Intel Core i7-1180G7 vs Intel Core i7-4940MX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a remarkably consistent story: the Intel Core i7-1180G7 wins every single head-to-head comparison, across all six Cinebench tests. There is not a single recorded test where the Intel Core i7-4940MX takes the lead. This is a clean sweep, and the margins are strikingly uniform.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-1180G7 scores 672 against the i7-4940MX's 580, a delta of -13.7% from the perspective of the older chip. The single-core R15 test shows the same pattern: 94 for the newer part versus 81 for the older one, again a -13.8% difference. The consistency of these margins is notable; the performance gap does not widen or shrink dramatically as the workload shifts from single-core to multi-core.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the i7-1180G7 posts 2802 in multicore while the i7-4940MX manages 2418, a -13.7% delta. The single-core R20 numbers are 395 versus 341, also -13.7%. The pattern holds perfectly in Cinebench R23: multicore scores are 6672 for the i7-1180G7 and 5759 for the i7-4940MX, while single-core scores are 942 and 813 respectively, both at -13.7%.

What is most striking is not just that the i7-1180G7 wins, but that it wins by almost exactly the same percentage in every test. Whether the benchmark stresses a single core or all four cores, the relative advantage of the i7-1180G7 remains fixed at roughly 13.7% to 13.8%. This uniformity suggests a fundamental architectural efficiency advantage rather than a workload-specific advantage, a topic explored further in the architecture section below.

The average benchmark score from the database reinforces this gap in the overall standings. The i7-4940MX has an average benchmark score of 1886, placing it in the 43rd percentile of all CPUs. The i7-1180G7 has an average score of 1930, also in the 43rd percentile. Both chips sit at the same percentile overall, yet the newer chip's average is higher by a meaningful margin. The nearest rivals for the i7-4940MX include the Intel Xeon D-1531 with a delta of 0.1%, while the i7-1180G7's closest competitor is the AMD Opteron 6348 with a delta of 0%. This context shows both processors are surrounded by similar-scoring server and desktop parts, but the i7-1180G7 sits slightly higher on the absolute scale.

There are no Geekbench scores recorded for the i7-1180G7 in the head-to-head data, and the i7-4940MX has Geekbench multicore and single-core scores of 3869 and 1227 respectively, but these are absent from the comparison set. The Cinebench family alone fully captures the matchup between these two mobile processors.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the i7-4940MX has no wins in any benchmark. The i7-1180G7 wins all six head-to-head tests, every one of them, by nearly identical margins around 13.7%. The use cases for the older chip are therefore defined by what it cannot do as well, rather than what it beats. For users considering the i7-4940MX, the data indicates it trails in single-core and multi-core performance alike, but it does retain other advantages not measured by Cinebench, such as its unlocked multiplier and its higher TDP of 57 watts, which might suggest sustained performance in a system designed to cool it.

The i7-1180G7, by contrast, wins across the board in the benchmarks recorded. Its advantage in single-core Cinebench R23, 942 versus 813, matters for lightly threaded applications that rely on one or two cores. Its advantage in multicore R23, 6672 versus 5759, matters for fully threaded workloads. Given the uniform deltas, there is no scenario in the data where the older Extreme Edition chip pulls ahead; the i7-1180G7 is consistently faster in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tests.

The i7-4940MX's market segment is mobile, as is the i7-1180G7's, so both are designed for laptop-class systems. But the i7-4940MX has a launch MSRP of $1096, while the i7-1180G7 has a lower launch MSRP of $426, a fact worth noting though prices are not further discussed here. The i7-1180G7 also supports DDR4 memory at a higher bandwidth of 34.0 GB/s, while the i7-4940MX supports DDR3 at 25.0 GB/s, and these memory differences are detailed in the specification section.

The i7-4940MX carries the "Extreme Edition Haswell branding, and its production status is end-of-life. The i7-1180G7 is Tiger Lake-U, also end-of-life. Neither is currently produced. For a user deciding between them, the data points to the i7-1180G7 for any Cinebench-derived performance metric, while the i7-4940MX offers an unlocked multiplier and a different socket and PCIe configuration, which may matter for specific system integration needs.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-1180G7 scores 942, while the Intel Core i7-4940MX scores 813, giving the i7-1180G7 a -13.7% delta advantage over the older chip.

Q: Are there any benchmark tests where the Intel Core i7-4940MX wins?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the i7-1180G7 winning all six Cinebench tests, with the i7-4940MX recording zero wins.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core Cinebench R20?

A: The i7-1180G7 scores 2802, and the i7-4940MX scores 2418, a -13.7% difference favoring the i7-1180G7.

Q: What socket does each processor use?

A: The Intel Core i7-4940MX uses Intel Socket G3, while the Intel Core i7-1180G7 uses Intel BGA 1598.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the i7-4940MX and the i7-1180G7 have ECC memory support set to false.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The i7-4940MX has an average benchmark score of 1886, and the i7-1180G7 has an average of 1930, placing both in the 43rd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked on either processor?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-4940MX has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i7-1180G7 does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The two mobile processors differ across nearly every major specification field. The i7-4940MX has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, while the i7-1180G7 has a base clock of 1300.00 MHz, a much lower figure, and a higher boost of 4.60 GHz boost. The TDPs are very different, 57 watts for the i7-4940MX, while the i7-1180G7 runs at just 9 watts.

The i7-4940MX uses Intel Socket G3, while the i7-1180G7 uses Intel BGA 1598. The memory support differs, DDR3 for the i7-4940MX and LPDDR4X for the i7-1180G7, though both use dual-channel memory buses. Memory bandwidth is 25.6 GB/s for the i7-4940MX; the i7-1180G7 has 34.1 GB/s. PCIe support is Gen 3 with 16 Lanes for the i7-4940MX, and Gen 4 with 4 Lanes for the i7-1180G7.

The integrated graphics differ, Intel HD 4600 for the i7-4940MX, Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU for the i7-1180G7. The i7-4940MX has a launch MSRP of $1096, the i7-1180G7 has a launch MSRP of $426. Multiplier unlocked is true for the i7-4940MX, false for the i7-1180G7. Part numbers are SR1PP for the i7-4940MX, SRK0D for the i7-1180G7. Release dates are 2014-01-19T17:00:00.000Z for the i7-4940MX, 2021-12-30T17:00:00.000Z for the i7-1180G7.

The i7-4940MX has four cores and eight threads, and the i7-1180G7 also has four cores and eight threads, so the core and thread counts are identical. The memory bus width is dual-channel for both. ECC memory is false for both. The market segment is mobile for both. The production status is end-of-life for both. The foundry is Intel for both, Intel and Intel.

Architecture Differences

The i7-4940MX is built on the Haswell architecture, specifically the Core i7 Extreme (Haswell) generation, on a 22 nm process node. It has 1,400 million transistors and a die size of 177 mm². The i7-1180G7 is built on the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically Tiger Lake-U with Willow Cove cores, on a 10 nm process node. Its die size is 144 mm², and no transistor count is recorded for it.

The cache hierarchies are very different. The i7-4940MX has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7-1180G7 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The newer chip has bigger caches at every level, and the L2 cache is notably larger, 1.25 MB per core versus 256 KB per core.

The i7-4940MX's Haswell design uses DDR3 memory with dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i7-1180G7's Tiger Lake design uses LPDDR4X with dual-channel bus and bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, a significantly higher figure. PCIe connectivity differs, Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes for the i7-4940MX versus Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes for the i7-1180G7. The i7-4940MX has integrated graphics in the form of Intel HD 4600, while the i7-1180G7 includes Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU. Integrated graphics are present in both, but the newer chip has a more advanced solution with 96 execution units.

The unlocked multiplier on the i7-4940MX suggests overclocking capability, which is a feature not present in the i7-1180G7, which has a locked multiplier. The process node difference, 22 nm versus 10 nm, is a key architectural divider, and the smaller node likely contributes to the i7-1180G7's 13.7% benchmark advantage across all Cinebench tests. The process node difference, 22 nm versus 10 nm, is a key architectural divider, and the smaller node likely contributes to the i7-1180G7's 13.7% benchmark advantage across all Cinebench tests. The process node difference, 22 nm versus 10 nm, is a key architectural divider, and the smaller node likely contributes to the i7-1180G7's uniform 13.7% benchmark advantage across all Cinebench tests.

The i7-1180G7's 12 MB of shared L3 cache is 4 MB larger than the i7-4940MX's 8 MB, and its 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache dwarfs the older chip's 256 KB per-core L2. The i7-1180G7 differs in that the i7-1180G7 has 1.25 MB L2 per core, while the i7-4940MX has 256 KB L2 per core. The i7-1180G7's memory bandwidth advantage, 34.1 GB/s over 25.6 GB/s, further separates the two, and both have dual-channel memory buses. The i7-4940MX's die size is 177 mm² and the i7-1180G7 is 144 mm².

The Verdict

The verdict from the recorded data is decisive. The Intel Core i7-1180G7 wins every head-to-head benchmark, all six Cinebench tests, every single one of them, by nearly identical margins around 13.7%.

Pick the i7-1180G7 if the Cinebench-rendering workloads matter, and the data shows it is consistently faster in both single-core and multi-core tests. Pick the i7-4940MX if the data indicates a Haswell-era Extreme Edition mobile processor with an unlocked multiplier, an unlocked multiplier, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, and a 57-watt TDP, but its performance lags behind the newer part in every benchmark, so the i7-4940MX is the slower choice in the recorded tests. The i7-4940MX has 4 cores and 8 threads, the i7-1180G7 also has 4 cores and 8 threads, so core counts are equal.

The i7-1180G7's higher average benchmark score of 1930 surpasses the i7-4940MX's 1886 average, and though both sit in the 43rd percentile, the newer chip is ahead in every measured workload. The i7-4940MX's nearest rival, the Intel Xeon D-1531, is within 0.1%, while the i7-1180G7's nearest rival, the AMD Opteron 6348, is at 0%, placing both chips among similar-scoring server-class parts. The i7-1180G7 wins in the data, and the i7-4940MX, with zero wins, trails in all comparisons. For the user, the choice is clear: the i7-1180G7 is the faster part in every benchmark recorded, so choose it for performance, while the i7-4940MX's only advantages are its unlocked multiplier and its larger TDP envelope, not its benchmark scores.