	1.73 GHz	3.1 GHz+79%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+100%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Clarksfield (2009−2010)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,842	1,856

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-740QM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-2100 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.