Intel Core i3-4350 vs Intel Core i7-2760QM Comparison

The Intel Core i3-4350 and Intel Core i7-2760QM land within 0.1% of each other in average benchmark score, making them effectively equal in overall performance, yet they achieve that parity through completely different designs. The i7-2760QM wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins ranging from 15.2% to 15.6%, but the i3-4350 counters with a higher base clock, a newer architecture, and a smaller process node. The data shows that the i7-2760QM is the superior multi-threaded processor, while the i3-4350 offers a more modern foundation with lower power consumption per core and a newer integrated graphics solution.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-2760QM wins every benchmark where both processors were tested, establishing a clear performance advantage in all measured Cinebench workloads. The largest margin appears in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the i7-2760QM scores 366 against the i3-4350's 309, a 15.6% advantage. That pattern repeats across Cinebench R20 multicore (1525 vs 1291, a 15.3% lead), Cinebench R23 multicore (3631 vs 3076, a 15.3% lead), and even single-core tests, where the i7-2760QM leads by 15.2% in R23 single-core (512 vs 434) and 15.3% in R20 single-core (215 vs 182). The i7-2760QM also holds a 0.1% edge in average benchmark score, at 1057 versus 1058 for the i3-4350, though both sit at the same 29th percentile among all CPUs.

The i3-4350's wins are not in raw performance but in platform characteristics. It uses the Intel Socket 1150 with a Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, whereas the i7-2760QM uses the older Sandy Bridge architecture on 32 nm and the Intel BGA 1224 socket. The i3-4350's base clock of 3.60 GHz far exceeds the i7-2760QM's 2.40 GHz base, and while the i7-2760QM has a 3.50 GHz boost clock, that still does not match the i3-4350's sustained base frequency. The i3-4350 also integrates Intel HD 4600 graphics versus the i7-2760QM's Intel HD 3000, a generational leap in GPU capability. For workloads that depend on high clock speeds without relying on many cores, the i3-4350's architecture and frequency profile may provide more consistent responsiveness, but the benchmark data does not include a test where that translates into a measured win.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and target different market segments. The i3-4350 is a desktop part from the Haswell generation, built on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The i7-2760QM is a mobile processor from the Sandy Bridge generation, built on a 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors on a larger 216 mm² die. The newer 22 nm process gives the i3-4350 a transistor density advantage, packing more transistors into a smaller area, which typically enables better power efficiency per transistor.

Core configuration differs substantially. The i3-4350 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-2760QM has 4 cores and 8 threads. That doubling of cores and threads explains the i7-2760QM's multicore benchmark dominance, as Cinebench scales with available parallelism. Cache hierarchies also differ: both share 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the i3-4350 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-2760QM has 6 MB of shared L3. The larger L3 cache on the i7-2760QM provides more room for frequently accessed data across its four cores.

The i3-4350's base clock of 3.60 GHz is significantly higher than the i7-2760QM's 2.40 GHz, but the i7-2760QM features a boost clock of 3.50 GHz that nearly closes the gap under single-threaded load. The i3-4350 has no boost clock, so its 3.60 GHz is a fixed maximum. Both processors support dual-channel DDR3 memory, but the i3-4350 lists DDR3 support explicitly while the i7-2760QM's memory support field is null in the data. The i3-4350 also supports PCIe Gen 3, while the i7-2760QM's PCIe capability is not specified. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and neither supports ECC memory.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-2760QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, twice the core count and thread count of the Intel Core i3-4350, which has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How much faster is the i7-2760QM in multicore workloads?

A: The i7-2760QM leads by 15.6% in Cinebench R15 multicore (366 vs 309), 15.3% in Cinebench R20 multicore (1525 vs 1291), and 15.3% in Cinebench R23 multicore (3631 vs 3076).

Q: Does the i3-4350 have any clock speed advantage?

A: Yes, the i3-4350 has a 3.60 GHz base clock with no boost, while the i7-2760QM has a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 3.50 GHz boost clock. The i3-4350's fixed clock is higher than the i7-2760QM's boost clock.

Q: Which processor has newer integrated graphics?

A: The i3-4350 integrates Intel HD 4600, while the i7-2760QM integrates Intel HD 3000. The i3-4350's integrated graphics are from a newer generation.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The i3-4350 uses a 22 nm process, while the i7-2760QM uses a 32 nm process. The i3-4350's process node is smaller and newer.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i7-2760QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-4350 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-4350 | Intel Core i7-2760QM |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 3.50 GHz |

| TDP | 54 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | Intel BGA 1224 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Sandy Bridge |

| Codename | Haswell | Sandy Bridge |

| Generation | Core i3 (Haswell) | Core i7 (Sandy Bridge) |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 32 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 1,160 million |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | 216 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | Not specified |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Not specified |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4600 | Intel HD 3000 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2014-04-30 | 2011-09-03 |

| Production Status | Not specified | End-of-life |

| Part Number | Not specified | SR02R |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data is one-sided, with the i7-2760QM winning all five comparisons. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-2760QM scores 366 against the i3-4350's 309, a 15.6% advantage. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison and reflects the i7-2760QM's four-core, eight-thread configuration against the i3-4350's two-core, four-thread design. The margin narrows slightly to 15.3% in Cinebench R20 multicore (1525 vs 1291) and holds at 15.3% in Cinebench R23 multicore (3631 vs 3076), showing a consistent multicore advantage across different Cinebench versions.

Single-core results tell a similar story, which is notable given the i3-4350's much higher base clock. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-2760QM scores 215 versus 182 for the i3-4350, a 15.3% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-2760QM scores 512 versus 434, a 15.2% lead. The i7-2760QM's boost clock of 3.50 GHz, combined with its older Sandy Bridge architecture, still outperforms the i3-4350's fixed 3.60 GHz clock in these single-threaded tests. The i7-2760QM also has additional benchmark data that the i3-4350 lacks, including Geekbench multicore (1625) and Geekbench single-core (534) scores, though no direct comparison exists for those tests. Across all shared benchmarks, the i7-2760QM wins every round, with deltas ranging from 15.2% to 15.6%.

The Verdict

The data points to a decisive win for the Intel Core i7-2760QM in raw processing power. It wins all five head-to-head Cinebench benchmarks, with margins between 15.2% and 15.6%, and its 4-core, 8-thread configuration provides a structural advantage that the i3-4350's 2-core, 4-thread design cannot overcome despite its higher clock speed. Users who run multi-threaded workloads such as rendering, video encoding, or scientific computing should choose the i7-2760QM based on the benchmark results alone.

The i3-4350, however, offers compensating advantages in platform modernity. Its 22 nm process node is smaller than the i7-2760QM's 32 nm, its Haswell architecture is newer than Sandy Bridge, and its integrated HD 4600 graphics outclass the i7-2760QM's HD 3000. The i3-4350 also has a higher base clock (3.60 GHz vs 2.40 GHz) and a desktop socket (Intel Socket 1150) that may offer different upgrade paths than the i7-2760QM's mobile BGA 1224. The i7-2760QM is marked end-of-life, while the i3-4350's production status is not specified.

For users prioritizing measured compute performance, the i7-2760QM is the clear pick, as it wins every benchmark in the data set. For users who value a newer architecture, smaller process node, and more capable integrated graphics, the i3-4350 is the more modern choice, even though it loses on every measured performance test. The 0.1% average score difference between the two (1058 vs 1057) masks a consistent 15% performance gap in the i7-2760QM's favor across all Cinebench workloads, making the average score a misleading summary of their relative capabilities. The i7-2760QM delivers the performance, while the i3-4350 delivers the platform features.