Intel Core i5-6500T vs Intel Core i7-3740QM Comparison

The Verdict

The data splits this comparison cleanly by workload type. The Intel Core i7-3740QM wins 6 of the 8 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, all of them Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i5-6500T wins the two Geekbench tests. For multi-threaded rendering, the i7-3740QM is the clear choice. It posts a 19.9% lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests. The i5-6500T is the better option for the Geekbench suite, where it leads by 29.9% in multicore and 41% in singlecore. The i7-3740QM is a mobile processor with 8 threads; the i5-6500T is a desktop chip with 4 threads. The data suggests the i7-3740QM suits sustained rendering workloads, while the i5-6500T fits tasks modeled by Geekbench, such as general system responsiveness and single-threaded applications. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, 1378 for the i7-3740QM and 1362 for the i5-6500T, placing both at the 36th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Buyers should choose based on the benchmark suite that matters most: Cinebench favors the older mobile chip, Geekbench favors the newer desktop chip.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design eras and target different platforms. The Intel Core i7-3740QM is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture using a 22 nm process node. It contains 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The i5-6500T uses the Skylake architecture on a 14 nm process, with a smaller 122 mm² die. The i7-3740QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, enabled by Hyper-Threading. The i5-6500T has 4 cores and 4 threads, no Hyper-Threading. Both share 6 MB of L3 cache, and both use 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core. The i7-3740QM uses the Intel BGA 1224 socket, while the i5-6500T uses Intel Socket 1151. The i7-3740QM is a mobile part with a 45 W TDP; the i5-6500T is a desktop part with a 35 W TDP. The i5-6500T supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory with a recorded bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s; the database does not list memory support for the i7-3740QM, though it does list a dual-channel memory bus. The i5-6500T has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the i7-3740QM has no PCIe data recorded. Integrated graphics differ: the i7-3740QM carries Intel HD 4000, and the i5-6500T carries HD Graphics 530. The i5-6500T is marked end-of-life, while the i7-3740QM has no production status recorded. The i7-3740QM released in 2012, the i5-6500T in 2015.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniformly in favor of the Intel Core i7-3740QM. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-3740QM scores 489 against the i5-6500T's 408, a 19.9% advantage. The singlecore R15 test shows 69 versus 57, a 21.1% lead. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore gap remains 19.9% with 2040 versus 1702, and the singlecore test shows 288 versus 240, a 20% difference. Cinebench R23 repeats the pattern: multicore 4859 versus 4054, a 19.9% lead, and singlecore 686 versus 572, also 19.9%. The consistency of the Cinebench margins suggests the i7-3740QM's extra threads directly translate to a stable performance advantage in rendering workloads.

The Geekbench results flip the ranking. The i5-6500T scores 2843 in Geekbench multicore against the i7-3740QM's 1993, a 29.9% lead. In Geekbench singlecore, the i5-6500T posts 1016 versus 599, a 41% advantage. These are substantial margins, far larger than the Cinebench gaps in the opposite direction. The i5-6500T's newer Skylake architecture and higher single-thread efficiency appear to dominate in the Geekbench workload mix. The i7-3740QM's raw thread count does not compensate when the test favors newer instruction execution and memory access patterns.

The aggregate picture: the i7-3740QM wins 6 head-to-head tests, the i5-6500T wins 2. Yet the average benchmark scores are close, 1378 for the i7-3740QM and 1362 for the i5-6500T, a difference of only 1.2% in favor of the older chip. The i7-3740QM's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 with a delta of 0%, and the i5-6500T's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-8365UE with a delta of 0%. Both chips sit in the same overall performance tier despite their different benchmark profiles.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key fields. The i7-3740QM has 8 threads, the i5-6500T has 4. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz versus 2.50 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.70 GHz versus 3.10 GHz, both favoring the i7-3740QM. The i7-3740QM has a 45 W TDP, the i5-6500T a 35 W TDP. Sockets differ: Intel BGA 1224 versus Intel Socket 1151. Architecture and process node differ: Ivy Bridge 22 nm versus Skylake 14 nm. Die size is 160 mm² versus 122 mm². Transistor count is recorded only for the i7-3740QM at 1,400 million; the i5-6500T has no transistor count listed. Memory support is listed only for the i5-6500T (DDR3, DDR4) with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s; the i7-3740QM has no memory support or bandwidth data. The i5-6500T lists PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes; the i7-3740QM has no PCIe data. Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 4000 versus HD Graphics 530. The i5-6500T has a part number SR2L8; the i7-3740QM has none listed. The i5-6500T is end-of-life; the i7-3740QM has no production status. Release dates differ by about three years: 2012 for the i7-3740QM, 2015 for the i5-6500T. Both have 4 cores, 6 MB L3 cache, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, dual-channel memory bus, no ECC support, and a locked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-3740QM has 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-6500T has 4 threads.

Q: Which chip wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core i7-3740QM wins with a score of 4859 versus 4054 for the i5-6500T, a 19.9% lead.

Q: Which chip wins in Geekbench singlecore?

A: The Intel Core i5-6500T wins with a score of 1016 versus 599 for the i7-3740QM, a 41% advantage.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes. Both are at the 36th percentile of all CPUs in the database, and their average benchmark scores are 1378 and 1362, a difference of 1.2%.

Q: What are the TDPs of these two chips?

A: The i7-3740QM has a 45 W TDP, and the i5-6500T has a 35 W TDP.

Q: Do both chips have the same amount of L3 cache?

A: Yes, both have 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3740QM wins in Cinebench rendering workloads. Across R15, R20, and R23, it leads the i5-6500T by roughly 20% in both multicore and singlecore tests. The multicore wins are predictable given its 8 threads versus 4. The singlecore wins are less obvious, as the i7-3740QM has a higher boost clock (3.70 GHz versus 3.10 GHz), which likely explains those margins. This chip is the pick for CPU-bound rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales with thread count and raw clock speed. The data also shows it holds its own in single-threaded Cinebench despite the older architecture.

The Intel Core i5-6500T wins in Geekbench workloads. Its multicore score of 2843 beats the i7-3740QM by 29.9%, and its singlecore score of 1016 beats it by 41%. The newer Skylake architecture and 14 nm process clearly deliver better per-clock performance and memory efficiency. This chip is the pick for general desktop responsiveness, office productivity, web browsing, and applications that rely on single-thread performance or memory bandwidth. The 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth and PCIe Gen 3 support give it a platform advantage for systems using DDR4 memory.

The i7-3740QM wins 6 of 8 benchmarks; the i5-6500T wins 2. Yet the average scores are nearly tied, indicating that the choice depends entirely on the workload. The i7-3740QM is a mobile chip with a higher TDP, the i5-6500T is a desktop chip with a lower TDP. Users with rendering workloads should take the i7-3740QM. Users with general computing tasks modeled by Geekbench should take the i5-6500T. The i5-6500T also has the advantage of being end-of-life but from a newer generation, while the i7-3740QM is older but offers Hyper-Threading. The database shows no meaningful overall winner, only a split by benchmark type.