Intel Core i3-10305T vs Intel Core i7-4940MX Comparison

The Intel Core i3-10305T and the Intel Core i7-4940MX are both 4-core, 8-thread processors, but they come from very different eras and market segments. The i3-10305T is a modern 14 nm Comet Lake desktop chip, while the i7-4940MX is a 22 nm Haswell mobile part from 2014. The recorded benchmark data shows a clear performance gap, with the i3-10305T winning every head-to-head test. This analysis walks through the numbers, the architectural differences, and what each processor is best suited for.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database includes six Cinebench tests, and the Intel Core i3-10305T wins all of them. The margins are consistent, ranging from 15.2% to 16% across single-core and multi-core workloads.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-10305T scores 669 against the i7-4940MX's 580, a 15.3% advantage. The single-core test shows a similar story: 94 versus 81, a 16% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i3-10305T posts 2791 multi-core and 393 single-core, while the i7-4940MX manages 2418 and 341 respectively. That translates to a 15.4% multi-core win and a 15.2% single-core win. The newest test, Cinebench R23, repeats the pattern: the i3-10305T scores 6647 multi-core and 938 single-core, against 5759 and 813 for the i7-4940MX, both 15.4% ahead.

The consistency is striking. Every delta falls between 15.2% and 16%, meaning the i3-10305T is uniformly faster across all Cinebench versions. The i7-4940MX does have additional Geekbench scores in the database (3869 multi-core, 1227 single-core), but the i3-10305T has no corresponding Geekbench results, so no direct comparison is possible. In the six recorded head-to-head tests, the i3-10305T wins all six, and the i7-4940MX wins none.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the Intel Core i3-10305T wins in every benchmark category that both processors share. That includes all three Cinebench versions, in both multi-core and single-core modes. The i3-10305T's advantage is not limited to one type of workload; it is equally strong in heavily threaded rendering and in lightly threaded tasks.

The i7-4940MX has no wins in the head-to-head comparison. Its only potential edge is the unlocked multiplier, which allows overclocking, but the database does not include any overclocked benchmark results. In stock configuration, the i7-4940MX trails the i3-10305T by roughly 15% across the board. The i7-4940MX does have a slightly higher base clock (3.10 GHz versus 3.00 GHz), but the boost clock is identical at 4.00 GHz, and that does not translate into any performance advantage in the measured tests.

For users prioritizing raw Cinebench performance, the i3-10305T is the clear choice. The i7-4940MX, despite its "Extreme" branding, cannot keep up in any recorded workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different platforms. The i3-10305T uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process, while the i7-4940MX uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process. The i3-10305T is a desktop part for Intel Socket 1200, whereas the i7-4940MX is a mobile part for Intel Socket G3. The i3-10305T has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i7-4940MX draws 57 watts, a significant difference given the i3's higher performance.

Memory support also differs. The i3-10305T supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The i7-4940MX supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. That is a 67% bandwidth advantage for the i3-10305T, which likely contributes to its performance lead.

Both processors have the same cache hierarchy: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The integrated graphics differ: the i3-10305T has UHD Graphics 630, while the i7-4940MX has Intel HD 4600. The i3-10305T is an active production part, released on 2021-03-15, with a launch MSRP of $143. The i7-4940MX is end-of-life, released on 2014-01-19, with a launch MSRP of $1096. The i7-4940MX has an unlocked multiplier, while the i3-10305T is locked. The i7-4940MX also has a listed transistor count of 1,400 million and a die size of 177 mm², while the i3-10305T does not have those figures in the database.

The process node difference is significant: 14 nm versus 22 nm. The newer node allows the i3-10305T to deliver higher performance at lower power. The i7-4940MX, despite its higher TDP, cannot match the i3's efficiency or speed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The Intel Core i7-4940MX has a TDP of 57 watts, while the Intel Core i3-10305T has a TDP of 35 watts.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has faster memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Core i3-10305T has a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-4940MX has 25.6 GB/s.

Q: Is the i7-4940MX overclockable?

A: Yes, the i7-4940MX has an unlocked multiplier. The i3-10305T does not.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The i3-10305T was released on 2021-03-15, while the i7-4940MX was released on 2014-01-19.

Q: What is the L3 cache size on both?

A: Both have 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i3-10305T outperforms the Intel Core i7-4940MX in every recorded benchmark, with margins between 15.2% and 16%. The i3-10305T achieves this while consuming less power (35 watts versus 57 watts) and using a more modern architecture and process node. It also supports faster DDR4 memory and has a higher memory bandwidth.

The i7-4940MX's only advantages are its unlocked multiplier and its higher base clock (3.10 GHz versus 3.00 GHz), but neither translates into a win in the measured tests. The i7-4940MX is an end-of-life mobile part from 2014, while the i3-10305T is an active desktop part from 2021.

For anyone choosing between these two based on the benchmark data, the i3-10305T is the superior processor. It wins all six head-to-head tests, offers better efficiency, and is built on a much newer platform. The i7-4940MX, despite its "Extreme" branding and high launch MSRP of $1096, cannot compete with the i3-10305T in Cinebench performance. The i3-10305T, with a launch MSRP of $143, delivers more performance at a fraction of the power and cost. The verdict is clear: the i3-10305T is the better choice for any workload represented in the database.