Intel Core i3-7100H vs Intel Core i7-5650U Comparison

Intel Core i7-5650U and Intel Core i3-7100H are both mobile processors from Intel, but they target different segments of the laptop market. The i7-5650U is a 15-watt ultra-low-voltage part from the Broadwell generation, designed for thin and light notebooks where battery life takes priority. The i3-7100H is a 35-watt part from the Kaby Lake generation, built for performance-oriented mobile systems that can handle higher heat output. Both chips share the same core and thread counts, but their architectural positioning and measured performance differ in ways that matter for specific workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous for workload distribution. Across every recorded test in the database, the Intel Core i3-7100H takes the win. There are no benchmark categories where the i7-5650U comes out ahead. The i3-7100H wins all five head-to-head comparisons, covering both single-core and multi-core workloads in the Cinebench suite.

For multi-threaded rendering tasks, the i3-7100H shows a consistent advantage. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 295 against 256 for the i7-5650U, a margin of 13.2 percent. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i3-7100H scores 1231 versus 1067, again a 13.3 percent gap. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-7100H reaches 2932 while the i7-5650U manages 2542, also 13.3 percent higher. These results indicate that for rendering, video encoding, and other CPU-bound parallel tasks, the i3-7100H is the stronger choice.

Single-thread performance also favors the i3-7100H. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 173 against 150, a 13.3 percent advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap narrows slightly to 13.5 percent, with scores of 414 and 358. This means everyday responsiveness, lightly threaded applications, and tasks that depend on a single core will all run faster on the i3-7100H.

The i7-5650U does hold one qualitative advantage in the database: its integrated graphics are listed as Intel HD 6000, whereas the i3-7100H uses Intel HD Graphics 630. However, no graphics benchmarks are recorded in the data for either chip, so any assessment of GPU performance cannot be made from these measurements.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split between these two processors explains much of the performance gap. The i7-5650U is built on the Broadwell architecture, specifically Broadwell-U, and was released in early 2015. The i3-7100H belongs to the Kaby Lake generation, specifically Kaby Lake-H, and arrived on the market in early 2017. Both chips are manufactured on Intel’s 14 nm process, so the node itself is not a differentiating factor.

The transistor and die details differ. The i7-5650U integrates 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die. The i3-7100H has no transistor count recorded in the database, but its die size is listed as 126 mm², slightly smaller than the Broadwell part.

Cache configuration is another point of divergence. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs: the i7-5650U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-7100H has 3 MB of shared L3 cache. Despite the i7-5650U having a larger L3 cache, it still loses in every benchmark, which suggests that clock speed and architecture generation play a larger role than cache capacity in this comparison.

Clock speeds show a clear split. The i7-5650U has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The i3-7100H has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and no boost clock listed, which is consistent with the i3 family typically lacking Turbo Boost functionality. The i3-7100H’s higher base clock gives it a sustained frequency advantage, particularly in all-core workloads, and this is reflected in the multi-core benchmark results.

Thermal design power is a major differentiator. The i7-5650U is rated at 15 W, making it suitable for fanless or low-power designs. The i3-7100H is rated at 35 W, more than double the thermal envelope. This higher power budget allows the i3-7100H to maintain higher clock speeds under load, directly contributing to its benchmark wins. The trade-off is a greater cooling requirement and likely shorter battery life in portable systems.

Memory support also differs. The i7-5650U supports DDR3 only, with dual-channel memory and a measured memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. The i3-7100H supports both DDR3 and DDR4, also in dual-channel mode, though no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for it. The newer chip’s compatibility with DDR4 gives it access to faster memory modules in systems that use them.

PCIe connectivity is a further distinction. The i7-5650U offers PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes from the CPU. The i3-7100H offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. This gives the i3-7100H both a newer PCIe generation and more lanes, which matters for connecting discrete GPUs and fast NVMe storage.

Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are locked, meaning their multipliers are not unlocked for overclocking. Both are also end-of-life products in the database, so they represent older mobile computing options.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for performance-oriented workloads. The Intel Core i3-7100H is faster than the Intel Core i7-5650U in every recorded benchmark. The smallest margin is 13.2 percent in Cinebench R15 multi-core, and the largest is 13.5 percent in Cinebench R23 single-core. Across the five head-to-head tests, the i3-7100H consistently outperforms the i7-5650U by roughly the same margin, indicating a uniform performance advantage rather than workload-specific strengths.

The i7-5650U does have attributes worth noting. Its 15 W TDP makes it the more power-efficient option on paper, and its 4 MB L3 cache is larger than the i3-7100H’s 3 MB. It also has a higher launch MSRP of $426, while the i3-7100H launched at $225. However, no power efficiency benchmarks are recorded in the database, so the real-world battery life impact cannot be quantified here.

For users who prioritize speed in rendering, encoding, and general processing, the i3-7100H is the correct choice based on the recorded data. For systems where low power consumption and a smaller thermal footprint are the primary concerns, the i7-5650U remains a viable option, but its performance is measurably lower across the board.

The performance classification is telling. Both processors sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they are positioned at the same overall performance tier despite the i3-7100H’s consistent benchmark wins. The average benchmark score for the i7-5650U is 1027, while the i3-7100H averages 1009. This slight difference in average score actually favors the i7-5650U, despite losing every head-to-head test. This is likely because the i7-5650U has Geekbench scores recorded in the database that are not part of the head-to-head comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i3-7100H is faster in every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2932 against 2542 for the i7-5650U, a 13.3 percent advantage.

Q: Does the i7-5650U have any benchmark wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows zero wins for the i7-5650U and five wins for the i3-7100H across all recorded tests.

Q: How do the TDP ratings compare?

A: The i7-5650U is rated at 15 W, while the i3-7100H is rated at 35 W. The higher TDP of the i3-7100H allows it to sustain higher clock speeds.

Q: What memory types do these processors support?

A: The i7-5650U supports DDR3 only, with a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. The i3-7100H supports both DDR3 and DDR4, though no bandwidth figure is recorded for it.

Q: Are these processors still in production?

A: No. Both are listed as end-of-life products in the database.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The i7-5650U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-7100H has 3 MB of shared L3 cache. Despite having less cache, the i3-7100H wins all benchmark tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table in the database contains five entries, all drawn from the Cinebench suite. The i3-7100H wins all five, with margins ranging from 13.2 percent to 13.5 percent. This consistency across test versions suggests the performance difference is structural, tied to clock speed and architecture rather than workload variance.

Cinebench R15 multi-core is the closest contest. The i3-7100H scores 295, and the i7-5650U scores 256. The delta is 13.2 percent in favor of the i3-7100H. This test is the oldest in the set, and the margin here is nearly identical to the newer tests, indicating that the performance gap has remained stable across Cinebench revisions.

Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a slightly larger gap. The i3-7100H scores 1231, and the i7-5650U scores 1067, a 13.3 percent difference. Cinebench R23 multi-core repeats this pattern with scores of 2932 and 2542, again a 13.3 percent advantage for the i3-7100H. These multi-core results align with the clock speed difference: the i3-7100H runs at 2.80 GHz base, while the i7-5650U runs at 2.20 GHz base with a 3.20 GHz boost.

Single-core results follow the same trend. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-7100H scores 173 against 150 for the i7-5650U, a 13.3 percent gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i3-7100H scores 414 and the i7-5650U scores 358, a 13.5 percent gap, the largest margin in the entire comparison. Single-core performance is particularly important for everyday tasks like web browsing and office applications, and the i3-7100H holds an advantage there.

The Geekbench tests are only recorded for the i7-5650U in the database, with a multi-core score of 1854 and a single-core score of 960. No corresponding Geekbench scores are listed for the i3-7100H, so these cannot be used for a direct comparison.

The nearest rival data provides context for where these chips sit in the broader market. The i7-5650U has an average benchmark score of 1027, matching the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B exactly with a 0 percent delta. It is also close to the Intel Core i3-4340 at 1026, the Intel Processor N150 at 1025, and the Intel Xeon E5620 at 1029. The i3-7100H averages 1009, with the Intel Processor N100 at 1007, the Intel Core i7-2675QM at 1012, the Intel Core i5-10210Y at 1006, and the Intel Xeon W5580 at 1012 as its nearest competitors.

Both processors occupy the same performance percentile at 28, meaning they are considered equivalent in overall CPU performance classification. The head-to-head results, however, tell a more specific story: for any workload represented by the Cinebench suite, the i3-7100H is the faster processor by a consistent margin of roughly 13 percent.