Intel Core i5-3230M vs Intel Core i7-940XM

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i5-3230M and Intel Core i7-940XM processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps).

Intel Core i5-3230M

Intel Core i7-940XM

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i5-3230M

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 7 month(s) later
Around 5% higher maximum core temperature: 105 °C vs 100°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 45 nm
4x more maximum memory size: 32 GB vs 8 GB
Around 57% lower typical power consumption: 35 Watt vs 55 Watt
Around 39% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1578 vs 1139
Around 16% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2562 vs 2209
Around 12% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 576 vs 516

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	1 January 2013 vs 1 June 2010
Maximum core temperature	105 °C vs 100°C
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 45 nm
Maximum memory size	32 GB vs 8 GB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	35 Watt vs 55 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1578 vs 1139
PassMark - CPU mark	2562 vs 2209
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	576 vs 516

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-940XM

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
4 more threads: 8 vs 4
Around 4% higher clock speed: 3.33 GHz vs 3.20 GHz
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2.7x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 35% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1709 vs 1263

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Number of threads	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	3.33 GHz vs 3.20 GHz
L1 cache	256 KB vs 128 KB
L2 cache	1024 KB vs 512 KB
L3 cache	8196 KB vs 3072 KB
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1709 vs 1263

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i5-3230M
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-940XM

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1578

1139

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2562

2209

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

576

516

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1263

1709

Name	Intel Core i5-3230M	Intel Core i7-940XM
PassMark - Single thread mark	1578	1139
PassMark - CPU mark	2562	2209
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	576	516
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1263	1709
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	5.705
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	6.652
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.233
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.25
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.305
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)	2846
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)	2846

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i5-3230M	Intel Core i7-940XM
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge	Clarksfield
Launch date	1 January 2013	1 June 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$225	$1,096
Place in performance rating	2384	2391
Price now	$249.65
Processor Number	i5-3230M	i7-940XM
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Launched	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	4.65
Vertical segment	Mobile	Mobile
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.60 GHz	2.13 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	118 mm	296 mm2
L1 cache	128 KB	256 KB
L2 cache	512 KB	1024 KB
L3 cache	3072 KB	8196 KB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	105 °C	100°C
Maximum frequency	3.20 GHz	3.33 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	4	8
Front-side bus (FSB)		2500 MHz
Transistor count		774 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB	8 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600	DDR3 1066/1333
Graphics
Device ID	0x166
Graphics base frequency	650 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 4000
Graphics interfaces
CRT
DisplayPort
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported	3
SDVO
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm (rPGA988B)	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCPGA988	PGA988
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	35 Watt	55 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16	16
PCI Express revision	3.0	2
PCIe configurations	1x16, 2x8, 1x8 2x4	1x16, 2x8
Security & Reliability
Anti-Theft technology
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
4G WiMAX Wireless
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® AVX	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® My WiFi technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)