Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 vs Intel Core i5-680 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 across all five Cinebench comparisons. The margins are narrow, but they are consistent in every single test, which points to a fundamental advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the QX9770 scores 231 against 226 for the Core i5-680, a 2.2% lead. That same 2.2% delta appears again in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the QX9770 posts 963 versus 942. If you are looking for the largest percentage gap, it shows up in Cinebench R20 single-core: the QX9770 wins 136 to 132, a 2.9% difference. The Cinebench R23 results follow the same pattern, with the QX9770 ahead by 2.3% in multi-core (2295 vs 2243) and by 2.5% in single-core (324 vs 316). The average benchmark score in the database reinforces this: the QX9770 sits at 790, while the i5-680 is at 772. Neither chip is far from the pack; both land at the 21st percentile among all CPUs. The i5-680’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-3687U (avg score 773, delta -0.1%), the Intel Celeron G5920 (775, -0.4%), and the Intel Core i3-3250T (775, -0.4%). The QX9770’s nearest rivals are the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 (789, +0.1%), the AMD Opteron 3350 HE (789, +0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-4210U (788, +0.3%). That means both processors are essentially trading blows with low-power mobile parts and older desktop chips, rather than threatening modern mainstream silicon.

Where Each One Wins

The QX9770 wins every benchmark in the head-to-head set, so the use-case split is not about raw speed; it is about the nature of the workloads and the platform around each chip. The QX9770’s victories are consistent but small, never exceeding 2.9%. That suggests it is not a dramatically faster part, but it does hold a slight edge in both single-threaded and multi-threaded Cinebench runs. For users who rely heavily on Cinebench-style rendering tasks, the QX9770 is the safer pick based on the data. The i5-680, despite losing all five comparisons, has its own strengths that are not visible in these particular scores. It carries integrated graphics, which the QX9770 does not have natively (the database notes that graphics come from certain motherboards as a chipset feature). The i5-680 also has a higher base clock at 3.60 GHz versus 3.20 GHz, and it has a boost clock of 3.87 GHz while the QX9770 has no boost clock listed. That means in lightly threaded workloads that do not scale with core count, the i5-680 might close the gap or even pull ahead, but the recorded Cinebench single-core scores do not show that; the QX9770 wins there anyway. The i5-680 uses a newer 32 nm process compared to the 45 nm node on the QX9770, and it has a much lower TDP at 73 watts versus 136 watts. That makes the i5-680 a more power-efficient choice for builds where thermals and electricity draw matter more than a few percent of performance.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 is the faster processor for Cinebench workloads. It wins all five head-to-head tests, and its average benchmark score is higher. If you are choosing between these two for a system that will run multi-threaded rendering or heavy single-threaded tasks, the QX9770 delivers a measurable, if modest, advantage. The i5-680 is not without merit: it has integrated graphics, a higher base clock, and a boost clock, plus a significantly lower TDP. For a build where power consumption is a priority and you do not need the absolute last bit of Cinebench performance, the i5-680 is a reasonable alternative. However, the data does not show any benchmark where the i5-680 wins, so the QX9770 is the clear choice for raw compute performance. The percentile rankings are identical at 21, and the average scores are close, so neither chip is going to stand out in a modern system. The QX9770 is the pick for anyone who values the small but consistent performance lead; the i5-680 is the pick for platform features like integrated graphics and lower power draw. There is no scenario in the data where the i5-680 beats the QX9770, so the verdict is straightforward.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 has an average benchmark score of 790, while the Intel Core i5-680 has an average of 772.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two in the head-to-head tests?

A: The largest delta is 2.9%, in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the QX9770 scores 136 versus the i5-680’s 132.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-680 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the i5-680 includes integrated graphics as Intel HD. The QX9770 does not have integrated graphics natively; it relies on certain motherboards as a chipset feature.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The QX9770 scores 2295, which is 2.3% higher than the i5-680’s 2243.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both sit at the 21st percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Which chip has a higher base clock speed?

A: The i5-680 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz, while the QX9770 has a base clock of 3.20 GHz. The i5-680 also lists a boost clock of 3.87 GHz, and the QX9770 has no boost clock listed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split here is significant. The Intel Core i5-680 uses the Westmere architecture, specifically the Clarkdale codename, built on a 32 nm process node. The Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 uses the Core 2 architecture with the Yorkfield codename, on a 45 nm process. The i5-680 packs 382 million transistors on an 81 mm² die, while the QX9770 has 820 million transistors spread across a dual-die design listed as 2x 107 mm². The core counts differ: the i5-680 has 2 physical cores with 4 threads, while the QX9770 has 4 physical cores with 4 threads (no hyper-threading). Cache layouts are also different. The i5-680 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The QX9770 has 64 KB of L1 per core, but a much larger 12 MB of shared L2, and no L3 cache at all. Memory support differs as well. The i5-680 supports DDR3 only, with dual-channel memory and a listed memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The QX9770 supports DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3, also dual-channel, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded. PCIe support is Gen 2 on both, but the i5-680 specifies 16 lanes from the CPU, while the QX9770 just lists Gen 2 without lane details. The i5-680 has an unlocked multiplier? No, the multiplier is locked. The QX9770 has an unlocked multiplier, which is a notable feature for overclocking. The QX9770 also has a higher TDP at 136 watts, while the i5-680 draws 73 watts. The i5-680 uses socket 1156, and the QX9770 uses socket 775.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several key specification fields. The i5-680 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the QX9770 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 3.60 GHz for the i5-680 and 3.20 GHz for the QX9770. The i5-680 has a boost clock of 3.87 GHz; the QX9770 has no boost clock listed. TDP is 73 watts for the i5-680 versus 136 watts for the QX9770. The i5-680 uses socket 1156, and the QX9770 uses socket 775. Process nodes are 32 nm versus 45 nm. Transistor counts are 382 million versus 820 million. Die sizes are 81 mm² versus 2x 107 mm². L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the i5-680, while the QX9770 has 12 MB shared. L3 cache is 4 MB shared on the i5-680, with none on the QX9770. Memory support is DDR3-only for the i5-680, while the QX9770 supports DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3. Memory bandwidth is listed at 21.3 GB/s for the i5-680, with no figure for the QX9770. Integrated graphics are present on the i5-680, but not on the QX9770. The multiplier is locked on the i5-680 and unlocked on the QX9770. The i5-680 has a launch MSRP of $294, while the QX9770 has no launch MSRP recorded. Release dates are also different: the i5-680 came out on 2010-04-18, and the QX9770 came out on 2008-03-23.