Intel Core i3-8109U vs Intel Core i7-3610QM Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3610QM and Intel Core i3-8109U are both mobile processors that land in the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 1244 and 1235, respectively. That puts them within 0.7% of each other overall, yet they achieve parity through entirely different means: the i7-3610QM leans on four cores and eight threads, while the i3-8109U relies on higher clock speeds and a newer architecture. The data shows a split personality in the benchmark results, with each chip dominating in distinct workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking divergence appears in the Cinebench R15 single-core test, where the i3-8109U scores 138.65 against a mere 62 for the i7-3610QM. That is a 55.3% advantage for the newer chip, and it reflects the massive generational gap in per-core efficiency between Kaby Lake and Ivy Bridge. The Geekbench single-core result tells a similar story: 1188 for the i3-8109U versus 537 for the i7-3610QM, a 54.8% lead. These are not marginal differences; they represent a fundamental shift in what a single core can accomplish.

However, the multi-threaded picture flips decisively. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-3610QM scores 440 versus 357 for the i3-8109U, a 23.2% win. The pattern repeats across every Cinebench multicore iteration. The i7-3610QM leads by 23.4% in Cinebench R20 multicore (1836 vs 1488), 23.4% in Cinebench R23 multicore (4373 vs 3544), and 23.3% in Cinebench R20 singlecore (259 vs 210). The consistency is remarkable: the older quad-core maintains a roughly 23% advantage in every Cinebench test except the R15 single-core outlier.

The Geekbench multicore result breaks the pattern entirely. Here the i3-8109U wins with 2454 against 1831 for the i7-3610QM, a 25.4% margin. This suggests that Geekbench's workload scales better with the i3-8109U's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while Cinebench rewards the i7-3610QM's additional threads. Overall, the i7-3610QM wins five of the eight head-to-head benchmarks, but the i3-8109U wins the three that matter most for single-threaded responsiveness.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-3610QM has an average benchmark score of 1244, while the Intel Core i3-8109U scores 1235. The delta is 0.7% in favor of the i7-3610QM, and both sit at the 34th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How do the two compare in single-core Cinebench performance?

A: The i3-8109U dominates single-core Cinebench. It scores 138.65 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 62 for the i7-3610QM, a 55.3% advantage. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-3610QM actually wins 259 to 210, a 23.3% margin, showing that the older chip holds its own in that specific test.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration for each?

A: The i7-3610QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3-8109U has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-3610QM's extra threads are the primary reason for its multicore wins.

Q: Which chip has the higher clock speed?

A: The i3-8109U has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The i7-3610QM has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. The i3-8109U is faster in both metrics.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No. The i7-3610QM is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-8109U is listed as active production.

Q: What integrated graphics do these chips carry?

A: The i7-3610QM includes Intel HD 4000 graphics, while the i3-8109U features Iris Pro Plus graphics.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3610QM is the clear choice for multi-threaded rendering and content creation workloads. Its 23.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore (4373 vs 3544) and 23.2% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore (440 vs 357) demonstrate that applications which can utilize eight threads will see a consistent performance advantage. The i7-3610QM also wins Cinebench R20 single-core by 23.3%, which is unexpected given its age, and Cinebench R23 single-core by 23.4%. For anyone running video encodes, 3D rendering, or batch processing, the older quad-core is the better engine.

The Intel Core i3-8109U wins decisively in Geekbench, both in single-core (1188 vs 537, a 54.8% margin) and multicore (2454 vs 1831, a 25.4% margin). It also takes Cinebench R15 single-core by 55.3%. This makes it the stronger option for everyday responsiveness, web browsing, office productivity, and any software that is not heavily threaded. The i3-8109U's higher clocks of 3.00 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost give it a snappier feel in light tasks, and its newer Kaby Lake architecture is more efficient per clock.

The practical split is simple: choose the i7-3610QM for sustained all-core workloads, and the i3-8109U for single-threaded speed and general system fluidity. The two chips are near-equal in overall average score, but the workload distribution determines the real-world winner.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every core specification. The i7-3610QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3-8109U has 2 cores and 4 threads. Clock speeds favor the i3-8109U, with a 3.00 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost against the i7-3610QM's 2.30 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost. Thermal design power also diverges significantly: the i7-3610QM is rated at 45 watts, the i3-8109U at 28 watts.

The sockets are incompatible. The i7-3610QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), while the i3-8109U uses Intel BGA 1356. Memory support differs as well, with the i7-3610QM supporting DDR3 over a dual-channel bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i3-8109U supports DDR4 with no listed bus configuration or bandwidth figure. The i7-3610QM has a larger L3 cache at 6 MB shared, versus 4 MB shared for the i3-8109U, though both have identical L1 and L2 caches of 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively.

Other notable differences: the i7-3610QM was released on 2012-04-22 with a launch MSRP of $378, while the i3-8109U launched on 2018-04-04 with no MSRP listed. The i7-3610QM has a part number of SR0MN, while the i3-8109U has none listed. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is substantial. The i7-3610QM is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture using a 22 nm process node, while the i3-8109U uses Kaby Lake on a 14 nm node. The process shrink from 22 nm to 14 nm is the primary reason the i3-8109U achieves higher clocks at lower power. The i7-3610QM has 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, while the i3-8109U lists no transistor count but has a smaller die at 123 mm².

The i7-3610QM belongs to the Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) generation, whereas the i3-8109U is part of the Core i3 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) generation. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the codenames differ: Ivy Bridge for the older chip, Kaby Lake-R for the newer one. The i7-3610QM supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i3-8109U has no PCIe information listed.

Integrated graphics are another point of divergence. The i7-3610QM carries Intel HD 4000, while the i3-8109U has Iris Pro Plus, which is a more capable graphics solution. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The i7-3610QM is end-of-life, while the i3-8109U remains in active production, reflecting the six-year gap between their release dates. The newer process node and architecture give the i3-8109U a significant efficiency advantage per clock, even though the i7-3610QM compensates with additional cores and threads in multi-threaded benchmarks.