Intel Core i7-10810U vs Intel Core i7-3930K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-10810U and Intel Core i7-3930K are both six-core, twelve-thread processors, but they represent two entirely different eras and market segments of Intel's lineup. The benchmark data shows a remarkably tight contest between them, with the older desktop part edging out the newer mobile chip in every single Cinebench test. Both CPUs land in the 44th percentile of all processors, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical at 1971 for the 10810U and 1960 for the 3930K. The Core i7-3930K wins all six head-to-head comparisons, but by margins of only about 2%. This is a classic case of a high-power desktop CPU from 2011 holding its own against a low-power mobile chip from 2020, with the verdict depending entirely on platform and power constraints rather than raw performance.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture: the Intel Core i7-3930K is the faster processor in every benchmark recorded, winning all six head-to-head tests. Its margins are slim but consistent, ranging from 1.9% to 2.1% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core workloads. However, the context of these results matters immensely. The 3930K is a desktop part with a 130 W TDP, while the 10810U is a mobile processor with a 25 W TDP. The performance difference is so small that the 10810U represents a far more efficient achievement, delivering nearly identical results at a fraction of the power draw. For a user building a desktop workstation with no power constraints, the 3930K is the straightforward choice because it wins every test. For anyone needing this level of performance in a laptop or a low-power system, the 10810U is the only viable option, and the data shows it loses almost nothing in performance while doing so. The 3930K also offers a quad-channel memory bus and 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, features that the 10810U lacks entirely.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i7-3930K wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, so its "winning" categories are all-encompassing. It leads the 10810U by 2.1% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (701 vs 686), by 2% in R15 single-core (98 vs 96), and by 2% in R20 multi-core (2921 vs 2862). The margins are consistent across all six tests, indicating a uniform advantage in both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads. The 10810U's "win" is not in any benchmark score but in the efficiency and platform characteristics. It operates at a 25 W TDP compared to the 3930K's 130 W, making it suitable for mobile form factors. The 10810U also supports DDR4 memory, whereas the 3930K is limited to DDR3. In terms of raw compute, the 3930K is the clear winner, but the 10810U wins on power efficiency, memory compatibility, and integrated graphics, which the 3930K does not have at all.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from vastly different architectural eras. The Core i7-10810U is built on the Comet Lake architecture (Comet Lake-U codename) using a 14 nm process node from Intel. It features 6 cores and 12 threads with a base clock of 1.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The Core i7-3930K is based on the Sandy Bridge architecture (Sandy Bridge-E codename) on a 32 nm process, also with 6 cores and 12 threads, but with a much higher base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The 3930K's transistor count is listed at 2,270 million on a 435 mm² die, while the 10810U's transistor and die size data are not provided. Both share identical cache configurations: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3 cache. Memory support differs significantly, with the 10810U supporting both DDR3 and DDR4 in dual-channel mode, while the 3930K supports only DDR3 but in quad-channel mode with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The 3930K offers 40 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only), while the 10810U has standard Gen 3 PCIe without a lane count specified. The 10810U includes integrated UHD Graphics; the 3930K has no integrated graphics. The 3930K has an unlocked multiplier, while the 10810U is locked. The 3930K uses the Intel Socket 2011, while the 10810U uses Intel BGA 1440, and the 3930K's launch MSRP was $583.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-3930K wins with a score of 6955, which is 2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-10810U's score of 6816.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both have 6 cores and 12 threads, with identical L1, L2, and L3 cache sizes of 64 KB per core, 256 KB per core, and 12 MB shared, respectively.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two in any benchmark?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the 3930K leads by 2.1% (701 vs 686). All other tests show a difference of 1.9% to 2.0%.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: The Intel Core i7-10810U supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Intel Core i7-3930K only supports DDR3, though it does so in quad-channel configuration.

Q: Does the Core i7-3930K have integrated graphics?

A: No, the 3930K has no integrated graphics, while the 10810U includes UHD Graphics.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The 10810U has an average benchmark score of 1971, while the 3930K has an average of 1960, putting them within 0.6% of each other overall.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent, if narrow, victory for the Intel Core i7-3930K across all six Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 3930K scores 701 against the 10810U's 686, a 2.1% advantage. The single-core R15 test follows the same pattern, with the 3930K at 98 and the 10810U at 96, a 2% difference. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core result is 2921 for the 3930K versus 2862 for the 10810U, again a 2% lead. The R20 single-core test shows 412 versus 404, a 1.9% margin. In the more demanding Cinebench R23, the multi-core scores are 6955 for the 3930K and 6816 for the 10810U, a 2% difference, while single-core results are 981 and 962, respectively, another 1.9% gap. The 3930K also has Geekbench scores of 2991 multi-core and 617 single-core, though the 10810U has no Geekbench entries in this dataset for direct comparison. The cumulative picture is one of near-parity, with the 2011 desktop chip holding a slight but consistent edge over the 2020 mobile chip in every workload tested. The 10810U's higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz versus the 3930K's 3.80 GHz is not enough to overcome the older architecture's higher base clock and desktop-class power delivery.