Intel Core i3-10110U vs Intel Core i7-2720QM Comparison

The Intel Core i3-10110U and the Intel Core i7-2720QM represent two very different eras of mobile computing, yet they land in the same performance percentile. The i3-10110U is a modern 14 nm Comet Lake part, while the i7-2720QM is a 32 nm Sandy Bridge chip from 2011. The benchmark data shows a fascinating split: the older i7 wins the Cinebench suite, while the newer i3 dominates Geekbench. The i7-2720QM takes 5 of the 7 head-to-head tests, but the i3-10110U secures the two most dramatic victories. Below is a detailed breakdown of how these two mobile processors compare across all measured workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results consistently favor the Intel Core i7-2720QM, though by narrow margins. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7 scores 344 against the i3’s 326, a 5.2% advantage. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the i7 posts 1435 versus 1359, a 5.3% lead. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i7 again wins with 3417 against 3236, another 5.3% delta. The single-core Cinebench results tell the same story: the i7 leads by 5.4% in both R20 (202 vs 191) and R23 (482 vs 456). These are consistent, if modest, wins for the older processor across all four Cinebench variants. The data indicates the i7-2720QM’s additional cores and threads provide a tangible, though not overwhelming, advantage in rendering workloads.

The Geekbench results flip the script dramatically. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel Core i3-10110U scores 2143 against the i7’s 1535, a 39.6% advantage. The single-core Geekbench test is even more lopsided: the i3 scores 1174 versus 484 for the i7, a massive 142.6% lead. These are not minor differences; they represent fundamental architectural gains that the newer i3 enjoys over the decade-old i7. The i3-10110U’s victory in Geekbench multicore is particularly striking because it achieves this with only 2 cores and 4 threads, against the i7’s 4 cores and 8 threads. The data suggests that the i3’s per-core efficiency and architectural improvements more than compensate for its core deficit in this particular benchmark suite.

The overall benchmark wins tally stands at 5 for the i7-2720QM and 2 for the i3-10110U. However, the magnitude of the i3’s wins is far greater than the i7’s. The i7’s largest margin is 5.4%, while the i3’s smallest margin is 39.6%. When looking at average benchmark scores, the two are virtually tied: the i3-10110U averages 1131, while the i7-2720QM averages 1128. The nearest rivals for the i3 include the Intel Processor N97 at 1132 and the Intel Core i5-4690T at 1129. The i7’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-3330S at 1128. Both processors sit at the 32nd percentile of all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in overall performance despite their different strengths.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-2720QM is the clear winner in multi-threaded rendering tasks. Its Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore scores all exceed the i3-10110U by roughly 5%. This makes the i7 the better choice for video encoding, 3D rendering, or any workload that scales across multiple cores. The i7’s 4 cores and 8 threads give it a structural advantage in parallel workloads, even if the per-core performance is lower. The i7 also wins the Cinebench single-core tests, though by the same narrow 5.4% margin, suggesting that its older architecture still holds up adequately in lightly threaded tasks within this benchmark.

The Intel Core i3-10110U wins decisively in Geekbench, which is a more modern benchmark that reflects contemporary application behavior. The 39.6% lead in Geekbench multicore and the 142.6% lead in Geekbench single-core are enormous. This indicates the i3 is far better suited for everyday tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and general system responsiveness. The i3’s higher boost clock of 4.10 GHz, compared to the i7’s 3.30 GHz, likely contributes to its single-core dominance. For users who prioritize snappy day-to-day performance over multi-core rendering throughput, the i3-10110U is the superior choice. The data shows that the i3’s modern architecture delivers significantly better performance in general-purpose computing.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is substantial. The Intel Core i3-10110U uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the Intel Core i7-2720QM uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm node. This process shrink from 32 nm to 14 nm is a major factor in the i3’s efficiency and per-core performance advantage. The i7-2720QM has 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, while the i3-10110U’s die size and transistor count are not listed in the data. The i3’s integrated graphics are UHD Graphics, whereas the i7 uses Intel HD 3000, reflecting the generational leap in GPU capabilities.

The cache configurations also differ. Both processors share the same L1 cache at 64 KB per core and L2 cache at 256 KB per core. However, the i7-2720QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-10110U has only 4 MB. This gives the i7 a cache capacity advantage, which may contribute to its Cinebench performance. The i3 compensates with a higher boost clock: 4.10 GHz versus 3.30 GHz for the i7. The base clocks are closer, with the i7 at 2.20 GHz and the i3 at 2.10 GHz. The i3 uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, while the i7 uses Intel BGA 1224, meaning they are not interchangeable in any system.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious specification difference. The Intel Core i3-10110U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i7-2720QM has 4 cores and 8 threads. This gives the i7 twice the physical cores and twice the logical threads. The TDP also differs significantly: the i3-10110U is rated at 25 W, while the i7-2720QM is rated at 45 W. This higher power envelope explains why the i7 can sustain its performance in multi-core workloads despite its older architecture. The i3’s lower TDP makes it more suitable for thinner, lighter laptops with less robust cooling.

Memory support varies as well. The i3-10110U supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i7-2720QM’s memory support is not specified in the data. However, the i7 is noted as having a dual-channel memory bus. Neither processor supports ECC memory. The integrated graphics differ: UHD Graphics on the i3 versus Intel HD 3000 on the i7. The release dates are far apart, with the i3 launching on 2019-08-20 and the i7 launching on 2011-01-02. Both are end-of-life products, and neither has a launch MSRP listed. The i7 has a part number of SR00W, while the i3 does not list one. Both processors have locked multipliers, so neither can be overclocked.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i7-2720QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i3-10110U has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How much faster is the i3-10110U in single-core Geekbench?

A: The i3-10110U scores 1174 in Geekbench single-core, which is 142.6% higher than the i7-2720QM’s score of 484.

Q: Does the i7-2720QM win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the i7-2720QM wins all four Cinebench tests (R15 multicore, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core) by margins of 5.2% to 5.4%.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i3-10110U has a TDP of 25 W, while the i7-2720QM has a TDP of 45 W.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i7-2720QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to the i3-10110U’s 4 MB.

Q: Are these processors from the same generation?

A: No, the i3-10110U is from Comet Lake (14 nm, released 2019), while the i7-2720QM is from Sandy Bridge (32 nm, released 2011).