Intel Core i3-10110U vs Intel Core i7-3612QE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data paints a surprisingly one-sided picture for a matchup that spans seven years of Intel mobile silicon. Across the six recorded Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i7-3612QE takes five wins, with the Intel Core i3-10110U managing only a single victory.

The most dramatic result comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i3-10110U scores 162 against the i7-3612QE's 56. That is a 65.4% deficit for the older chip, the largest delta recorded in the entire comparison. This makes sense given the architectural gap: the i3-10110U boosts to 4.10 GHz while the i7-3612QE tops out at 3.10 GHz, and the newer Comet Lake core delivers far more instructions per clock in lightly threaded workloads.

Outside of that single-core R15 result, the i7-3612QE dominates. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it posts 399 versus 326, a 22.4% advantage. The margin holds almost exactly across the newer Cinebench versions. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i7-3612QE scores 1666 against 1359, a 22.6% lead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3967 against 3236, again 22.6% ahead. The consistency of that 22.6% delta across two entirely different rendering workloads suggests a structural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

What is more surprising is the single-core results in the newer Cinebench versions. The i7-3612QE wins Cinebench R20 single-core with 235 against 191, a 23% lead. It also wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 560 against 456, a 22.8% lead. This reverses the R15 single-core result entirely. The older Ivy Bridge chip, despite its much lower boost clock and older architecture, outperforms the Comet Lake part in single-threaded R20 and R23 tests. The recorded data shows this is not a minor margin: a 23% single-core win for the 2012 processor against a 2019 processor is a notable outlier in the broader CPU landscape.

The geekbench results exist only for the i3-10110U, so no direct head-to-head comparison is possible there. The i3-10110U scores 2143 in geekbench multi-core and 1174 in geekbench single-core, but the i7-3612QE has no recorded geekbench measurements in the database.

Looking at the overall averages, the two processors sit very close. The i7-3612QE has an average benchmark score of 1147, landing in the 33rd percentile of all CPUs. The i3-10110U has an average of 1131, sitting in the 32nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the i7-3612QE include the AMD Opteron 4284 at 1146 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i7-2600S at 1146 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i5-4430 at 1149 (0.2% behind), and the AMD Opteron 4332 HE at 1144 (0.3% ahead). The i3-10110U sits alongside the Intel Processor N97 at 1132, the Intel Pentium Gold G5500 at 1130, the Intel Core i3-4370 at 1130, and the Intel Core i5-4690T at 1129, all within 0.2% of each other. In percentile terms, the i7-3612QE edges out the i3-10110U by one percentage point, 33 versus 32.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split decision. For multi-threaded workloads, the Intel Core i7-3612QE is the stronger processor. It wins every multi-core Cinebench test by roughly 22.6%, and that margin is consistent across R15, R20, and R23. The four-core, eight-thread configuration with 6 MB of shared L3 cache provides a sustained advantage in rendering tasks that the two-core, four-thread i3-10110U cannot overcome despite its newer architecture.

For single-threaded workloads, the picture is mixed. The i3-10110U wins Cinebench R15 single-core by a massive 65.4% margin. But the i7-3612QE wins Cinebench R20 single-core by 23% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 22.8%. The newer chip's advantage in the older R15 test does not carry forward into the more recent Cinebench versions. Buyers should weight the specific Cinebench version that matches their intended workload when making a decision.

The i3-10110U is the better choice for users who prioritize the older R15 single-core metric or who need the lower 25 W TDP. It also has the advantage of a much higher boost clock at 4.10 GHz. The i7-3612QE is the better choice for anyone running multi-threaded rendering, given its 35 W TDP and four physical cores, and for anyone running Cinebench R20 or R23 single-threaded tests, where it wins outright.

Neither processor is a standout in the broader market. Both sit in the low 30s percentile range, and both have nearest rivals within a fraction of a percent in average score. The i7-3612QE's 1147 average is just 16 points above the i3-10110U's 1131. The real differentiators are the specific workload patterns: multi-core favors the older i7, and the newest single-core tests also favor the older i7, while only the R15 single-core test favors the newer i3.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-3612QE wins 5 of the 6 head-to-head Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i3-10110U wins only 1, the Cinebench R15 single-core test.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap?

A: The i7-3612QE leads by 22.4% in Cinebench R15 multi-core and by 22.6% in both Cinebench R20 and R23 multi-core tests.

Q: Is the i3-10110U faster in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i3-10110U scores 162 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 56 for the i7-3612QE, a 65.4% advantage. No other test favors the i3-10110U.

Q: How do the two processors compare in average benchmark score?

A: The i7-3612QE has an average benchmark score of 1147, while the i3-10110U averages 1131. The i7-3612QE sits in the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, and the i3-10110U sits in the 32nd percentile.

Q: Does the i3-10110U have geekbench results?

A: Yes, the i3-10110U scores 2143 in geekbench multi-core and 1174 in geekbench single-core. The i7-3612QE has no recorded geekbench results in the database.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The i3-10110U boosts to 4.10 GHz, while the i7-3612QE boosts to 3.10 GHz. Both have a base clock of 2.10 GHz.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The i7-3612QE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3-10110U has 2 cores and 4 threads. Both have a base clock of 2.10 GHz, but the boost clocks differ substantially: the i3-10110U reaches 4.10 GHz, the i7-3612QE only 3.10 GHz.

Thermal design power also differs. The i7-3612QE carries a 35 W TDP, while the i3-10110U is rated at 25 W. The sockets are different as well: the i7-3612QE uses Intel BGA 1023, and the i3-10110U uses Intel BGA 1440. The i7-3612QE supports dual-channel memory, while the i3-10110U lists DDR3 and DDR4 memory support with no recorded memory bus specification.

Cache configurations differ in L3 only. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. The i7-3612QE has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-10110U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

The integrated graphics differ. The i7-3612QE uses Intel HD 4000, and the i3-10110U uses UHD Graphics. The i7-3612QE has a recorded part number of SR0ND, while the i3-10110U has no part number listed. The i3-10110U has a production status of end-of-life, while the i7-3612QE has no recorded production status. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors spans multiple Intel generations. The i7-3612QE uses the Ivy Bridge architecture on a 22 nm process node, built on the Ivy Bridge codename. The i3-10110U uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, under the Comet Lake-U codename. The i7-3612QE belongs to the Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) generation, while the i3-10110U belongs to the Core i3 (Comet Lake-U) generation.

The i7-3612QE has a recorded transistor count of 1,400 million and a die size of 160 mm². The i3-10110U has no recorded transistor count or die size in the database. The i7-3612QE is fabricated by Intel, as is the i3-10110U.

Both processors share the same L1 and L2 cache organization of 64 KB per core and 256 KB per core respectively. The L3 cache differs, with the i7-3612QE offering 6 MB shared and the i3-10110U offering 4 MB shared. Neither processor has any recorded 3D V-Cache.

The i7-3612QE was released on 2012-04-28, while the i3-10110U was released on 2019-08-20. Both target the mobile market segment. The i7-3612QE has no recorded launch MSRP, and neither does the i3-10110U.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3612QE wins in multi-threaded rendering workloads across every Cinebench version in the database. The 22.6% margin in R20 and R23 multi-core tests is substantial and consistent. The four-core, eight-thread configuration with 6 MB of L3 cache gives it a clear structural advantage in any workload that scales across cores. It also wins the newer single-core tests: Cinebench R20 single-core by 23% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 22.8%. Users running modern Cinebench versions, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, should favor the i7-3612QE based on the recorded data.

The Intel Core i3-10110U wins only one recorded test, but it wins it decisively. The Cinebench R15 single-core score of 162 versus 56 represents a 65.4% advantage. This suggests that for legacy single-threaded workloads measured by R15, the i3-10110U is clearly superior. The i3-10110U also carries the lower 25 W TDP, making it the more power-efficient choice in thermal-constrained scenarios. Its 4.10 GHz boost clock is a full 1.00 GHz higher than the i7-3612QE's 3.10 GHz, which likely explains its dominance in that single R15 test. The i3-10110U also has geekbench results in the database, while the i7-3612QE has none, so users who rely on geekbench for their own comparisons will find data only for the newer chip.

The choice between these two processors hinges on workload recency and thread scaling. For modern Cinebench R20 and R23 workloads, the i7-3612QE wins every test. For the older R15 single-core metric, the i3-10110U is the clear winner. For multi-threaded work of any Cinebench vintage, the i7-3612QE is ahead. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with a 16-point gap out of roughly 1140, so the overall performance class is similar. The specific test selection matters more than the overall average when choosing between these two.