Intel Core i3-9100TE vs Intel Core i7-3615QE Comparison

The Intel Core i3-9100TE and Intel Core i7-3615QE are two processors separated by seven years of silicon evolution, yet they land remarkably close in aggregate performance. The average benchmark score for the i3-9100TE is 1386, while the i7-3615QE sits just five points behind at 1381. This near-parity is surprising given their generational gap, but the data reveals a clear pattern: the older i7 wins every single head-to-head benchmark, albeit by a consistent margin. The i7-3615QE claims all six victories in this comparison, leaving the i3-9100TE without a single win. The percentiles tell a similar story, with the i3-9100TE at the 37th percentile of all CPUs and the i7-3615QE at the 36th, placing them in essentially the same performance tier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking finding is the uniformity of the i7-3615QE’s advantage. Across every Cinebench iteration, the older chip leads by roughly 18%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3615QE scores 481 against the i3-9100TE’s 393, a delta of -18.3%. The single-core test in R15 shows a similar gap: 67 versus 55, a -17.9% difference. This pattern holds steady in Cinebench R20, where the i7-3615QE posts 2005 multi-core and 283 single-core, while the i3-9100TE manages 1638 and 231 respectively, both deltas at -18.3% and -18.4%.

The trend continues unabated into Cinebench R23. The i7-3615QE scores 4774 multi-core and 674 single-core, while the i3-9100TE trails at 3900 and 550. The deltas remain locked at -18.3% and -18.4%. This consistency is remarkable. It suggests the performance gap is not workload-dependent but rather a fundamental throughput difference that scales proportionally across all rendering tasks. The i3-9100TE does have a Geekbench multi-core score of 3214 and a single-core score of 1105, but the i7-3615QE has no Geekbench results in the data, so no comparison is possible there.

What makes this interesting is that the i3-9100TE is not a weak processor. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3900 places it near the AMD Opteron 6274, which averages 1387, and just 0.4% above the i7-3615QE’s average. The i7-3615QE’s nearest rival is the AMD Opteron 6238 at 1383, a -0.1% delta, followed by the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2300U and Ryzen 3 PRO 1200, both at 1379 with 0.2% deltas. This means both CPUs are clustered within a tight performance band, but the i7-3615QE consistently extracts more from that band in every Cinebench test.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3615QE wins everywhere in this comparison, but the nature of its wins points to specific strengths. Its 8 threads versus the i3-9100TE’s 4 threads give it a structural advantage in multi-threaded workloads, which is evident in the Cinebench multi-core results. The 18% lead in multi-core tests is exactly what one might expect from doubling thread count, suggesting that rendering and video encoding tasks would clearly favor the older chip. The single-core wins are more surprising, though. A 17.9% to 18.4% lead in single-threaded tests cannot be explained by thread count alone. The i7-3615QE’s higher base clock of 2.30 GHz and boost clock of 3.30 GHz, compared to 2.20 GHz and 3.20 GHz for the i3-9100TE, likely contribute, but the magnitude of the gap suggests architectural efficiency differences.

The i3-9100TE, despite losing all six benchmarks, still presents a coherent profile. Its 4 cores and 4 threads are sufficient for lighter workloads, and its 35W TDP is significantly lower than the i7-3615QE’s 45W. The i3-9100TE also supports ECC memory, which the i7-3615QE does not, making it suitable for error-sensitive tasks. Its integrated UHD Graphics 630 is newer than the Intel HD 4000 in the i7-3615QE, which could matter for basic display output, though no benchmark data covers graphics performance. The i3-9100TE’s memory bandwidth is listed at 38.4 GB/s with DDR4 support, while the i7-3615QE has no listed memory bandwidth or memory support type, leaving that comparison incomplete.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is substantial. The i3-9100TE uses the Coffee Lake architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the i7-3615QE uses Ivy Bridge on a 22 nm node. This means the i3-9100TE has a smaller die at 126 mm² versus 160 mm², and it benefits from two generations of process improvements. The i7-3615QE, however, lists 1,400 million transistors, while the i3-9100TE’s transistor count is not provided. The i3-9100TE is part of the Core i3 (Coffee Lake Refresh) generation, while the i7-3615QE belongs to Core i7 (Ivy Bridge).

Both processors have 4 cores and share the same cache hierarchy: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. This is where the core count difference becomes critical. The i7-3615QE has 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the i3-9100TE has 4 threads with no hyper-threading. This is likely the single largest architectural differentiator. The i3-9100TE uses the Intel Socket 1151, whereas the i7-3615QE uses Intel BGA 1023, which is a soldered mobile package. The i3-9100TE is a desktop part, while the i7-3615QE is a mobile part, though the i7’s 45W TDP is high for mobile.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i3-9100TE pairs with UHD Graphics 630, while the i7-3615QE has Intel HD 4000. The i3-9100TE supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-3615QE has no PCIe information listed. Memory support also diverges: the i3-9100TE explicitly supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-3615QE has no memory support type or bandwidth listed, only that it uses dual-channel memory. ECC memory is supported on the i3-9100TE but not on the i7-3615QE.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-3615QE outperforms the Intel Core i3-9100TE in every benchmark where both have results. If raw rendering performance is the priority, the i7-3615QE is the clear choice, delivering an 18.3% advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core and an 18.4% lead in single-core. This holds across all three Cinebench versions, making it a reliable indicator for CPU-bound tasks. The i7-3615QE’s 8 threads give it a structural edge that the i3-9100TE cannot overcome, despite the latter’s newer architecture and smaller process node.

However, the i3-9100TE is not without merit. Its 35W TDP is 10W lower than the i7-3615QE’s 45W, which could translate to lower power consumption and heat output in sustained workloads. The i3-9100TE also supports ECC memory, a feature absent from the i7-3615QE, making it more suitable for systems requiring error correction. The i3-9100TE’s newer UHD Graphics 630 and DDR4 memory support also suggest better platform longevity, even if those features are not benchmarked here. The i3-9100TE’s end-of-life production status contrasts with the i7-3615QE’s unspecified status, but both are older parts.

For a user prioritizing multi-threaded performance, the i7-3615QE is the only rational choice from this data. For a user prioritizing power efficiency or ECC support, the i3-9100TE offers advantages that the benchmarks do not capture. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 1386 versus 1381, but the distribution of wins is not. The i7-3615QE wins every rendering test, and that consistency is hard to ignore. The i3-9100TE, despite being newer, cannot match the thread advantage of the older i7.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100TE has an average benchmark score of 1386, while the Intel Core i7-3615QE scores 1381, a difference of just 5 points.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The i7-3615QE scores 4774 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i3-9100TE scores 3900, resulting in a -18.3% delta in favor of the i7-3615QE.

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

A: Yes, both have 4 cores. However, the i7-3615QE has 8 threads, while the i3-9100TE has 4 threads.

Q: Does the i3-9100TE support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the i3-9100TE supports ECC memory, while the i7-3615QE does not.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The i3-9100TE has a TDP of 35W, while the i7-3615QE has a TDP of 45W.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-3615QE has a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, which is higher than the i3-9100TE’s boost clock of 3.20 GHz.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-9100TE | Intel Core i7-3615QE |

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

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.20 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.20 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| TDP | 35W | 45W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | Intel BGA 1023 |

| Architecture | Coffee Lake | Ivy Bridge |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 22 nm |

| Die Size | 126 mm² | 160 mm² |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,400 million |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | Not listed |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not listed |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 | Intel HD 4000 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

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

| Release Date | 2019-03-31 | 2012-04-28 |

| Launch MSRP | $122 | Not listed |

| Part Number | SRGE0SRGQY | SR0NC |