Intel Core i7-2760QM
Intel processor specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
IntelIntel Core i7-2760QM Specifications
Core i7-2760QM Core Configuration
Processing cores and threading
The Intel Core i7-2760QM features 4 physical cores and 8 threads, which directly impacts multi-threaded performance in CPU benchmarks. More cores allow the processor to handle parallel workloads efficiently, improving performance in video editing, 3D rendering, and multitasking scenarios. Thread count determines how many simultaneous tasks the CPU can process, with higher thread counts benefiting productivity applications and content creation workflows.
i7-2760QM Clock Speeds
Base and boost frequencies
Clock speed is a critical factor in Core i7-2760QM benchmark performance, measured in GHz. The base clock represents the guaranteed operating frequency, while the boost clock indicates maximum single-core performance under optimal conditions. Higher clock speeds translate to faster single-threaded performance, which is essential for gaming and applications that don't fully utilize multiple cores. The Core i7-2760QM by Intel can dynamically adjust its frequency based on workload and thermal headroom.
Intel's Core i7-2760QM Cache Hierarchy
L1, L2, L3 cache sizes
Cache memory is ultra-fast storage built directly into the i7-2760QM processor die. L1 cache provides the fastest access for frequently used data, while L2 and L3 caches offer progressively larger storage with slightly higher latency. Larger cache sizes significantly improve CPU benchmark scores by reducing memory access times. The Core i7-2760QM's cache configuration is optimized for both gaming performance and productivity workloads, minimizing data fetch delays during intensive computations.
Sandy Bridge Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The Intel Core i7-2760QM is built on Intel's 32 nm manufacturing process, which determines power efficiency and thermal characteristics. Smaller process nodes allow for more transistors in the same space, enabling higher performance per watt. The architecture defines how the processor handles instructions and manages data flow, directly impacting benchmark results across different workload types. Modern CPU architectures like the one in i7-2760QM incorporate advanced branch prediction and out-of-order execution for optimal performance.
Sandy Bridge Instruction Set Features
Supported CPU instructions and extensions
The Core i7-2760QM by Intel supports various instruction set extensions that enable optimized performance for specific workloads. SIMD instructions like SSE and AVX accelerate multimedia, scientific computing, and AI workloads by processing multiple data points simultaneously. Features like AES-NI provide hardware-accelerated encryption, while AVX-512 (if supported) enables advanced vector processing for data centers and high-performance computing. These instruction sets are critical for software compatibility and performance in modern applications.
i7-2760QM Power & Thermal
TDP and power specifications
The Intel Core i7-2760QM has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 45W, indicating the cooling solution required for sustained operation. TDP affects both system power consumption and the type of cooler needed. Lower TDP processors are ideal for compact builds and laptops, while higher TDP chips typically offer better sustained performance in demanding CPU benchmarks. Understanding power requirements helps ensure your system can deliver consistent performance without thermal throttling.
Intel BGA 1224 Platform & Socket
Compatibility information
The Core i7-2760QM uses the Intel BGA 1224 socket, which determines motherboard compatibility. Choosing the right platform is essential for building a system around this processor. The socket type also influences available features like PCIe lanes, memory support, and upgrade paths. When comparing CPU benchmarks, ensure you're looking at processors compatible with your existing or planned motherboard to make informed purchasing decisions.
Intel BGA 1224 Memory Support
RAM compatibility and speeds
Memory support specifications for the i7-2760QM define which RAM types and speeds are compatible. Faster memory can significantly improve CPU benchmark performance, especially in memory-intensive applications and gaming. The memory controller integrated into the Core i7-2760QM determines maximum supported speeds and channels. Dual-channel or quad-channel memory configurations can double or quadruple memory bandwidth, providing noticeable performance gains in content creation and scientific workloads.
Intel's Core i7-2760QM Integrated Graphics
Built-in GPU specifications
The Intel Core i7-2760QM includes integrated graphics, eliminating the need for a dedicated GPU in basic computing scenarios. Integrated graphics are ideal for office productivity, video playback, and light gaming. While not designed for demanding GPU benchmarks, the iGPU in the i7-2760QM provides hardware video encoding and decoding capabilities. This makes the processor suitable for compact builds, HTPCs, and systems where power efficiency is prioritized over gaming performance.
Core i7-2760QM Product Information
Release and pricing details
The Intel Core i7-2760QM is manufactured by Intel and represents their commitment to delivering competitive CPU performance. Understanding the release date and pricing helps contextualize benchmark comparisons with other processors from the same generation. Launch pricing provides a baseline for evaluating value, though street prices often differ. Whether you're building a new system or upgrading, the Core i7-2760QM by Intel offers a specific balance of performance, features, and cost within Intel's product lineup.
Core i7-2760QM Benchmark Scores
cinebench_cinebench_r15_multicoreSource
Cinebench R15 multi-core renders a complex 3D scene using all CPU threads simultaneously. This test reveals how Intel Core i7-2760QM performs in parallel rendering workloads like video production and 3D animation. Higher scores mean faster render times in professional applications.
cinebench_cinebench_r15_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R15 single-core measures the speed of one CPU thread rendering 3D geometry. This score indicates how Intel Core i7-2760QM handles tasks that can't be parallelized across multiple cores. Games and many desktop applications still rely heavily on single-thread performance.
cinebench_cinebench_r20_multicoreSource
Cinebench R20 multi-core uses a scene requiring 4x more computational power than R15. This test better reflects modern CPU capabilities for professional rendering on Intel Core i7-2760QM.
cinebench_cinebench_r20_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R20 single-core tests one thread against a more demanding scene than R15. This reveals the true single-thread rendering capability of Intel Core i7-2760QM.
cinebench_cinebench_r23_multicoreSource
Cinebench R23 multi-core is the current standard for CPU rendering benchmarks with a 10-minute minimum runtime. This extended test reveals sustained performance of Intel Core i7-2760QM after thermal limits kick in.
cinebench_cinebench_r23_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R23 single-core measures sustained single-thread performance over 10 minutes. This reveals how Intel Core i7-2760QM maintains boost clocks under continuous load.
geekbench_multicoreSource
Geekbench multi-core tests Intel Core i7-2760QM across real-world workloads including image processing, machine learning, and data compression. All available threads are utilized to measure parallel performance.
geekbench_singlecoreSource
Geekbench single-core measures how fast one thread of Intel Core i7-2760QM can process tasks like web browsing and document editing. This score correlates with how snappy the system feels during normal use.
About Intel Core i7-2760QM
The Intel Core i7-2760QM is a 4-core, 8-thread mobile processor from Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, built on a 32 nm process. Released in September 2011, it targets the mobile segment with a 45 W TDP, and its benchmark data places it at the 30th percentile among all CPUs, indicating a mid-range standing in the current database landscape.
Benchmark Performance
The Core i7-2760QM’s average benchmark score is 1076, positioning it in a tight cluster of comparable processors. In Cinebench R15, it scores 374 points in multi-core and 52 points in single-core tests. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core score rises to 1561, while single-core reaches 220. In the more demanding Cinebench R23 workload, the processor delivers 3717 multi-core and 524 single-core points. Geekbench results show a multi-core score of 1625 and a single-core score of 534.
These numbers reveal a processor that is competitive with its immediate rivals but does not lead them by a significant margin. The deltaPct values against its nearest rivals are all within 0.2%, meaning performance differences are negligible in aggregate scoring. The i7-2760QM is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-2820QM and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Pentium Gold G6505, while it trails the Intel Core i5-5287U and Intel Core i5-2320 by 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. These sub-percent differences imply that in real-world applications, the user would be hard-pressed to notice any distinction between these chips based on raw computational throughput alone.
The 30th percentile ranking underscores that this processor sits below the majority of CPUs in the database, yet its benchmark scores cluster tightly with four other models, suggesting a plateau of performance rather than a clear hierarchy. The multi-core scores in Cinebench R23 (3717) are roughly seven times higher than the single-core scores (524), which is a typical ratio for a quad-core part with Hyper-Threading, though the absolute values place it firmly in an older generation.
Power and Thermals
The Intel Core i7-2760QM carries a TDP of 45 W, a figure that defines its thermal and power envelope. For a mobile processor from the Sandy Bridge era, this TDP class indicates a performance-oriented laptop chip that requires a cooling solution beyond what a slim ultrabook would offer. A 45 W TDP typically implies a capable air cooler with a heat pipe or a small fan assembly, common in larger 15-inch or 17-inch laptops designed for sustained workloads.
The 32 nm process node and 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die contribute to this power profile. The integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics also draws from the same thermal budget, meaning the total system heat output depends on both CPU and GPU activity. Benchmark results do not isolate thermal throttling behavior, but the data suggests that the processor can sustain its 2.40 GHz base clock under load without exceeding the 45 W envelope. The absence of a multiplier unlock means no user-controlled overclocking headroom, which keeps thermals predictable in a mobile chassis.
Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior
The split between single-thread and multi-thread scores shows a processor optimized for parallel workloads but limited in lightly threaded tasks. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score of 3717 versus the single-core score of 524 yields a ratio of approximately 7.1, which reflects the efficiency of scaling across four physical cores and eight threads. This is a strong scaling result for the architecture, indicating that applications designed to use multiple threads will extract near-linear benefits from the available cores.
However, the single-core scores are modest by modern standards. A score of 524 in Cinebench R23 single-core places it well below contemporary desktop parts, and the 52 points in Cinebench R15 single-core reinforce this. The base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost clock of 3.50 GHz provide a reasonable frequency range, but the Sandy Bridge architecture lacks the instruction-level efficiency of newer designs. For workloads like web browsing, document editing, or light productivity, the single-thread performance will be the limiting factor, while video rendering, batch photo processing, or code compilation will benefit from the multi-thread capability.
The Geekbench scores mirror this: 534 single-core and 1625 multi-core. The multi-core advantage of roughly 3x over single-core indicates that the processor’s strength lies in parallel execution, not in fast single-thread responses. Users running older software that relies on one or two threads will see performance closer to the single-core figures, whereas modern multithreaded applications will approach the multi-core numbers.
How It Compares
Intel Core i7-2820QM: The i7-2760QM is 0.1% ahead of the i7-2820QM in average benchmark score, with 1076 versus 1075. This is a statistical tie. Both are Sandy Bridge mobile quad-cores with similar TDPs, and the benchmark data shows no meaningful performance gap. The i7-2820QM may have different clock bins, but the aggregate scores do not reveal any advantage.
Intel Core i5-5287U: The i5-5287U scores 1078 on average, putting the i7-2760QM 0.1% behind. The i5-5287U is a dual-core part with a lower TDP, yet its benchmark results are virtually identical to the quad-core i7-2760QM. This indicates that the i5-5287U’s newer architecture and higher clocks compensate for fewer cores, making the two chips interchangeable in terms of raw throughput.
Intel Pentium Gold G6505: The Pentium Gold G6505 averages 1074, and the i7-2760QM leads it by 0.2%. The Pentium Gold is a desktop part, but its dual-core design with high clocks manages to keep pace with the older quad-core mobile chip. The benchmark data suggests that for single-thread-heavy tasks, the Pentium Gold may feel snappier, while the i7-2760QM holds an edge in multithreaded scenarios.
Intel Core i5-2320: The i5-2320 scores 1078, placing the i7-2760QM 0.2% behind. The i5-2320 is a desktop quad-core without Hyper-Threading, yet its higher base clocks and thermal headroom allow it to match or slightly exceed the mobile i7. The delta is negligible, but the i5-2320’s desktop platform likely sustains its performance longer under continuous load.
Platform and Compatibility
The Intel Core i7-2760QM uses the Intel BGA 1224 socket, which is a ball-grid array package soldered directly to the motherboard. This means the processor is not user-upgradeable or replaceable, a key limitation for mobile platforms. The architecture is Sandy Bridge, part of the Core i7 generation that launched in 2011, and the process node is 32 nm.
Memory support is dual-channel, though the specific memory types and speeds are not listed in the data. ECC memory is not supported, which is typical for consumer mobile processors. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 3000, providing basic display output without a discrete GPU. PCIe support is not specified, but Sandy Bridge mobile chips generally offered PCIe 2.0 lanes for discrete graphics and other peripherals.
The production status is end-of-life, meaning Intel has discontinued this processor. The launch MSRP is not available, so no pricing data can be stated. The upgrade path for this socket is limited to other BGA 1224 Sandy Bridge parts, but given the end-of-life status, any platform upgrade would require a new motherboard and memory.
FAQ
Q: What is the core and thread count of the Intel Core i7-2760QM?
A: The processor has 4 cores and 8 threads, enabling simultaneous multi-threading for parallel workloads.
Q: How does the i7-2760QM perform in Cinebench R23?
A: It scores 3717 in multi-core and 524 in single-core tests, showing a strong multi-thread scaling ratio of about 7.1.
Q: What is the TDP of this processor?
A: The TDP is 45 W, which is typical for a performance-oriented mobile chip from the Sandy Bridge generation.
Q: Is the i7-2760QM faster than the Intel Core i5-5287U?
A: No, the i5-5287U is 0.1% faster in average benchmark score, with 1078 versus 1076 for the i7-2760QM.
Q: Can this processor be overclocked?
A: No, the multiplier is locked, so the clock speeds are fixed at 2.40 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost.
Q: What integrated graphics does the i7-2760QM include?
A: It includes Intel HD 3000, which provides basic display output and media acceleration without a discrete GPU.
The AMD Equivalent of Core i7-2760QM
Looking for a similar processor from AMD? The AMD Ryzen 7 1700 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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