Intel Core i7-2715QE vs Intel Core i7-4600U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-2715QE and Intel Core i7-4600U represent two different philosophies for mobile computing: one prioritizes raw throughput with a quad-core design, while the other focuses on efficiency with a dual-core, higher-clocked architecture. The benchmark data shows a clear, consistent winner across all measured tests, yet the underlying specifications reveal a more complex story about intended use cases. This analysis compares the two based solely on the provided data, examining their performance deltas, architectural foundations, and specification differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-2715QE wins all five shared benchmark comparisons, with a remarkably consistent margin of victory. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the i7-2715QE scores 275 against the i7-4600U’s 232, a delta of 18.5%. This pattern repeats across the entire Cinebench suite, suggesting a uniform performance advantage rather than a workload-specific anomaly.

The Cinebench R20 multi-core results show the i7-2715QE at 1149 points, compared to 968 for the i7-4600U, representing an 18.7% advantage. The single-core R20 test tells a similar story, with the i7-2715QE scoring 162 versus 136, a 19.1% lead. This is notable because the i7-4600U has a higher boost clock of 3.30 GHz compared to the i7-2715QE’s 3.00 GHz, yet the older Sandy Bridge part still manages to outperform in single-threaded workloads.

The most recent benchmarks, Cinebench R23, reinforce the trend. The i7-2715QE achieves 2737 multi-core points, while the i7-4600U manages 2306, an 18.7% difference. In single-core R23, the scores are 386 and 325, respectively, a gap of 18.8%. These near-identical deltas across different Cinebench versions indicate that the performance difference is structural, rooted in core count and architecture efficiency, rather than a quirk of any particular test version.

It is importantly the i7-4600U has additional Geekbench scores not shared with the i7-2715QE: 1664 multi-core and 889 single-core. Since the i7-2715QE has no corresponding Geekbench data, these cannot be compared directly. However, they provide context for the i7-4600U’s overall profile, placing it in the 25th percentile of all CPUs, the same percentile as the i7-2715QE.

The average benchmark score for the i7-2715QE is 942, while the i7-4600U averages 931. The nearest rivals for the i7-2715QE include the Intel Core i3-8145U at 941 (0.1% ahead) and the AMD Athlon X4 860K at 943 (0.1% behind). The i7-4600U’s rivals include the Intel Core i7-870 at 928 (0.3% ahead) and the Intel Core i5-4288U at 927 (0.4% ahead). These close margins suggest both processors sit in a crowded mid-range performance band.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the Intel Core i7-2715QE is the clear performance winner. It leads in every shared test by approximately 18-19%, a substantial margin that holds across both multi-core and single-core workloads. This consistency makes the verdict straightforward: if raw processing power is the sole criterion, the i7-2715QE is the superior choice.

However, the data also reveals that the i7-4600U is not without merits, though not in performance. Its 15W TDP versus the i7-2715QE’s 45W TDP indicates a fundamentally different power envelope. The i7-4600U is designed for ultra-portable devices where battery life and thermal management take precedence over peak performance. The i7-2715QE, with its higher TDP, is suited for larger laptops or mobile workstations that can accommodate greater heat dissipation.

The percentile ranking is identical at 25% for both processors, meaning they are positioned similarly relative to the broader CPU landscape. Yet their nearest rivals differ, with the i7-2715QE competing against other quad-core or efficient dual-core parts, while the i7-4600U sits alongside older desktop and ultra-low-power mobile chips. This suggests that while their overall standing is comparable, the i7-2715QE achieves it through brute force, whereas the i7-4600U relies on efficiency.

For a user who prioritizes benchmark scores and multi-threaded applications, the i7-2715QE is the logical pick. For a user who prioritizes portability and battery life, the i7-4600U’s lower TDP makes it the pragmatic choice, even with its performance deficit. The data does not support a single universal winner; it supports a decision based on the user’s hardware priorities.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-2715QE wins in all measurable performance categories. Its four cores and eight threads provide a significant advantage in multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by the 18.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Even in single-threaded tests, where the i7-4600U’s higher boost clock might be expected to help, the i7-2715QE still leads by 18.8%, indicating that its architecture is more efficient per clock cycle.

The i7-4600U wins in efficiency metrics, though these are not directly benchmarked. Its 15W TDP is one-third of the i7-2715QE’s 45W, making it suitable for fanless or passively cooled designs. The i7-4600U also has a smaller die size at 118 mm² versus 216 mm², despite having more transistors (1,300 million versus 1,160 million), which points to a denser, more modern manufacturing process at 22 nm versus 32 nm.

In practical terms, the i7-2715QE is the choice for compute-intensive tasks like video rendering, software compilation, or scientific simulations. The i7-4600U is the choice for everyday productivity, web browsing, and office applications where sustained performance is less critical than battery endurance. The 18-19% performance gap is meaningful, but it comes at the cost of three times the thermal design power.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-2715QE, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2737 compared to the i7-4600U’s 2306, an 18.7% advantage.

Q: Is the i7-4600U faster in single-core tests?

A: No. Despite a higher boost clock of 3.30 GHz, the i7-4600U scores 325 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the i7-2715QE scores 386, an 18.8% lead for the i7-2715QE.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: The i7-2715QE has a TDP of 45W, while the i7-4600U has a TDP of 15W, making the i7-4600U significantly more power-efficient.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-2715QE has an average benchmark score of 942, while the i7-4600U averages 931, a difference of 11 points.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The i7-2715QE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-4600U has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Do they share the same memory support?

A: No. The i7-4600U supports DDR3 memory, while memory support is not specified for the i7-2715QE in the data.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is generational and fundamental. The i7-2715QE is built on Sandy Bridge, a 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The i7-4600U uses Haswell-ULT, a 22 nm process with 1,300 million transistors on a much smaller 118 mm² die. This process shrink allows the i7-4600U to pack more transistors into half the die area, enabling its low power consumption.

The cache hierarchies also differ. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. However, the i7-2715QE has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-4600U has only 4 MB. This larger L3 cache on the i7-2715QE likely contributes to its performance lead, providing more room for frequently accessed data.

The integrated graphics differ as well: the i7-2715QE features Intel HD 3000, while the i7-4600U features Intel HD 5000. The newer HD 5000 is generally more capable, but no graphics benchmarks are provided in the data. Both processors use different sockets—BGA 1023 for the i7-2715QE and BGA 1168 for the i7-4600U—meaning they are not interchangeable in the same motherboard.

The i7-2715QE was released in early 2011 and is marked as end-of-life, while the i7-4600U was released in late 2013 with no production status specified. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers, indicating they are not aimed at overclocking enthusiasts.

Specification Differences

The most glaring specification difference is core count: the i7-2715QE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-4600U has 2 cores and 4 threads. This directly explains the multi-core performance gap. The boost clocks differ, with the i7-4600U reaching 3.30 GHz versus the i7-2715QE’s 3.00 GHz, yet this does not translate into a single-core win for the i7-4600U.

The TDP difference is substantial: 45W for the i7-2715QE versus 15W for the i7-4600U. This is the defining trade-off between the two. The process node differs (32 nm versus 22 nm), and the transistor counts and die sizes reflect this generational improvement. The i7-4600U’s die is 118 mm², nearly half the i7-2715QE’s 216 mm², despite having more transistors.

The L3 cache is 6 MB on the i7-2715QE and 4 MB on the i7-4600U. Memory support is listed as DDR3 for the i7-4600U, while the i7-2715QE has no specified memory support. The sockets are different (BGA 1023 versus BGA 1168), and the integrated graphics are different (HD 3000 versus HD 5000). The release dates are separated by over two years, with the i7-2715QE launching first. Neither processor has a launch MSRP listed, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.