Intel Core i5-3610ME vs Intel Core i5-680 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-3610ME and Intel Core i5-680 are two dual-core, four-thread processors from different eras and market segments. The i5-3610ME is a 22 nm mobile part built on Ivy Bridge, while the i5-680 is a 32 nm desktop chip from the Clarkdale generation. Despite the generational gap and different thermal envelopes, the benchmark data places them very close in raw compute performance. The recorded scores show the mobile chip narrowly ahead in every single tested workload, but the margins are small enough that real-world differences would be difficult to perceive.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records five direct comparisons between these two processors, all using the Cinebench suite. The Intel Core i5-3610ME wins all five tests, but the margins are consistently narrow, ranging from 1.8% to 2.3%. The largest relative advantage for the i5-3610ME comes in the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where it scores 135 versus the i5-680’s 132, a 2.3% lead. That same pattern holds in the R23 single-core test, with the i5-3610ME scoring 323 against 316, a 2.2% edge. These single-core results are notable because the i5-680 has a substantially higher base clock (3.60 GHz versus 2.70 GHz) and boost clock (3.87 GHz versus 3.30 GHz). The newer Ivy Bridge architecture of the i5-3610ME appears to offset that clock disadvantage in lightly threaded workloads.

In multi-core tests, the i5-3610ME again leads, but the deltas are slightly smaller. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-3610ME scores 230 against 226 for the i5-680, a 1.8% difference. The R20 multi-core test shows a score of 961 for the i5-3610ME versus 942 for the i5-680, a 2.0% gap. The R23 multi-core test yields 2289 for the i5-3610ME and 2243 for the i5-680, a 2.1% difference. The consistency of these results suggests that the i5-3610ME’s architectural efficiency, likely from its 22 nm process and Ivy Bridge design, offsets the i5-680’s frequency advantage. The i5-680 does have a larger L3 cache at 4 MB shared versus 3 MB shared for the i5-3610ME, but this does not translate into a benchmark win.

The average benchmark score in the database further underscores the closeness. The i5-3610ME records an average score of 788, while the i5-680 records 772, a difference of roughly 2%. Both processors sit in the 21st percentile of all CPUs tracked in the database, meaning they are positioned identically relative to the broader range of tested hardware. The nearest rival for the i5-3610ME is the Intel Core i5-4210U, which matches its 788 average score exactly. For the i5-680, the nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-3687U at 773, which is 0.1% behind. This shows that while the two chips are close to each other, they are also close to several other dual-core parts from the same era.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-3610ME scores 323 in the Cinebench R23 single-core test, while the Intel Core i5-680 scores 316. This gives the i5-3610ME a 2.2% advantage.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core performance?

A: The i5-3610ME leads in every multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2289 versus 2243 for the i5-680. In R20 multi-core, the margin is similar: 961 versus 942. The largest multi-core gap is in R15, where the i5-3610ME scores 230 and the i5-680 scores 226.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-3610ME has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core i5-680 has a TDP of 73 watts. The i5-3610ME consumes less than half the power of the i5-680 according to the recorded specifications.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i5-680 has a higher boost clock of 3.87 GHz compared to 3.30 GHz for the i5-3610ME. The i5-680 also has a higher base clock: 3.60 GHz versus 2.70 GHz.

Q: Are the processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are in the 21st percentile of all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are also close: 788 for the i5-3610ME and 772 for the i5-680.

Q: What are the socket requirements for each chip?

A: The i5-3610ME uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), which is a mobile socket. The i5-680 uses Intel Socket 1156, which is a desktop socket. They are not interchangeable.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-3610ME wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. This means it is the faster part in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, even though its clock speeds are lower. The data suggests that the i5-3610ME is the better choice for any application that relies on Cinebench-style rendering or general compute throughput. The 22 nm Ivy Bridge architecture delivers higher instructions per clock, which overcomes the frequency deficit. In single-core tasks, the i5-3610ME’s 2.3% lead in R20 single-core and 2.2% lead in R23 single-core are the clearest indicators of its architectural efficiency.

The i5-680, however, is not without its own merits in the data. Its higher base and boost clocks mean that in scenarios where clock speed directly translates to performance (such as legacy software that does not benefit from newer instruction sets), it could be competitive. The benchmark data does not show this, but the specification table shows a 3.60 GHz base and 3.87 GHz boost, a full 0.9 GHz and 0.57 GHz higher respectively than the i5-3610ME. The i5-680 also has a larger L3 cache (4 MB shared versus 3 MB shared), which can help in workloads with repeated data access. The i5-680’s 21.3 GB/s memory bandwidth, as recorded, is a specification that the i5-3610ME does not have listed, but the i5-680 is a desktop part with a separate memory controller. For a user on a desktop platform with a Socket 1156 motherboard, the i5-680 offers a known-quantity performance with no need to replace the board.

The i5-3610ME is the faster part in the database. The i5-680 is a higher-clock desktop chip that loses in every benchmark, but its higher frequencies and larger cache make it a reasonable alternative for those already on the older platform. The i5-3610ME, being a mobile part, would fit into a laptop or a compact mobile system, which is a different use case entirely.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i5-3610ME has a base clock of 2.70 GHz, while the i5-680 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz. The boost clock is 3.30 GHz for the i5-3610ME and 3.87 GHz for the i5-680. The thermal design power is 35 watts for the i5-3610ME and 73 watts for the i5-680, making the mobile part substantially more power-efficient. The sockets are different: the i5-3610ME uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), and the i5-680 uses Intel Socket 1156.

The L3 cache is 3 MB shared on the i5-3610ME and 4 MB shared on the i5-680. The i5-3610ME has a die size of 118 mm², while the i5-680 has a die size of 81 mm². The i5-680 is listed with a transistor count of 382 million, while the i5-3610ME has no transistor count listed. The market segments differ: the i5-3610ME is a mobile processor, and the i5-680 is a desktop processor. The i5-680 is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-3610ME has no production status listed.

The i5-680 has explicit memory support for DDR3 and a peak memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s. The i5-3610ME does not list memory support or bandwidth in the data. Both support dual-channel memory. The i5-680 has PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-3610ME has no PCIe specification listed. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-3610ME has Intel HD 4000, while the i5-680 has Intel HD (no specific model number given). The i5-3610ME has a launch date of May 2012, and the i5-680 has a launch date of April 2010. The i5-680 has a launch MSRP of $294, while the i5-3610ME has no launch MSRP listed.

Architecture Differences

The architecture gap is significant. The i5-3610ME is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture, which is a 22 nm process. The i5-680 is built on Westmere, which is a 32 nm process. This process node difference explains the lower power consumption of the mobile chip despite the higher clock speeds of the desktop chip. The i5-3610ME has a die size of 118 mm², while the i5-680 has a smaller die at 81 mm², but the i5-680 does have a transistor count of 382 million. The i5-3610ME does not list a transistor count, so it is not possible to compare transistor density directly.

The codenames differ: the i5-3610ME is listed as "Ivy Bridge" and the i5-680 is listed as "Clarkdale". The generation labels also differ in the database: the i5-3610ME is listed as "Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)" and the i5-680 as "Core i5 (Clarkdale)". Both have the same L1 and L2 cache sizes of 64 KB and 256 KB per core, respectively. The L3 cache is larger on the i5-680 (4 MB shared) versus 3 MB shared on the i5-3610ME.

The memory controller and PCIe support differ: the i5-680 lists PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-3610ME has no PCIe information. The i5-680 also lists memory bandwidth of 21.3 GB/s, which the i5-3610ME does not. The i5-3610ME has a newer integrated graphics solution (Intel HD 4000) compared to the i5-680’s "Intel HD" without a model number. The i5-3610ME is a mobile part, so it likely shares memory with the GPU, but the database does not specify this. The i5-680 is a desktop part with a separate socket.

The i5-680 is marked as end-of-life, meaning it has been discontinued. The i5-3610ME does not have a production status, so it is not clear if it is still in production. The release dates are two years apart, with the i5-680 launching in April 2010 and the i5-3610ME in May 2012. This temporal difference aligns with the architectural progression from Westmere to Ivy Bridge, which brought the smaller process node and relative performance improvements per clock.

The i5-3610ME, despite being a mobile part, has a larger die size than the i5-680 (118 mm² vs 81 mm²). This is likely due to the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, which is more powerful than the older Intel HD. The i5-680’s smaller die and higher transistor count (382 million vs unknown for the i5-360) suggest a different design, but without full data on the i5-3610ME transistors, no direct comparison can be made.

In summary, the i5-3610ME is the newer, more power-efficient architecture with a smaller process node, while the i5-680 is an older desktop part with higher clocks and a larger L3 cache. The benchmark data shows the i5-3610ME winning all tests, confirming that the architectural advancements more than offset the clock speed disadvantage.