Intel Core i7-3612QM

The Intel Core i7-3612QM is a mobile processor built for Intel Socket G2 (988B), with 4 cores, 8 threads, a 2.10 GHz base clock, a 3.10 GHz boost clock, and a 35 W TDP. It belongs to the Ivy Bridge / Core i7 generation, packs 1,400 million transistors on a 22 nm process with a 160 mm² die, and includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. Its average benchmark score is 1130, placing it at the 32nd percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Benchmark Performance

The 3612QM posts a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 397 and a singlecore score of 55. In Cinebench R20 it scores 1658 multicore and 233 singlecore. Cinebench R23 shows 3948 multicore and 557 singlecore. Geekbench results are 1691 multicore and 501 singlecore. These are not class-leading numbers; the 32nd percentile puts the chip below the middle of the database.

Aggregate performance is extremely close to its nearest rivals. The Core i7-2720QM averages 1131, which is 0.1% higher. The Core i5-2400 averages 1132, 0.2% higher. The AMD Athlon 300U averages 1133, also 0.2% higher. The Core i3-4370 averages 1127, meaning the 3612QM is 0.2% ahead. With deltas of only 0.1% to 0.2%, the benchmark aggregate treats all five CPUs as effectively equivalent, even though their architectures and market positions differ.

Looking at specific tests, the multi-threaded results are consistently stronger than the single-threaded results. Cinebench R15’s 397 multicore score versus 55 singlecore illustrates a large thread-count advantage. Cinebench R20’s 1658 versus 233 and R23’s 3948 versus 557 follow the same pattern. Geekbench’s 1691 multicore and 501 singlecore show the same direction, though with a smaller gap between the two modes.

How It Compares

Against the Intel Core i7-2720QM, the 3612QM is statistically tied. The i7-2720QM has an average score of 1131 against 1130, a delta of -0.1%. The dataset shows no meaningful performance separation between these two chips.

Against the Intel Core i5-2400, the 3612QM trails by 0.2%. The i5-2400’s average score is 1132, so the gap is negligible for real-world use despite the different socket and platform context.

Against the AMD Athlon 300U, the 3612QM also trails by 0.2%. The Athlon’s 1133 average score is the highest in this rival group, but the margin is still just 0.2%, leaving these two effectively even in aggregate.

Against the Intel Core i3-4370, the 3612QM is ahead by 0.2%. The i3-4370 averages 1127, making it the only rival in this set that the 3612QM out-scores in the overall benchmark average. Again, the margin is tiny.

Power and Thermals

The 3612QM is a 35 W mobile part. That TDP places it in a moderate power class for a quad-core processor, well below high-power desktop designs. The 22 nm Ivy Bridge process and the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics mean a laptop can run display output without a separate GPU. The thermal envelope implied by 35 W is compact: a cooling solution sized for a 35 W mobile processor is the expected tier. There is no thermal data in the package, so the practical sustained behavior depends on the laptop’s cooling design, but the chip itself is not asking for desktop-class power delivery or cooling.

Platform and Compatibility

The 3612QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), a mobile socket. It is part of the Ivy Bridge generation, with the Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) designation. The processor has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The memory bus is dual-channel, and ECC memory is not supported. The available data does not list specific memory types or PCIe details, so those need to be confirmed at the platform level.

The multiplier is locked. The multiplierUnlocked field is false, so manual CPU ratio overclocking is not an expected feature. Upgrade decisions are tied to the G2 socket and Ivy Bridge generation; the dataset does not list drop-in replacement processors. A system built around this chip is limited to what its socket and platform allow.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core i7-3612QM use?

A: It uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), a mobile socket.

Q: How many cores and threads does it have?

A: It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a 2.10 GHz base clock and a 3.10 GHz boost clock.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No. ECC memory is not supported, and the memory bus is dual-channel.

Q: Can the CPU be overclocked?

A: No. The multiplierUnlocked field is false, so manual multiplier overclocking is not expected.

Q: Does it have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics.

Q: How does its average score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: It averages 1130, which is 0.1% below the i7-2720QM’s 1131, 0.2% below the i5-2400’s 1132, 0.2% below the Athlon 300U’s 1133, and 0.2% above the i3-4370’s 1127.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The single-thread scores are 55 in Cinebench R15, 233 in Cinebench R20, 557 in Cinebench R23, and 501 in Geekbench. The multi-thread scores are 397, 1658, 3948, and 1691 in the same tests. The Cinebench family shows a large multi-thread lead over the single-thread result, reflecting the 4-core/8-thread arrangement. The Geekbench multicore score of 1691 is less far above the 501 single-core score, indicating that the magnitude of scaling depends on the test and workload.

This split means the 3612QM is better suited to workloads that can use all eight threads. Heavily threaded rendering and encoding tasks will show a clear gain over single-thread-limited tasks. Lightly threaded workloads rely on the 3.10 GHz boost clock, and with the multiplier locked, that stock single-thread behavior is the ceiling for CPU ratio adjustments.