Intel Core i7-980 vs Intel Core i3-3120ME

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CPU comparison with benchmarks


Intel Core i7-980 CPU1 vs CPU2 Intel Core i3-3120ME
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i3-3120ME

CPU comparison

In this CPU comparison, we compare the Intel Core i7-980 and the Intel Core i3-3120ME and use benchmarks to check which processor is faster.

We compare the Intel Core i7-980 6 core processor released in Q2/2011 with the Intel Core i3-3120ME which has 2 CPU cores and was introduced in Q3/2012.
Intel Core i7 (298) Family Intel Core i3 (205)
Intel Core i7 900 (4) CPU group Intel Core i 3000M (29)
1 Generation 3
Gulftown Architecture Ivy Bridge H
Desktop / Server Segment Mobile
-- Predecessor --
-- Successor --

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-980 is a 6 core processor with a clock frequency of 3.33 GHz (3.60 GHz). The processor can compute 12 threads at the same time. The Intel Core i3-3120ME clocks with 2.40 GHz, has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.

Intel Core i7-980 Characteristic Intel Core i3-3120ME
6 Cores 2
12 Threads 4
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
No Overclocking ? No
3.33 GHz Frequency 2.40 GHz
3.60 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 Core) --
-- Turbo Frequency (All Cores) --

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. Algorithms for ML improve their performance the more data they have collected via software. ML tasks can be processed up to 10,000 times faster than with a classic processor.

Intel Core i7-980 Characteristic Intel Core i3-3120ME
-- AI hardware --
-- AI specifications --

Internal Graphics

Graphics (iGPU) integrated into the processor not only enable image output without having to rely on a dedicated graphics solution, but can also efficiently accelerate video playback.

no iGPU GPU Intel HD Graphics 4000
GPU frequency 0.65 GHz
-- GPU (Turbo) 0.90 GHz
-- GPU Generation 7
Technology 22 nm
Max. displays 3
-- Compute units 16
-- Shader 128
No Hardware Raytracing No
No Frame Generation No
-- Max. GPU Memory 2 GB
-- DirectX Version 11.0

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.

no iGPU GPU Intel HD Graphics 4000
No Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
No Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
No Codec h264 Decode / Encode
No Codec VP9 No
No Codec VP8 No
No Codec AV1 No
No Codec AVC Decode / Encode
No Codec VC-1 Decode
No Codec JPEG Decode

Memory & PCIe

Up to 24 GB of memory in a maximum of 3 memory channels is supported by the Intel Core i7-980, while the Intel Core i3-3120ME supports a maximum of 16 GB of memory with a maximum memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s enabled.

Intel Core i7-980 Characteristic Intel Core i3-3120ME
DDR3-1066 Memory DDR3-1600
24 GB Max. Memory 16 GB
3 Memory channels 2 (Dual Channel)
25.6 GB/s Max. Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
No ECC Yes
1.50 MB L2 Cache --
12.00 MB L3 Cache 3.00 MB
-- PCIe version 2.0
-- PCIe lanes 16
-- PCIe Bandwidth 8.0 GB/s

Thermal Management

The Intel Core i7-980 has a TDP of 130 W. The TDP of the Intel Core i3-3120ME is 35 W. System integrators use the TDP of the processor as a guide when dimensioning the cooling solution.

Intel Core i7-980 Characteristic Intel Core i3-3120ME
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 35 W
-- TDP (PL2) --
-- TDP up --
-- TDP down --
-- Tjunction max. 105 °C

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-980 has 13.50 MB cache and is manufactured in 32 nm. The cache of Intel Core i3-3120ME is at 3.00 MB. The processor is manufactured in 22 nm.

Intel Core i7-980 Characteristic Intel Core i3-3120ME
32 nm Technology 22 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
LGA 1366 Socket BGA 1023
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
No AES-NI Yes
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Q2/2011 Release date Q3/2012
594 $ Release price --
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Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 2 CPU benchmarks
Intel Core i7-980 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME (71%)
⌀ Multi core performance in 3 CPU benchmarks
Intel Core i7-980 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME (29%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.60 GHz
614 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
462 (75%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.33 GHz
3370 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
1055 (31%)

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.60 GHz
645 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
424 (66%)

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.33 GHz
2714 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
846 (31%)

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.33 GHz
6895 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
1629 (24%)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
@ 0.00 GHz
0 (0%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
Intel HD Graphics 4000 @ 0.90 GHz
230 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.
Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i7-980
6C 12T @ 3.33 GHz
2275 (100%)
Intel Core i3-3120ME Intel Core i3-3120ME
2C 4T @ 2.40 GHz
0 (0%)

Devices using this processor

Intel Core i7-980 Intel Core i3-3120ME
Unknown Unknown

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