Pentium B940 vs Core i7-3687U
Pentium B940
Core i7-3687U
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 Pentium B940 is positioned at rank 895 and the Core i7-3687U is on rank 654, so the Core i7-3687U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B940
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3687U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium B940 | Core i7-3687U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($11) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium B940 | Core i7-3687U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($11) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Pentium B940 and Core i7-3687U
Pentium B940
The Pentium B940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,610 points. Launch price was $134.
Core i7-3687U
The Core i7-3687U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,621 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Pentium B940 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-3687U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Pentium B940 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-3687U — a 49.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-3687U (base: 2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Pentium B940 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-3687U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B940 scores 2,610 against the Core i7-3687U's 2,621 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-3687U. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B940 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3687U.
| Feature | Pentium B940 | Core i7-3687U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.3 GHz+65% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2.1 GHz+5% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 4 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,610 | 2,621 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 640 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,240 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium B940 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-3687U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium B940 | Core i7-3687U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium B940) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-3687U). The Core i7-3687U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Pentium B940 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3687U targets Enthusiast. Direct competitor: Core i7-3687U rivals Ryzen 7 3700U.
| Feature | Pentium B940 | Core i7-3687U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 4000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Enthusiast |
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