Intel Core i3-7100T vs Intel Core i7-3615QM Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3615QM and Intel Core i3-7100T are closer in overall average benchmark score than their architectures suggest, with the i7-3615QM averaging 1260 and the i3-7100T averaging 1258. This puts the i7-3615QM a mere 0.2% ahead, and both processors sit at the 34th percentile of all CPUs. However, that near-tie in overall average masks a stark split: the mobile i7 wins every Cinebench test by roughly 38%, while the desktop i3 wins both Geekbench tests by significant margins. The data shows two very different performance profiles that happen to land at the same average.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-3615QM dominates in Cinebench workloads across every version tested. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7 scores 442 against the i3's 319, a 38.6% advantage. The pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multicore (1845 vs 1333, a 38.4% lead) and Cinebench R23 multicore (4393 vs 3175, also 38.4%). The single-core Cinebench results tell the same story: the i7 wins Cinebench R20 single-core 260 to 188, and Cinebench R23 single-core 620 to 448 — both with a 38.4% delta. Across five Cinebench tests, the i7-3615QM wins every one of them, and the margin is remarkably consistent between 38.3% and 38.6%. The i7's four cores and eight threads simply outmuscle the i3's two cores and four threads in these heavily threaded and sustained rendering workloads.

The i3-7100T flips the script entirely in Geekbench. In Geekbench multicore, the i3 scores 2230 against the i7's 1907, a 14.5% advantage for the desktop chip. In Geekbench single-core, the i3 wins even more decisively: 1111 versus 554, a 50.1% lead. That single-core gap is enormous — the i3 more than doubles the i7's score. The i7-3615QM takes 5 of the 7 head-to-head benchmark wins, but the i3 claims the two Geekbench tests with such force that it pulls the overall averages to a near dead heat. The 50.1% single-core deficit is the largest delta in either direction across all tests, and it highlights how much IPC and clock behavior matter in short, latency-sensitive workloads.

Architecture Differences

The i7-3615QM is built on Ivy Bridge, a 22 nm process, while the i3-7100T uses Kaby Lake on 14 nm. That process shrink gives the i3 a significant transistor-level advantage in efficiency and per-clock performance. The i7 packs 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, whereas the i3's transistor count and die size are not listed in the data. The i7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3 has 2 cores and 4 threads — the i7 doubles both. Cache differs sharply: the i7 has 6 MB of shared L3, while the i3 has 3 MB. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Clock speeds favor the i3. The i7 has a 2.30 GHz base clock and a 3.30 GHz boost clock, while the i3 runs at a fixed 3.40 GHz base with no boost clock listed. The i3's higher sustained clock helps explain its Geekbench single-core dominance. Thermal design power also contrasts: the i7 is a 45 W part, the i3 a 35 W part. The i7 is a mobile chip on Intel BGA 1224, while the i3 is a desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151. The i3 supports DDR4 memory with a listed bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7's memory support is not specified, though both use dual-channel memory buses. The i3 also explicitly lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i7's PCIe configuration is absent from the data.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the i7 has Intel HD 4000, the i3 has Intel HD 630. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The i7 was released in April 2012, the i3 in January 2017 — a nearly five-year gap that explains the architectural leap. The i3 is listed as active production, while the i7's production status is not stated. Neither chip has a launch MSRP in the data.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3615QM wins every Cinebench test — R15, R20, and R23, both multicore and single-core. Cinebench is a rendering benchmark that scales with core count and thread count, and the i7's 4-core/8-thread setup gives it a 38%+ edge across the board. If the workload is sustained multi-threaded rendering, video encoding, or any task that can use eight threads, the i7 is the clear choice from this data. Even in Cinebench single-core tests, the i7 beats the i3 despite the i3's higher base clock, meaning the i7's Ivy Bridge architecture at 3.30 GHz boost outperforms the i3's Kaby Lake at 3.40 GHz in that specific rendering workload. The i7's win count of 5 out of 7 benchmarks is decisive in volume of victories.

The i3-7100T wins both Geekbench tests, and it wins them by a wide margin. The 50.1% single-core lead is the standout result in the entire comparison. Geekbench's single-core test measures short bursts of integer and floating-point work, which favors the i3's newer architecture and higher base clock. The i3 also wins Geekbench multicore by 14.5%, which is notable because the i7 has twice the cores and threads — the i3's per-core efficiency and clock advantage outweigh the i7's core count in this workload. For everyday responsiveness, web browsing, office applications, and lightly threaded software, the i3's Geekbench results indicate it will feel snappier. The i3 also brings newer platform features like DDR4 support and PCIe Gen 3, which matter for system-level performance in a desktop build.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-3615QM averages 1260, while the Intel Core i3-7100T averages 1258. The i7 leads by 0.2%, and both are at the 34th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How big is the Cinebench R23 multicore difference?

A: The i7-3615QM scores 4393 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the i3-7100T scores 3175. That is a 38.4% advantage for the i7.

Q: Why does the i3 win Geekbench single-core so decisively?

A: The i3-7100T scores 1111 in Geekbench single-core versus the i7's 554, a 50.1% lead. The i3's 3.40 GHz base clock and newer Kaby Lake architecture on 14 nm contribute to this advantage.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the i7-3615QM and the i3-7100T have ECC memory support set to false.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each?

A: The i7-3615QM has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i3-7100T has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which CPU has more L3 cache?

A: The i7-3615QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-7100T has 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the thermal design power of each chip?

A: The i7-3615QM has a TDP of 45 W, and the i3-7100T has a TDP of 35 W.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every hardware category. The i7-3615QM uses Intel BGA 1224, while the i3-7100T uses Intel Socket 1151. The i7 is based on Ivy Bridge architecture on a 22 nm node, whereas the i3 uses Kaby Lake on 14 nm. The i7 has 4 cores and 8 threads; the i3 has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7's base clock is 2.30 GHz with a 3.30 GHz boost; the i3's base clock is 3.40 GHz with no boost clock listed. TDP is 45 W for the i7 and 35 W for the i3.

L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i7 versus 3 MB shared on the i3. The i7 has 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die; the i3 has no listed transistor count or die size. Memory support is unspecified for the i7, while the i3 explicitly supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The i3 lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU; the i7 does not list PCIe support. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 4000 on the i7 and Intel HD 630 on the i3.

The i7 is a mobile segment part released on 2012-04-28, while the i3 is a desktop segment part released on 2017-01-02. The i3 is active in production; the i7's production status is not listed. The i7's part number is SR0MP, and the i3's is SR35P. Neither has a launch MSRP, and both have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

Choose the i7-3615QM if your priority is multi-threaded rendering performance. The data shows it wins all five Cinebench tests by a consistent 38% margin, which translates directly to faster video encoding, 3D rendering, and any workload that uses eight threads. The i7's 4-core/8-thread configuration and 6 MB of L3 cache are the clear advantages here. It also wins Cinebench single-core tests despite the i3's higher clock, so for rendering-specific single-threaded tasks, the i7 still leads.

Choose the i3-7100T if you care about single-core responsiveness and modern platform features. The i3 beats the i7 by 50.1% in Geekbench single-core and by 14.5% in Geekbench multicore. That means faster day-to-day application launching, snappier web browsing, and better performance in lightly threaded software. The i3 also brings DDR4 support with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, and a lower 35 W TDP. It is a desktop chip with an active production status, while the i7 is a mobile chip from 2012.

The overall averages say these are equivalent CPUs — 1260 versus 1258, a 0.2% difference — but that equivalence is an illusion of averaging. The i7 wins rendering workloads by nearly 40%, and the i3 wins Geekbench workloads by up to 50%. Match the chip to the workload. For a rendering box, take the i7. For an everyday desktop, take the i3. The 34th percentile ranking for both indicates they are mid-low performers by modern standards, but within this pair, the right choice depends entirely on whether your tasks look like Cinebench or Geekbench.