Intel Core i7-3537U vs Intel Core i7-3687U Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits these two Ivy Bridge mobile processors cleanly by workload type. The Intel Core i7-3687U wins five of the seven recorded head-to-head tests, all of them in the Cinebench suite, with margins between 11.4% and 11.9%. The Intel Core i7-3537U counters with two decisive wins in Geekbench, leading by 17.7% in multi-core and 20.1% in single-core. Neither chip escapes the 21st percentile versus all CPUs in the database, so both sit in the lower performance tier overall, but their respective strengths point to different use cases. The i7-3687U is the choice for sustained rendering-style workloads as measured by Cinebench, while the i7-3537U holds the edge in the Geekbench metric, which tends to reflect more varied, latency-sensitive tasks. For users whose software aligns with Cinebench-like threading patterns, the i7-3687U delivers consistently higher scores. For those relying on Geekbench-style general responsiveness, the i7-3537U is the stronger pick.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3687U dominates the Cinebench family of tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 224 versus 201, an 11.4% advantage. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the gap widens slightly to 11.7%, with 937 points against 839. Single-core Cinebench R20 shows an 11.9% lead, 132 to 118. Cinebench R23 multi-core repeats the 11.7% margin, 2231 to 1998, and single-core R23 also matches that 11.7% delta, 315 to 282. This pattern suggests the i7-3687U has a consistent architectural or frequency-driven edge that manifests across every Cinebench iteration, regardless of core count utilization or render complexity.

The i7-3537U wins decisively in Geekbench. Its multi-core score of 1269 eclipses the i7-3687U’s 1044, a 17.7% swing. Single-core Geekbench shows an even larger 20.1% gap, 658 to 526. These are not marginal differences; they are substantial enough to flip the overall average score comparison. The database’s average benchmark score puts the i7-3687U at 773 and the i7-3537U at 766, a difference of less than 1%, which masks the divergent workload-specific outcomes. The i7-3537U also appears in the i7-3687U’s nearest rivals list with a delta of -0.9%, confirming that the aggregate scores are nearly identical, but the underlying test results tell a different story.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental design. They are built on Intel’s 22 nm Ivy Bridge process with a die size of 118 mm², and both use the Intel BGA 1023 socket. Core counts are identical at 2 cores and 4 threads, with the same cache hierarchy: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Integrated graphics are also the same, Intel HD 4000, and memory support is DDR3 in dual-channel configuration. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both are locked multipliers. The part numbers differ, SR0XH for the i7-3687U and SR0XG for the i7-3537U, but the physical design appears otherwise comparable.

The key differentiators are clock speeds. The i7-3687U has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.30 GHz. The i7-3537U lists a base clock of 2000.00 MHz, which is 2.00 GHz, and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The i7-3687U therefore runs 100 MHz higher at base and 100 MHz higher at boost. Both share a 17 W TDP, meaning the i7-3687U achieves its higher clocks within the same thermal envelope. This clock advantage likely explains its consistent Cinebench wins, but it does not explain the Geekbench reversal. The recorded data offers no further architectural differences to account for that split, so the Geekbench results stand as an empirical anomaly relative to the Cinebench pattern, possibly stemming from workload characteristics that the database does not detail.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-3687U has a boost clock of 3.30 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-3537U boosts to 3.20 GHz.

Q: Are the core and thread counts the same?

A: Yes, both have 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: How large is the L3 cache on each?

A: Both share 4 MB of L3 cache, which is shared across the cores.

Q: What is the TDP for these chips?

A: Both are rated at 17 W.

Q: Which chip wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-3687U, with a score of 2231 versus 1998 for the i7-3537U, an 11.7% lead.

Q: Which chip wins in Geekbench single-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-3537U, scoring 658 against 526, a 20.1% advantage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head data is the Geekbench split. The i7-3537U outscores the i7-3687U by 20.1% in single-core Geekbench, 658 to 526, and by 17.7% in multi-core, 1269 to 1044. These are the largest margins in either direction across all seven tests. Given that the i7-3687U has higher base and boost clocks, this outcome contradicts a simple frequency-based expectation. The database shows that the i7-3537U also lists the i7-3687U as a nearest rival with a delta of -0.9%, indicating that on average the two are nearly tied, but the Geekbench tests drive a substantial wedge.

In contrast, the Cinebench results are uniformly in favor of the i7-3687U, with margins that cluster tightly between 11.4% and 11.9%. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3687U scores 224 against 201, an 11.4% win. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 937 versus 839, an 11.7% delta. Single-core R20 delivers the largest Cinebench margin at 11.9%, with 132 points versus 118. Cinebench R23 repeats the 11.7% pattern, both in multi-core (2231 to 1998) and single-core (315 to 282). The consistency of these deltas across different Cinebench versions suggests a stable performance advantage for the i7-3687U in rendering workloads, likely attributable to its higher clocks, but the magnitude of the Geekbench reversal is too large to ignore.

For users deciding between these two, the data implies that the choice hinges on the benchmark suite that best represents their target software. The i7-3687U wins all five Cinebench tests, making it the safer option for CPU-bound render tasks that follow those scaling patterns. The i7-3537U wins both Geekbench tests, which may better reflect general application responsiveness or certain integer-heavy workloads. The aggregate average scores are nearly identical, 773 versus 766, so neither chip offers a global performance advantage. Instead, the recorded wins and deltas define two distinct profiles: the i7-3687U for Cinebench-class throughput, and the i7-3537U for Geekbench-class responsiveness. Both processors occupy the same 21st percentile versus all CPUs, so neither escapes the lower performance tier, but within their shared tier, the benchmark-specific outcomes are clear and reproducible.