Intel Core i5-1035G7 vs Intel Core i7-3930K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3930K and Intel Core i5-1035G7 represent two vastly different eras of Intel design, yet their benchmark averages land nearly on top of each other. The i7-3930K, a 2011 desktop flagship, edges out the 2019 mobile chip in every single head-to-head test, but the margins are consistently slim, ranging from 3.2% to 3.4%. The data shows a desktop part with six cores and twelve threads holding a narrow but decisive lead over a four-core, eight-thread mobile processor with a much newer architecture. Both CPUs sit at the 44th percentile among all tested processors, with the i7-3930K averaging 1960 points and the i5-1035G7 averaging 1948 points. The verdict is not about raw capability—it is about context, platform, and what those slim margins actually cost in real-world usage.

The Verdict

Pick the Intel Core i7-3930K if you need maximum multi-threaded throughput in a stationary desktop build and do not mind high power consumption. It wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, including a 3.4% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore (701 vs. 678) and a 3.3% lead in Cinebench R20 multicore (2921 vs. 2829). Its six physical cores and twelve threads give it a structural advantage in heavily threaded workloads, and its unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, which the mobile chip cannot do. The i7-3930K also offers 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and quad-channel DDR3 memory, making it a more capable platform for expansion and memory bandwidth.

Pick the Intel Core i5-1035G7 if you need a modern, active, power-efficient mobile solution. It is still in production, whereas the i7-3930K is end-of-life. The i5-1035G7 draws only 15W TDP compared to the i7-3930K's 130W, a massive difference that makes it suitable for laptops and compact systems. It also includes integrated Iris Plus graphics, something the desktop part lacks entirely. However, the benchmark data shows it loses every single test, even in single-core workloads where its newer Ice Lake architecture might be expected to shine. The i5-1035G7 trails by 3.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core (951 vs. 981) and by 3.2% in Cinebench R15 single-core (95 vs. 98). If you prioritize portability, low heat, and integrated graphics, the i5-1035G7 is the only sensible choice. If you prioritize raw performance and are building a desktop, the i7-3930K wins, though the margin is smaller than the eight-year gap between their release dates might suggest.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-3930K. It wins every multicore test, including a 3.4% advantage in Cinebench R15 multicore (701 vs. 678) and a 3.3% advantage in Cinebench R20 multicore (2921 vs. 2829). Its six cores and twelve threads outperform the i5-1035G7's four cores and eight threads across all tested multicore workloads.

Q: Does the newer i5-1035G7 beat the older i7-3930K in single-core tests?

A: No. Despite being built on a 10 nm process versus the i7-3930K's 32 nm node, the i5-1035G7 loses all three single-core tests. It scores 95 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 98 for the i7-3930K, a 3.2% deficit. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 951 versus 981, also a 3.2% gap.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-3930K has an average benchmark score of 1960, while the i5-1035G7 averages 1948. That is a difference of only 12 points, or roughly 0.6%. Both processors sit at the 44th percentile of all CPUs tested, meaning they perform near identically on average despite their architectural differences.

Q: Which processor supports more memory channels?

A: The i7-3930K supports quad-channel DDR3 memory, while the i5-1035G7 supports dual-channel DDR4. Interestingly, both have a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s according to the data, so the channel count difference does not translate into a bandwidth advantage for the desktop part.

Q: Is the i5-1035G7 still available for purchase?

A: Yes, the i5-1035G7 has an active production status. The i7-3930K is end-of-life, meaning it is no longer manufactured and would only be available on the used market. The i5-1035G7 also includes integrated Iris Plus graphics, whereas the i7-3930K has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i7-3930K has a TDP of 130W, while the i5-1035G7 has a TDP of just 15W. This is a significant difference: the desktop part consumes nearly nine times the power of the mobile chip, which explains why the i5-1035G7 is suited for laptops and the i7-3930K requires a substantial desktop cooling solution.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs are separated by nearly eight years of Intel design philosophy. The i7-3930K uses the Sandy Bridge-E architecture, built on a 32 nm process with a die size of 435 mm² and 2,270 million transistors. It is a desktop-class part with six cores and twelve threads, featuring 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory controller supports quad-channel DDR3, and it provides 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes directly from the CPU. The i7-3930K has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is mandatory.

The i5-1035G7 uses the Ice Lake architecture with the Sunny Cove-U microarchitecture, built on a 10 nm process with a die size of 123 mm². It is a mobile-class part with four cores and eight threads, featuring 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory controller supports dual-channel DDR4, and it includes integrated Iris Plus graphics. The i5-1035G7 does not list a transistor count in the data, but its smaller die size and newer process node indicate a fundamentally different design approach focused on efficiency rather than raw transistor scaling.

The architectural gap is stark: the i7-3930K has more cores, more cache, and more PCIe lanes, but it does so on an older, larger process node with significantly higher power draw. The i5-1035G7 compensates with a newer process, integrated graphics, and a much lower TDP, but it cannot overcome the core and thread deficit in multi-threaded workloads. The fact that the i5-1035G7 nearly matches the i7-3930K in single-core tests—trailing by only 3.2%—shows how far Intel's per-core efficiency has come, even though it does not fully close the gap.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. The i7-3930K has six cores and twelve threads, while the i5-1035G7 has four cores and eight threads. The i7-3930K has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, while the i5-1035G7 has a base clock of 1200.00 MHz (1.20 GHz) and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The i7-3930K has a TDP of 130W, while the i5-1035G7 has a TDP of 15W. The i7-3930K uses Intel Socket 2011, while the i5-1035G7 uses Intel BGA 1526. The i7-3930K supports DDR3 memory with quad-channel access, while the i5-1035G7 supports DDR4 with dual-channel access. Both have a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

The i7-3930K has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-1035G7 has 6 MB. Both have 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the L1 cache differs: 64 KB per core for the i7-3930K versus 80 KB per core for the i5-1035G7. The i7-3930K has 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, while the i5-1035G7 lists only "Gen 3" without a lane count. The i7-3930K has no integrated graphics; the i5-1035G7 includes Iris Plus. The i7-3930K has an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-1035G7 is locked. The i7-3930K was released in November 2011 with a launch MSRP of $583, while the i5-1035G7 was released in July 2019 with no listed launch MSRP. The i7-3930K is end-of-life; the i5-1035G7 is active. Neither supports ECC memory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the i7-3930K wins all six benchmarks, but every victory is narrow. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-3930K scores 701 against the i5-1035G7's 678, a 3.4% lead. That is the largest margin of any test. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the i7-3930K scores 98 against 95, a 3.2% advantage. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20: multicore sees 2921 versus 2829 (3.3% lead), and single-core sees 412 versus 399 (3.3% lead). In Cinebench R23, the i7-3930K scores 6955 multicore versus 6736 (3.3% lead) and 981 single-core versus 951 (3.2% lead).

The i5-1035G7 has no wins in this comparison, but its performance is closer than the architecture gap suggests. In multicore tests, the i7-3930K's two extra cores and four extra threads provide a consistent but modest edge. The i5-1035G7's four cores with eight threads manage to stay within striking distance, thanks to its newer architecture and higher per-core efficiency. In single-core tests, the i5-1035G7's Sunny Cove cores nearly match the older Sandy Bridge design, trailing by just 3.2% in both Cinebench R15 and R23 single-core. The i7-3930K's boost clock of 3.80 GHz versus 3.70 GHz for the i5-1035G7 likely contributes to this narrow win.

The benchmark averages reinforce the head-to-head results. The i7-3930K averages 1960 points, which is 0.6% higher than the i5-1035G7's 1948 points. Both sit at the 44th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-3930K's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3400GE (deltaPct 0.3) and AMD Ryzen 5 2600H (deltaPct -0.3), while the i5-1035G7's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v5 (deltaPct 0.1) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3400GE (deltaPct -0.3). The data shows two processors that land in the same performance tier despite their different designs, with the i7-3930K taking the win on every measured workload.