Intel Core i7-2675QM vs Intel Core i7-5650U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors into clearly different roles. The Intel Core i7-5650U wins on Geekbench workloads, while the Intel Core i7-2675QM dominates Cinebench tests. That is not a trivial split; it reflects what each chip was designed to do.

The Core i7-5650U takes the Geekbench single-core test by a massive 131.3% margin, scoring 960 against the 2675QM's 415. In Geekbench multi-core, the 5650U scores 1854 versus 1301, a 42.5% advantage. These are not small gaps. The 5650U is decisively ahead in workloads that favor fewer threads and higher per-core efficiency, which aligns with its role as a low-power part built for responsiveness in everyday tasks.

The Core i7-2675QM answers back in every Cinebench test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3118 versus 2542, a consistent 18.5% lead. The same margin appears across Cinebench R15 multi-core (314 versus 256) and Cinebench R20 multi-core (1309 versus 1067). Even in Cinebench single-core tests, the 2675QM leads by 18.5% in R20 and 18.6% in R23. That is unusual: older architectures typically lose single-core comparisons to newer ones, but here the 2675QM's higher boost clock and different design win out in these specific tests.

So the practical split is this: if the workload is built around Geekbench-style integer and floating point operations, the 5650U is the stronger part. If the workload is Cinebench-style rendering, the 2675QM is faster across the board, including single-threaded runs. Both chips sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same overall performance tier despite their very different strengths.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every fundamental specification. The Core i7-5650U is a 2-core, 4-thread part, while the Core i7-2675QM doubles that to 4 cores and 8 threads. Both share a 2.20 GHz base clock, but the 5650U boosts to 3.20 GHz versus 3.10 GHz for the 2675QM.

Power draw separates them sharply. The 5650U carries a 15 W TDP, while the 2675QM draws 45 W. That is a 30 W difference, and it explains why the 5650U is the more portable-friendly option while the 2675QM is built for heavier sustained loads.

The process nodes belong to different eras. The 5650U is built on Intel's 14 nm process with 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die. The 2675QM uses 32 nm with 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The newer process packs more transistors into a smaller area, which is typical of the generational jump from Sandy Bridge to Broadwell.

Cache configurations also differ. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the 5650U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache while the 2675QM has 6 MB. The older chip has more last-level cache despite its larger transistors.

Memory support is not fully specified for the 2675QM in the database, but the 5650U supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and a 29.9 GB/s memory bandwidth. The 2675QM also uses dual-channel memory, though its bandwidth figure is not recorded. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The 5650U ships with Intel HD 6000, while the 2675QM has Intel HD 3000. The 5650U also has a PCIe Gen 2, 12-lane CPU connection, while the 2675QM's PCIe configuration is not recorded. Both are mobile parts, both are end-of-life, and both have locked multipliers. The 5650U launched with a $426 MSRP; the 2675QM has no recorded launch price.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-5650U scores 1854 in Geekbench multi-core, which is 42.5% ahead of the Core i7-2675QM's 1301.

Q: Why does the Core i7-2675QM win Cinebench tests despite being older?

A: The 2675QM has 4 cores and 8 threads versus 2 cores and 4 threads on the 5650U, and its Cinebench scores are consistently 18.5% higher across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests. It also leads in single-core Cinebench runs by 18.5% to 18.6%.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The 5650U has a 15 W TDP, while the 2675QM has a 45 W TDP. The 2675QM draws three times as much power.

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

A: No. The 5650U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the 2675QM has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The 2675QM has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 5650U has 4 MB. Both use 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Q: What process nodes are these chips built on?

A: The 5650U uses Intel's 14 nm process, while the 2675QM uses Intel's 32 nm process. The 5650U packs 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die, and the 2675QM has 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win belongs to the Core i7-5650U in Geekbench single-core. Its 960 score crushes the 2675QM's 415, a 131.3% delta. That is more than double the performance, and it is the clearest signal in the entire comparison that the 5650U has superior per-thread execution in this workload. The Geekbench multi-core result reinforces the point, with the 5650U at 1854 versus 1301, a 42.5% lead.

The Core i7-2675QM's biggest win is less dramatic in percentage terms but consistent across every Cinebench test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 2675QM scores 3118 against 2542, an 18.5% advantage. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the same 18.5% gap: 1309 versus 1067. Cinebench R15 multi-core repeats the pattern at 314 versus 256, also 18.5%.

What stands out is the single-core Cinebench results. The 2675QM leads Cinebench R20 single-core at 184 versus 150, an 18.5% gap, and Cinebench R23 single-core at 440 versus 358, an 18.6% gap. This runs counter to the Geekbench single-core result, where the 5650U dominates. The explanation lies in the benchmark designs: Cinebench R15 and R20 are rendering workloads that scale with core count, and the 2675QM's extra cores and threads provide a structural advantage. The 5650U's higher boost clock of 3.12 GHz does not translate into a win here, and the 3.10 GHz 2675QM wins these specific tests.

The data shows a tie in overall database percentile ranking: both chips sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs. Their average benchmark scores are close, 1027 for the 5650U and 1012 for the 2675QM, a difference of about 1.5%. The 5650U's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B at an identical 1027 average score with a 0% delta, followed by the Intel Core i3-4340 at 1026 and the Intel Processor N150 at 1025. The 2675QM's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon W5580 at 1012, with the Intel Core i5-2300 at 1014, the Intel Core i3-7100H at 1009, and the Intel Processor N100 at 1007 nearby.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is a study in Intel's transition from Sandy Bridge to Broadwell. The 2675QM is a Sandy Bridge part, built on a 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors and a 216 mm² die. The 5650U is Broadwell-U, built on a 14 nm process with 1,900 million transistors and a 133 mm² die. The die size shrinks by 83 mm² even as transistor count rises by 740 million, a direct illustration of the density improvement from the process shrink.

Core counts differ fundamentally. The 5650U is a dual-core with Hyper-Threading, giving 4 threads. The 2675QM is a quad-core with Hyper-Threading, giving 8 threads. That is the primary reason the 2675QM wins multi-threaded Cinebench tests: it has twice the physical cores and twice the threads.

Cache hierarchies share the same per-core L1 and L2 sizes, 64 KB and 256 KB respectively, but diverge at L3. The 5650U has 4 MB shared, while the 2675QM has 6 MB shared. The older chip has 50% more last-level cache, which may help in certain cache-sensitive workloads, though the benchmark results do not show a clear advantage from it.

The integrated graphics differ by two generations. The 5650U includes Intel HD 6000, while the 2675QM includes Intel HD 3000. The database does not provide graphics benchmarks, but the generation gap suggests the 5650U's iGPU is more capable for media tasks. The 5650U also supports DDR3 memory with a recorded 29.9 GB/s bandwidth on a dual-channel bus. The 2675QM's memory bandwidth is not recorded, but it also uses dual-channel memory. Neither chip supports ECC.

The 5650U has a PCIe Gen 2, 12-lane CPU connection, while the 2675QM's PCIe configuration is not specified. Both are mobile processors, both are end-of-life, and both lack unlocked multipliers. The 5650U's 15 W TDP versus the 2675QM's 45 W TDP is the most practical architectural difference: the 5650U is designed for thin-and-light systems, while the 2675QM is built for larger laptops with more cooling headroom. The 5650U reaches a higher boost clock of 3.20 GHz against the 2675QM's 3.10 GHz, but the 2675QM's extra cores and cache give it the edge in rendering-style workloads, while the 5650U's newer architecture and higher boost win Geekbench.