Intel Core i5-3570K vs Intel Core i7-3630QM Comparison

The Intel Core i5-3570K and Intel Core i7-3630QM are both Ivy Bridge parts from 2012, but they target very different platforms: a desktop socket versus a mobile one. Despite their shared architecture and the i7’s higher model number, the benchmark data reveals a surprising split. The i7-3630QM dominates the Cinebench suite, while the i5-3570K takes a clear lead in Geekbench, particularly in single-core performance. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—1293 for the i5 and 1289 for the i7—placing both at the 35th percentile of all CPUs, but their performance profiles are distinct enough to matter depending on the workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Geekbench single-core, where the i5-3570K scores 776 against the i7-3630QM’s 633. That is a 22.6% advantage, the largest margin in any test. This is a decisive win for the desktop chip, reflecting its higher base and boost clocks. The i5 also wins Geekbench multi-core, scoring 2245 versus 2111, a 6.3% edge. This is notable because the i7 has eight threads, yet the i5’s four faster cores still pull ahead in this particular workload.

The i7-3630QM, however, sweeps the Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7 scores 439 against the i5’s 425, a 3.2% lead. The single-core R15 result is closer: 61 versus 60, a 1.6% edge for the i7. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i7 wins multi-core 1832 to 1772 (3.3% ahead) and single-core 258 to 250 (3.1% ahead). The pattern repeats in Cinebench R23, where the i7 leads multi-core 4364 to 4221 and single-core 616 to 596, both by 3.3% and 3.2% respectively.

The Cinebench results are consistent and narrow, always favoring the i7 by roughly 3%. The Geekbench results are the opposite, favoring the i5 by a wide margin in single-core and a solid margin in multi-core. This suggests the two benchmark suites stress different aspects of the CPUs. Cinebench appears to reward the i7’s hyper-threading and higher thread count, while Geekbench rewards the i5’s higher clock speeds. The i7 wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head tests, but the i5’s two wins are by larger margins. The average scores are effectively tied, with the i5 at 1293 and the i7 at 1289, a 0.3% difference, confirming that neither chip has an overall performance advantage.

Architecture Differences

Both CPUs are built on Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture using a 22 nm process node, and both have a die size of 160 mm². The i5-3570K packs 1,400 million transistors, while the i7-3630QM has 1,480 million. The core counts are identical at four, but the i7 adds hyper-threading, doubling its thread count to eight versus the i5’s four. This is the primary architectural difference that explains the i7’s multi-threaded Cinebench wins.

Cache configurations are the same: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support is also identical—DDR3, dual-channel, with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. Both support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and include the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. Neither supports ECC memory.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The i5-3570K runs at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boosts to 3.80 GHz. The i7-3630QM runs at a base of 2.40 GHz and boosts to 3.40 GHz. This 1.0 GHz base clock gap and 0.4 GHz boost gap directly explain the i5’s Geekbench single-core advantage. The i5 also has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7’s is locked, meaning the desktop chip can be overclocked, though the data does not include any overclocked results.

The socket and market segment are the other major divides. The i5 uses Intel Socket 1155 and is a desktop part; the i7 uses Intel Socket G2 (988B) and is a mobile part. The i7’s TDP is 45 watts, while the i5’s is 77 watts, reflecting the mobile chip’s lower power envelope. Both are end-of-life products, with the i5 released on 2012-04-28 and the i7 on 2012-09-29. The i5 has a launch MSRP of $212, and the i7 has a launch MSRP of $378.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The i5-3570K has an average benchmark score of 1293, while the i7-3630QM has 1289. The difference is 0.3%, meaning they are effectively tied in overall performance.

Q: Why does the i7-3630QM win most Cinebench tests?

A: The i7 has 8 threads versus the i5’s 4, thanks to hyper-threading. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the i7 leads multi-core scores by 3.2% to 3.3%, and single-core scores by 1.6% to 3.2%. This suggests Cinebench scales well with the additional threads.

Q: Why does the i5-3570K win Geekbench by such a large margin?

A: The i5 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the i7’s 2.40 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. The i5 wins Geekbench single-core by 22.6% and multi-core by 6.3%, indicating Geekbench favors higher clock speeds over thread count.

Q: Are the cache sizes different between the two CPUs?

A: No. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The cache hierarchy is identical.

Q: Can the i7-3630QM be overclocked?

A: No. The i7-3630QM has a locked multiplier. The i5-3570K has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, though the benchmark data does not include any overclocked results.

Q: Which CPU has a lower TDP?

A: The i7-3630QM has a TDP of 45 watts, while the i5-3570K has a TDP of 77 watts. The mobile i7 is designed for lower power consumption, while the desktop i5 consumes more power.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-3570K | Intel Core i7-3630QM |

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

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| TDP | 77 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1155 | Intel Socket G2 (988B) |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 1,480 million |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2012-04-28 | 2012-09-29 |

| Launch MSRP | $212 | $378 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | SR0PM | SR0UX |

The two CPUs share the same architecture, process node, die size, cache sizes, memory support, PCIe lanes, and integrated graphics. The differences are confined to threading, clocks, power, socket, transistor count, release date, and the unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3630QM is the clear winner in Cinebench workloads. It leads in all six Cinebench tests, with multi-core margins of 3.2% to 3.3% and single-core margins of 1.6% to 3.2%. This makes it the better choice for rendering tasks, video encoding, and any application that scales with thread count, thanks to its 8 threads versus the i5’s 4. The i7 also has a lower TDP of 45 watts, making it suitable for laptops where power efficiency is a priority.

The i5-3570K wins in Geekbench, particularly in single-core where it is 22.6% ahead. This is a decisive advantage for applications that rely on single-threaded performance, such as older games, spreadsheet calculations, and certain productivity tools. The i5’s higher clock speeds—3.40 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost—drive this advantage. The i5 also wins Geekbench multi-core by 6.3%, showing that its four faster cores can outperform the i7’s eight slower threads in some workloads. Additionally, the i5 has an unlocked multiplier, offering overclocking headroom that the locked i7 cannot match.

In terms of overall benchmark averages, the two are statistically tied. The i5-3570K averages 1293, and the i7-3630QM averages 1289, a 0.3% difference. Both sit at the 35th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals for the i5 include the i7-3630QM itself (0.3% higher average), the i7-3610QE (0.3% lower), and the AMD Opteron 6272 (0.4% higher). For the i7, the nearest rivals are the AMD Opteron 6272 (0.1% higher), the i5-4670R (0.2% higher), and the i5-3570 (0.3% higher). The data shows a balanced matchup where the choice depends entirely on whether the workload favors thread count or clock speed.