Intel Core i7-2670QM vs Intel Core i7-2710QE Comparison

The Intel Core i7-2710QE and Intel Core i7-2670QM are two nearly identical mobile processors from Intel’s Sandy Bridge generation. Both are 4-core, 8-thread parts with a 45 W TDP, and the benchmark data confirms they are statistical twins in most workloads. However, the 2710QE consistently edges out the 2670QM across every Cinebench test in the head-to-head comparison, while the 2670QM has additional Geekbench results that show a different side of its performance profile. The following analysis breaks down where each chip holds an advantage, what architectural differences exist, and which processor is the better pick based strictly on the available numbers.

Where Each One Wins

The data presents a clear split: the Intel Core i7-2710QE wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the Cinebench suite, while the Intel Core i7-2670QM has no head-to-head wins at all. That is a 5-0 shutout in the official comparison. The 2710QE takes the Cinebench R15 multicore test with a score of 321 versus 320, a 0.3% lead. The margin widens slightly in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the 2710QE scores 1338 against 1334, again a 0.3% difference. The single-core R20 test is a dead tie at 188 for both chips, though the tie is awarded to the 2710QE in the data.

For users focused purely on Cinebench workloads, the 2710QE is the consistent, if marginal, victor. However, the 2670QM has its own claim to relevance: it is the only one of the two with Geekbench results in the FACT PACK. The 2670QM scores 1646 in Geekbench multicore and 556 in Geekbench singlecore. Since no Geekbench scores are listed for the 2710QE, the 2670QM wins this category by default — it is the only chip with data to show. This makes the 2670QM the better choice for anyone whose workflow relies on Geekbench as a primary metric, simply because the data exists and demonstrates a functional level of performance.

The use-case split is therefore about benchmark coverage rather than raw dominance. In the shared Cinebench tests, the 2710QE is ahead in every instance, but the margins are razor-thin — never exceeding 0.3%. In the Geekbench tests, the 2670QM stands alone, with multicore performance of 1646 and singlecore performance of 556. For a mixed workload that includes both Cinebench and Geekbench, the 2670QM offers measurable data in both categories, whereas the 2710QE only has Cinebench numbers.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on the same Sandy Bridge architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 32 nm process node at Intel’s own foundry. The transistor count is identical at 1,160 million, and the die size is the same 216 mm². The cache hierarchy is also identical: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, support no ECC memory, and integrate Intel HD 3000 graphics. The socket is the same Intel Socket G2 (988B), and both have a 45 W TDP.

The core and thread counts match at 4 cores and 8 threads. The base clocks differ slightly: the 2710QE runs at 2.10 GHz, while the 2670QM runs at 2.20 GHz. The boost clocks also differ, with the 2710QE boosting to 3.00 GHz and the 2670QM boosting to 3.10 GHz. This gives the 2670QM a 0.10 GHz advantage in both base and boost clock speeds. Despite this higher clock speed, the 2710QE still wins every Cinebench test in the head-to-head comparison, suggesting that factors other than raw clock rate — possibly binning or thermal behavior — play a role in the results.

Both chips are end-of-life products, and neither has a launch MSRP listed in the data. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is off the table for both. The part numbers differ: the 2710QE carries part number SR02T, while the 2670QM carries SR02N. The 2670QM was released later, on 2011-10-11, whereas the 2710QE’s release date is 2011-01-02. Both are classified as mobile market segments and belong to the same Core i7 (Sandy Bridge) generation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the 2710QE scores 321 against the 2670QM’s 320, a 0.3% delta. The R20 multicore test shows the same pattern: 1338 for the 2710QE versus 1334 for the 2670QM, again a 0.3% lead. The R20 singlecore test is an exact tie at 188, with the win awarded to the 2710QE at a 0% delta. The R23 multicore test gives the 2710QE a 3186 score versus 3177 for the 2670QM, another 0.3% margin. Finally, the R23 singlecore test shows 449 against 448, a 0.2% lead for the 2710QE.

The biggest win for the 2710QE is in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the 4-point difference (1338 vs 1334) translates to a 0.3% delta. The same 0.3% delta appears in R15 multicore and R23 multicore. The smallest win is in R23 singlecore, where the 1-point difference (449 vs 448) yields a 0.2% delta. The only non-win is the R20 singlecore tie at 188.

For the 2670QM, the only available comparable data outside the head-to-head is Geekbench. The multicore score of 1646 and singlecore score of 556 are not directly compared against the 2710QE, so there is no delta percentage to report. However, these numbers provide a baseline for single-threaded and multi-threaded performance in a different benchmark suite. The average benchmark score for both chips is identical at 1096, and both sit at the 31st percentile among all CPUs. The nearest rival outside these two is the Intel Core i5-3470S, which scores 1095 on average, a 0.1% delta — meaning these two i7 parts are effectively inseparable from that i5 as well.

The Verdict

The data makes one thing clear: these two processors are nearly interchangeable in performance. The Intel Core i7-2710QE wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the largest margin is only 0.3%. In practical terms, a 4-point difference on a 1338-point score is within the noise of benchmark variance. The 2710QE is the safer pick for anyone who prioritizes Cinebench R15, R20, or R23 results, because it is ahead in every single one of those tests.

The Intel Core i7-2670QM, however, offers something the 2710QE does not: Geekbench data. With a multicore score of 1646 and a singlecore score of 556, it provides measurable performance in a benchmark that the 2710QE lacks entirely. If a user’s workflow or software ecosystem relies on Geekbench as the standard metric, the 2670QM is the only one of the two that can be evaluated at all.

From a pure specification standpoint, the 2670QM has the higher base clock (2.20 GHz vs 2.10 GHz) and the higher boost clock (3.10 GHz vs 3.00 GHz). Yet the 2710QE still wins all Cinebench tests. This suggests that the 2710QE’s performance is not strictly clock-bound, or that the benchmark results reflect a different silicon bin. Both chips share the same architecture, cache, TDP, and socket, so the choice comes down to benchmark coverage versus consistent, if marginal, Cinebench superiority.

The verdict is straightforward: choose the 2710QE if you want the chip that wins every shared test, even by a hair. Choose the 2670QM if you value having Geekbench results available, or if you prefer the higher clock speeds on paper. For anyone else, the two are effectively the same processor with different part numbers — SR02T for the 2710QE and SR02N for the 2670QM — and the benchmark data supports that conclusion.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-2670QM has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz.

Q: How many wins does the 2710QE have over the 2670QM in head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The 2710QE wins all 5 head-to-head benchmarks listed, with the 2670QM winning 0.

Q: What is the largest performance delta between the two processors?

A: The largest delta is 0.3%, appearing in Cinebench R15 multicore, R20 multicore, and R23 multicore, all in favor of the 2710QE.

Q: Are there any Geekbench scores for the 2710QE?

A: No, the FACT PACK only lists Geekbench scores for the 2670QM, which are 1646 for multicore and 556 for singlecore.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for both processors?

A: Both the 2710QE and the 2670QM have an identical average benchmark score of 1096.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, both the 2710QE and the 2670QM have ECC memory support set to false.

Q: What is the process node for both chips?

A: Both processors are built on a 32 nm process node by Intel, with 1,160 million transistors and a 216 mm² die size.