Intel Core i5-3330S vs Intel Core i7-2860QM Comparison

The Intel Core i7-2860QM and Intel Core i5-3330S represent two distinct design philosophies from Intel, one aimed at mobile performance and the other at desktop efficiency. Despite the i5-3330S being a newer generation, the benchmark data consistently favors the older i7-2860QM across every single test logged. The results show a clear performance hierarchy, but the nature of the wins varies significantly depending on the workload, revealing that raw architectural age is less important than core count and threading capabilities in this matchup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking aspect of this comparison is the uniformity of the results. The Intel Core i7-2860QM wins all seven head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with a decisive advantage in multi-threaded workloads. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the i7-2860QM scores 390 against the i5-3330S’s 335, a 16.4% lead. This pattern repeats almost exactly in the newer Cinebench R20 and R23 multi-core tests, with the i7-2860QM posting scores of 1626 and 3873, respectively, against the i5-3330S’s 1396 and 3326. The deltas in these tests are remarkably consistent, measuring 16.5% and 16.4% respectively. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific, stemming from a fundamental difference in how many threads each processor can handle.

The single-core results tell a slightly different story. While the i7-2860QM still wins, the margin is much narrower. In the Cinebench R20 single-core test, the i7-2860QM scores 229 against the i5-3330S’s 196, a 16.8% lead. However, in the Geekbench single-core test, the gap shrinks dramatically to just 1.6%, with scores of 558 and 549. This disparity between the Cinebench and Geekbench single-core results indicates that the newer Ivy Bridge architecture of the i5-3330S has a genuine IPC advantage, but it is not enough to overcome the i7-2860QM’s higher boost clock speed of 3.60 GHz compared to 3.20 GHz. The i7-2860QM’s single-core win is largely a function of clock speed, not architectural efficiency.

The multi-core Geekbench result is the closest overall contest, with the i7-2860QM scoring 1681 against the i5-3330S’s 1625, a margin of only 3.4%. This is a significant outlier compared to the Cinebench multi-core results, which all show around 16% leads. The reason for this discrepancy likely lies in the different scaling properties of the two benchmark suites. Cinebench scales almost linearly with thread count, while Geekbench’s multi-core score is less sensitive to additional threads. Even so, the i7-2860QM still comes out ahead, demonstrating that its Hyper-Threading technology provides a tangible, if variable, benefit across different testing methodologies.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divergence between these two processors begins with their underlying architectures. The i7-2860QM is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture, while the i5-3330S uses the newer Ivy Bridge design. This generational leap is most evident in the manufacturing process: the i7-2860QM uses a 32 nm node, whereas the i5-3330S is fabricated on a 22 nm node. The die size reflects this, with the i7-2860QM measuring 216 mm² compared to the i5-3330S’s 133 mm². The transistor count for the i7-2860QM is listed as 1,160 million, while the i5-3330S’s count is not specified in the data.

The most impactful architectural difference is in thread support. The i7-2860QM features 8 threads across its 4 cores, while the i5-3330S is limited to 4 threads on its 4 cores. This is the primary driver of the i7-2860QM’s multi-core dominance. The i7-2860QM’s Hyper-Threading effectively allows each physical core to process two instruction streams simultaneously, which the i5-3330S cannot do. This gives the i7-2860QM a theoretical 100% advantage in thread count, which translates to the observed 16% performance lead in heavily threaded Cinebench tests.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i7-2860QM has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-3330S has 6 MB. Both processors have identical L1 and L2 cache sizes of 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively. The larger L3 cache on the i7-2860QM likely helps in multi-threaded workloads where data sharing between cores is frequent. The i5-3330S does have a memory support specification of DDR3, while the i7-2860QM’s memory support is not listed, though both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-2860QM is the clear winner in every benchmark category recorded, but the magnitude of its victories suggests distinct use-case advantages. For multi-threaded productivity workloads, such as video rendering, 3D modeling, or software compilation, the i7-2860QM’s 8 threads provide a substantial and consistent edge. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3873 versus 3326 is a 16.4% improvement, which is significant enough to noticeably reduce render times in professional applications. This is the i7-2860QM’s home turf; its Hyper-Threading capability is the decisive factor.

For single-threaded tasks, the situation is more nuanced. The i7-2860QM wins the Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core tests by 16.8% and 16.4%, respectively, but the Geekbench single-core margin is only 1.6%. This suggests that in applications that are heavily dependent on a single core and are sensitive to architectural efficiency, the i5-3330S is nearly competitive. The i5-3330S’s Ivy Bridge architecture, being a die-shrink and refinement of Sandy Bridge, offers a better instructions-per-clock (IPC) rate. However, the i7-2860QM’s higher 3.60 GHz boost clock compensates for this, keeping it ahead.

The i5-3330S’s wins are not in raw performance but in platform characteristics. It is a desktop processor with a 77 W TDP, which is high but standard for a desktop part. The i7-2860QM, being a mobile processor, has a 45 W TDP, which is lower but in its context. The i5-3330S also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, a feature not listed for the i7-2860QM. For a desktop user building a system with a discrete GPU, the i5-3330S’s PCIe Gen 3 support offers better bandwidth headroom. The i5-3330S is also the newer part, released about a year later, and its smaller die size suggests a more power-efficient design per unit of performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on several key specification fields. The most obvious difference is in thread count: the i7-2860QM has 8 threads while the i5-3330S has 4. Base clock speeds differ, with the i7-2860QM running at 2.50 GHz and the i5-3330S at a higher 2.70 GHz. However, the boost clocks flip this, with the i7-2860QM reaching 3.60 GHz versus the i5-3330S’s 3.20 GHz. The TDP is also different, with the i7-2860QM rated at 45 W and the i5-3330S at 77 W, reflecting their different target markets of mobile versus desktop.

The socket types are incompatible: the i7-2860QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), while the i5-3330S uses Intel Socket 1155. The manufacturing process differs, with the i7-2860QM on 32 nm and the i5-3330S on 22 nm. The die sizes are notably different at 216 mm² for the i7-2860QM and 133 mm² for the i5-3330S. The L3 cache differs, with the i7-2860QM having 8 MB and the i5-3330S having 6 MB. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i7-2860QM features Intel HD 3000, while the i5-3330S has Intel HD 2500. The i5-3330S also lists DDR3 memory support and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, neither of which are specified for the i7-2860QM. The market segment is another clear split, with the i7-2860QM being a mobile part and the i5-3330S being a desktop part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-2860QM wins all multi-core benchmarks. It scores 3873 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 3326 for the i5-3330S, a 16.4% advantage.

Q: Is the newer Ivy Bridge architecture significantly better for single-core tasks?

A: No. The i7-2860QM still wins all single-core tests. In Geekbench single-core, the margin is only 1.6% (558 vs 549), but in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-2860QM leads by 16.4% (546 vs 469).

Q: What is the main reason for the performance difference?

A: The i7-2860QM has 8 threads across its 4 cores, while the i5-3330S has only 4 threads. This Hyper-Threading advantage is the primary driver of the i7-2860QM’s multi-core lead.

Q: Do these processors use the same socket?

A: No. The i7-2860QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), while the i5-3330S uses Intel Socket 1155, making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Q: Which processor has a larger cache?

A: The i7-2860QM has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-3330S has 6 MB. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Q: Is the i5-3330S a mobile or desktop processor?

A: The i5-3330S is a desktop processor with a 77 W TDP, whereas the i7-2860QM is a mobile processor with a 45 W TDP.