Pentium Gold G5600 vs Core i7-2840QM

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2840QM

#299

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

458%

#300

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

452%

#301

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

414%

#302

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

413%

#303

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

409%

#305

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

395%

#306

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

379%

#307

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

378%

#308

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

368%

#311

Core i7-2840QM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

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 Pentium Gold G5600 (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4-2400, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium Gold G5600	Core i7-2840QM
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-2840QM (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium Gold G5600	Core i7-2840QM
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.

Pentium Gold G5600 Benchmark Check

Core i7-2840QM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold G5600 and Core i7-2840QM

Pentium Gold G5600

The Pentium Gold G5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,844 points. Launch price was $93.

Core i7-2840QM

The Core i7-2840QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: G2. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 3,842 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium Gold G5600 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-2840QM offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-2840QM has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5600 versus 2.4 GHz on the Core i7-2840QM — a 47.6% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G5600. The Pentium Gold G5600 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-2840QM uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold G5600 scores 3,844 against the Core i7-2840QM's 3,842 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Gold G5600. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G5600 vs 8 MB on the Core i7-2840QM.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5600	Core i7-2840QM
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+63%	2.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	3,844	3,842
Cinebench R23 Multi	2,200	—
Geekbench 6 Single	837	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold G5600 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2840QM uses G2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Gold G5600	Core i7-2840QM
Socket	LGA1151	G2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4 2400 MHz	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	✅	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Pentium Gold G5600) / not specified (Core i7-2840QM). The Pentium Gold G5600 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-2840QM requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Gold G5600 targets Desktop.