Intel Core i5-10210Y vs Intel Core i7-2630QM Comparison

# Intel Core i5-10210Y vs Intel Core i7-2630QM

The Intel Core i5-10210Y and Intel Core i7-2630QM represent two very different eras of Intel mobile computing, separated by nearly nine years of architectural evolution. Despite the i7 branding on the older chip, the benchmark data is unambiguous: the i5-10210Y wins every single head-to-head comparison in this database, with margins consistently hovering around 15% across all tested workloads. What makes this matchup particularly interesting is that both processors share the same core and thread counts, yet the newer 14 nm Comet Lake-Y part outperforms the older 32 nm Sandy Bridge chip in every measurable way, despite the i7-2630QM's significantly higher base clock and TDP envelope.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern across all five shared benchmark tests is the remarkable consistency of the performance gap. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-10210Y scores 350 against the i7-2630QM's 304, yielding a 15.1% advantage. This margin expands slightly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the newer chip posts 1461 versus 1268, a 15.2% lead. The single-core results tell essentially the same story: Cinebench R20 single-core shows 206 versus 178, a 15.7% gap, while Cinebench R23 single-core shows 491 versus 426, a 15.3% advantage. The i5-10210Y also leads in Cinebench R23 multi-core with 3479 against 3020, another 15.2% margin.

What is most telling is that the i7-2630QM never once manages to claim a win, even in workloads that traditionally favor higher base clocks. The older chip's 2000 MHz base clock is double the i5-10210Y's 1000 MHz base, yet the newer architecture's higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz (versus 2.90 GHz) and superior IPC more than compensate. The delta percentages are nearly identical across every test, suggesting that the performance difference is architectural rather than workload-specific. This is not a case of one chip being optimized for certain tasks; the i5-10210Y is uniformly faster across the board.

When placed in the broader context of all CPUs in the database, both processors sit at the 27th percentile, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 1006 and 1005 respectively. The nearest rival data confirms this: the i7-2630QM's closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-5600U at 0% delta, while the i5-10210Y's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-880 and AMD FX-9830P, both at 0% delta. Interestingly, the two chips are listed as each other's rivals with a delta of only 0.1% in the i5-10210Y's data and -0.1% in the i7-2630QM's data, which refers to overall average scores rather than the specific head-to-head tests.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-10210Y wins in every single category measured, but the nature of its victories deserves closer examination. In multi-threaded workloads, which are captured by Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, the newer chip demonstrates that its 4-core/8-thread configuration is more efficient at utilizing available execution resources. The 15.1% to 15.2% advantages in these tests indicate that the Comet Lake architecture extracts significantly more work per clock cycle than Sandy Bridge, even when both are operating with the same core and thread counts.

Single-threaded performance is where the i5-10210Y shows its most pronounced advantage. The 15.7% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core and 15.3% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core highlight the substantial IPC improvements achieved over the eight-year architectural gap. This matters for everyday responsiveness and lightly-threaded applications, where the i5-10210Y's 4.00 GHz boost clock can be fully utilized. The i7-2630QM's 2.90 GHz boost clock simply cannot compensate for its older microarchitecture.

There are no benchmark categories where the i7-2630QM emerges victorious. Even in the Geekbench tests that were only run on the older chip (1393 multi-core and 445 single-core), the i5-10210Y's Cinebench scores suggest it would likely outperform in comparable workloads, though direct comparisons are not available in the shared test suite. The production status difference is also significant: the i7-2630QM is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-10210Y remains active, meaning the newer chip represents the more viable long-term platform for ongoing use.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is substantial and explains the consistent performance differential. The i5-10210Y is built on Comet Lake, a 14 nm process node, while the i7-2630QM uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm node. This process shrink alone accounts for significant efficiency improvements, though the i5-10210Y's 9 W TDP versus the i7-2630QM's 45 W TDP shows that the newer chip achieves its performance at a fraction of the power envelope.

The transistor counts tell a story of increased complexity: the i7-2630QM contains 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die, while the i5-10210Y's transistor count is not listed in the data. The cache hierarchies are identical in structure, with both chips featuring 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the execution engines differ fundamentally: Comet Lake benefits from years of microarchitectural refinements, including improved branch prediction, larger out-of-order execution windows, and more efficient memory access patterns.

The integrated graphics also mark a generational divide. The i5-10210Y ships with UHD Graphics, while the i7-2630QM uses Intel HD 3000. This represents a significant upgrade in GPU capability, which matters for systems without discrete graphics. The socket and packaging differ completely as well, with the i5-10210Y using Intel BGA 1440 and the i7-2630QM using Intel Socket G2 (988B), meaning these are not interchangeable platforms.

Specification Differences

The most glaring specification difference is TDP: the i5-10210Y draws just 9 W, while the i7-2630QM consumes 45 W. This five-fold difference in power budget makes the i5-10210Y's performance advantage even more remarkable, as it achieves roughly 15% higher scores while using a fraction of the power. The base clocks differ significantly, with the i7-2630QM running at 2000 MHz versus the i5-10210Y's 1000 MHz, but the boost clocks reverse the situation: the i5-10210Y boosts to 4.00 GHz while the i7-2630QM only reaches 2.90 GHz.

Memory support differs, with the i5-10210Y supporting DDR3 while the i7-2630QM's memory support is not specified in the data, though it does feature dual-channel memory bus. The process nodes differ as expected: 14 nm for Comet Lake versus 32 nm for Sandy Bridge. Release dates are separated by over eight years, with the i5-10210Y launching in August 2019 and the i7-2630QM in January 2011. The i7-2630QM has a part number of SR02Y, while the i5-10210Y's part number is not listed. Both processors share identical core counts (4), thread counts (8), L1 and L2 cache sizes, and lack ECC memory support. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier, and both target the mobile market segment.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-10210Y wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests: 350 versus 304 in R15 (15.1% faster), 1461 versus 1268 in R20 (15.2% faster), and 3479 versus 3020 in R23 (15.2% faster).

Q: How do the single-core performances compare?

A: The i5-10210Y leads in both single-core Cinebench tests, scoring 206 versus 178 in R20 (15.7% faster) and 491 versus 426 in R23 (15.3% faster). The i7-2630QM's Geekbench single-core score of 445 is not directly comparable but indicates similar relative positioning.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The i5-10210Y has a 9 W TDP, while the i7-2630QM has a 45 W TDP. This makes the i5-10210Y approximately five times more power-efficient while still delivering superior performance.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread configuration?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 8 threads. They also share identical cache hierarchies with 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The i5-10210Y is marked as Active in production status, while the i7-2630QM is listed as End-of-life. The i7-2630QM was released in January 2011, while the i5-10210Y was released in August 2019.

Q: How do these chips compare to other processors in the database?

A: Both sit at the 27th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-10210Y has an average benchmark score of 1006 with rivals including the Intel Core i7-880 and AMD FX-9830P at 0% delta, while the i7-2630QM averages 1005 with the Intel Core i7-5600U as its closest rival.