CPU benchmarks
This chart comparing CPU benchmarks is made using thousands of PerformanceTestbenchmark results and is updated daily. The CPU you selected has been found and highlighted from amongst the high, medium and low end CPU charts. If you would like to select a different CPU type please return to the CPU List.
Benchmark Results
CPU Mark
AMD FX-8150 - 3.6GHz - 8MB L2 - 8MB L3
vs
Intel Core i7 2600K - 3.4GHz - 1MB L2 - 8MB L3
Intel Core i7-2960XM @ 2.70GHz
Intel Core i7-2860QM @ 2.50GHz
Intel Core i7-2760QM @ 2.40GHz
Intel Core i7-2820QM @ 2.30GHz
Intel Core i7-2920XM @ 2.50GHz
Intel Core i7-2720QM @ 2.20GHz
Intel Core i7-2670QM @ 2.20GHz
Intel Core i7-2675QM @ 2.20GHz
Intel Core i7-2630QM @ 2.00GHz
Intel Core i7-2635QM @ 2.00GHz
Intel Core2 Extreme X9770 @ 3.20GHz
Intel Core2 Extreme X9750 @ 3.16GHz
AMD Athlon II X4 651 Quad-Core
Intel Core2 Extreme X9650 @ 3.00GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9650 @ 3.00GHz
AMD Athlon II X4 631 Quad-Core
Intel Core2 Quad Q9550 @ 2.83GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9450 @ 2.66GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9505 @ 2.83GHz
Intel Core2 Extreme X9775 @ 3.20GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9500 @ 2.83GHz
AMD Athlon II X4 641 Quad-Core
Intel Core2 Extreme Q6850 @ 3.00GHz
Intel Core2 Extreme Q9300 @ 2.53GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 @ 2.66GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9300 @ 2.50GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q8300 @ 2.50GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9100 @ 2.26GHz
Intel Core2 Extreme Q6800 @ 2.93GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q6700 @ 2.66GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q8200 @ 2.33GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q9000 @ 2.00GHz
Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
Intel Core i7-2655LE @ 2.20GHz
Copyright Passmark 2012
High End CPUs - Updated 14th of April 2012
Price (USD)
14,044
10,544
10,383
Benchmark
Rating
10,374
10,337
SYSMark 2012 - Overall
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - Office Productivity
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - Media Creation
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - Web Development
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - Data/Financial Analysis
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - 3D Modeling
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2012 - System Management
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2007 - Overall
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2007 - Productivity
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2007 - E-Learning
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2007 - Video Creation
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
SYSMark 2007 - 3D
Score in SYSMarks - Higher is Better
Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Retouch Artists Speed Test
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
DivX 6.8.5 Encode (Xmpeg 5.0.3)
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
x264 HD Encode Test - 1st pass - x264 0.59.819
Frames Per Second - Higher is Better
x264 HD Encode Test - 2nd pass - x264 0.59.819
Frames Per Second - Higher is Better
Windows Media Encoder 9 x64
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc 3dsmax 8 CPU Test
CPU Rendering Composite Score - Higher is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - Radiosity
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - Throne Shadowmap
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - CBALLS2
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - SinglePipe2
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - Underwater
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - SpaceFlyby
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
3dsmax r9 - SPECapc - UnderwaterEscape
Render Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
Cinebench R10 - Single Threaded Benchmark
Score in CBMarks - Higher is Better
Cinebench R10 - Multi-Threaded Benchmark
Score in CBMarks - Higher is Better
POV-Ray 3.7 beta 23 - SMP Benchmark
CPU Score in PPS - Higher is Better
Par2 - Multi-Threaded par2cmdline 0.4
Time to Recover 57.2MB from 707.5MB Archive in Seconds - Lower is Better
Blender 2.48a Character Render
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
Microsoft Excel 2007 SP1 - Monte Carlo Simulation
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
WinRAR 3.8 Compression - 300MB Archive
Time in Seconds - Lower is Better
Cinebench 11.5 - Single Threaded
Score in CBMarks - Higher is Better
Cinebench 11.5 - Multi-Threaded
Score in CBMarks - Higher is Better
x264 HD Benchmark - 1st pass - v3.03
Frames per Second - Higher is Better
x264 HD Benchmark - 2nd pass - v3.03
Frames per Second - Higher is Better
7-zip Benchmark
32MB Dictionary - Total MIPS - Higher is Better
Build Chromium Project - Visual Studio 2010
Compile Time in Minutes - Lower is Better
Dragon Age Origins - 1680 x 1050 - Max Settings (no AA/Vsync)
Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Dawn of War II - 1680 x 1050 - Ultra Settings
Frames per Second - Higher is Better
World of Warcraft
FRAPS Runthrough - FPS - Higher is Better
Starcraft 2
1024 x 768 - Medium Graphics, Ultra CPU Settings
Rage vt_benchmark - 1920 x 1200
Time in Seconds to Transcode Textures - Max Threads - Lower is Better
Metro 2033 Frontline Benchmark - 1024 x 768 - DX11 High Quality
Average Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Metro 2033 Frontline Benchmark - 1920 x 1200 - DX11 High Quality
Average Frames per Second - Higher is Better
DiRT 3 - Aspen Benchmark - 1024 x 768 Low Quality
Average Frames per Second - Higher is Better
DiRT 3 - Aspen Benchmark - 1920 x 1200 High Quality
Average Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Crysis Warhead Assault Benchmark - 1680 x 1050 Mainstream DX10 64-bit
Average Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Civilization V - 1680 x 1050 - DX11 High Quality
Full Render Score in Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Civilization V - 1680 x 1050 - DX11 High Quality
Full Render Score in Frames per Second - Higher is Better
Civilization V - 1680 x 1050 - DX11 High Quality
No Render Score (CPU test) in Frames per Second - Higher is Better
AES-128 Performance - TrueCrypt 7.1 Benchmark
Mean Encryption/Decryption AES Algorithm - GB/s
10,277
147
10,276
212
10,245
10,242
125
10,183
10,154
176
10,048
9,933
134
9,886
197
9,793
9,671
9,402
109
9,121
221
9,121
9,107
212
9,091
268
8,895
8,795
200
8,538
8,492
234
8,422
8,339
129
8,250
187
8,246
8,192
8,150
201
8,118
274
7,991
7,948
164
7,784
283
7,774
7,557
7,548
247
7,504
244
7,489
7,393
195
7,133
255
7,107
6,991
6,989
207
6,979
318
6,923
6,891
14.8
6,833
6,824
11.3
6,808
6,794
35.1
6,742
29.1
6,720
6,713
6,692
81.7
6,631
106.4
6,629
6,591
37.8
6,508
36.3
6,442
6,423
6,417
27
6,406
20
6,403
6,381
16.1
6,377
20.1
6,365
6,350
6,343
10.351
6,322
8.405
6,267
6,265
6,256
12.321
6,204
6.24
6,171
6,128
3.586
6,107
3.41
6,104
6,063
6,061
13.442
5,987
13.098
5,980
5,911
16.169
5,832
14.452
5,816
5,814
5,638
23.361
5,624
18.215
5,621
5,621
20.415
5,572
5,541
16.118
5,535
5,530
3938
5,514
5991
5,463
5,419
5,390
20254
5,372
22875
5,307
5,245
4512
5,201
4875
5,181
5,170
5,152
17.6
5,116
17.3
5,110
5,105
50
5,036
40.1
5,027
5,020
5,015
14.2
4,970
11.1
4,947
4,907
82.3
4,880
59.6
4,876
4,873
1.02
4,865
4,851
1.52
4,821
5.99
4,749
4,730
6.86
4,695
4,693
75.5
4,667
94.9
4,639
4,629
4,626
35.8
36
4,618
4,591
4,586
21041
4,570
19744
4,562
4,554
28.8
4,512
18.6
4,475
4,474
4,418
118.4
4,416
156
4,394
4,370
51.5
4,342
85.2
4,331
4,326
4,296
77.7
4,295
118.5
4,294
4,258
4,205
47.8
4,201
62.6
4,201
4,199
0.21
0.18
4,190
4,145
4,139
4,130
91
4,121
96.5
4,084
4,069
51
4,064
53.5
4,034
4,034
4,031
114.1
173.3
4,028
4,001
4,000
99.3
3,998
102.6
3,995
3,992
76.2
3,950
3,925
119
3,922
3,917
45
3,904
128.1
3,871
3,871
3,861
95.4
3,861
128.1
3,852
3,842
95.4
3,840
128.1
3,838
3,833
3.3
3.4
3,813
3,793
3,784
3,780
3,754
3,754
3,753
3,752
3,744
3,717
3,701
3,684
3,668
3,651
3,644
3,643
3,633
3,629
3,628
3,617
3,616
3,608
3,607
3,594
3,561
3,561
3,556
3,537
3,530
3,522
3,510
3,481
3,478
3,472
3,469
3,465
3,465
3,464
3,459
3,455
3,452
3,436
3,435
3,434
3,422
3,421
3,408
3,396
3,386
3,365
3,364
3,364
3,359
3,354
3,350
3,349
3,299
3,298
3,296
3,296
3,290
3,289
3,286
3,282
3,275
3,275
3,251
3,244
3,244
3,231
3,229
3,214
3,205
3,201
3,175
3,157
3,154
3,113
3,111
3,108
3,104
3,099
3,069
3,064
3,048
3,041
3,040
3,028
3,018
2,999
2,989
2,979
2,967
2,962
2,960
2,938
2,930
2,925
2,920
2,919
2,918
2,917
2,917
2,906
2,905
2,891
2,858
2,843
2,831
2,818
2,814
2,813
2,802
2,795
2,788
2,787
2,764
2,736
2,736
2,731
2,731
2,725
2,723
2,720
2,703
2,684
2,684
2,674
2,671
2,668
2,665
2,664
2,653
2,650
2,648
2,641
2,640
2,640
2,631
2,622
* - Price available from our affiliates.
A guide to Intel's Core processor family
Cores i3, i5 and i7 explained for newbies
Intel Core i3, i5 and i7
For many of us computer users, a PC’s CPU – or central processing unit – is an unseen device that we know little about. We’re bamboozled by numbers and frequencies ('gigahertz' or GHz) that do little to assist in our understanding of why one computer's performance may be better than another. However, it helps to have some working knowledge about your next computer’s CPU, so you can make an informed buying decision and get a computer that’s fast enough for your needs.
At present, the most popular CPUs for new notebooks and desktop PCs are the Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 andIntel Core i7. These CPUs are available in various performance grades and they have plenty of features that ensure a fast computing experience.
Intel Core i7-980X
A rough guide to CPUs
At a glance it’s hard to know which CPU to choose (unless you know some nitty gritty details), but you can follow this general guide. The Intel Core i3 CPU is featured in entry-level computers that can be used for basic office tasks, Internet browsing and online communications, photo editing, watching high-definition videos, and even for some basic video production. Pricing for computers with a Core i3 CPU starts from around $800.
[Read our review of the Core i3-equipped Medion Akoya MD98330 notebook.]
The Intel Core i5 CPU is for mid-range computers and it supplies a little more speed for everyday tasks as well as gaming and video work. Computers with a Core i5 CPU generally cost around $1300 depending on the configuration.
[Read our reviews of the Intel Core i5-540M and Intel Core i5-661 CPUs.]
The Intel Core i7 is for high-end computers and it offers the best performance for playing games, video editing and design work. If you require a really fast computer, and money is no object, then look for one with a Core i7 CPU. Prices start from around $1900 for computers with Core i7 CPUs.
[Read our review of the Intel Core i7 980X CPU.]
Intel Core i3-540
More CPU details
While the guide above is a good rule of thumb, you may want to understand more about your new PC’s CPU. The main details you need to compare CPUs are the clock speed, the number of cores they have and whether they have Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost technologies.
Clock speed: The clock speed, or frequency, refers to the speed of the CPU, and this determines how quickly a task can be performed (for example loading a program). It is measured in gigahertz (GHz).
Number of cores: The number of cores relates to how many ‘engines’ are inside the CPU. A CPU with four cores (quad-core) will outperform a CPU with two cores (dual-core) in instances where you run multiple programs at the same time (also know as multitasking), or when you run high-end software such as Adobe Photoshop for photo editing or Adobe Premiere for video editing.
Hyper-Threading: Hyper-Threading is Intel’s proprietary technology that it uses to make a dual-core CPU perform as if it has four cores and a quad-core CPU perform like it has eight cores. Essentially, it allows each core to work on two tasks at the same time, thereby allowing you to multitask without noticing a drop in your PC's performance.
Turbo Boost: Turbo Boost is another Intel technology that it uses to make the CPU to run faster than its default speed when necessary. For example, a CPU with a clock speed of 2.4GHz can run as high as 2.93GHz if the CPU auto-monitoring tools determine the workload requires the faster speed and that the CPU environment is cool enough to handle the increase.
Intel Core i7-870
Intel Core i3: The Intel Core i3 CPU for notebook computers features two cores as well as Hyper-Threading. Turbo Boost is not supported. The Intel Core i3 CPU for desktop PCs has the same features.
Intel Core i5: The Intel Core i5 CPU for notebook computers features two cores as well as Hyper-Threading, and it also supports Turbo Boost. The Intel Core i5 CPU for desktop PCs is available in either dual-core or quad-core versions. The quad-core versions don’t have Hyper-Threading, but they do have Turbo Boost.
Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 CPU for notebook computers features two or four cores depending on the model, and it also supports Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost. The Intel Core i7 for desktop PCs is only available with four cores, and it has Hyper-Threading and Turbo Boost.
CPU naming conventions
Usually you will see a number after the CPU name. To be honest it looks like another cryptic code to be cracked, but it’s easy to understand if you have the correct abbreviation information.
For example, the Core i5 is available in the following models for a notebook computer: Core i5-520UM, Core i5-430M, Core i5-520M, and Core i5-540M. Overall, the higher the model number, the better the performance, unless the model name has a ‘U’ or an ‘L’ in it. These letters refer to low-power usage and indicate that the CPU will run with a slower clock speed than CPUs using standard voltage. For example, the Core i5-520UM is a slower CPU than the Core i5-520M.
Intel Core i5-750
Note that the additional letter ‘M’ in the CPU indicates that it's ‘mobile’, thereby signifying that it’s a CPU designed for a notebook.
When considering the Core i7, you might also see a ‘Q’ in the name; this stands for ‘quad-core’ and means that the CPU has four cores as opposed to two for the non-Q models.
Depending on your computing needs, Intel’s new family of CPUs offers great PC performance, no matter your budget. Before choosing your new PC, do a bit of homework and consider what your computing needs are today, and what they will be a few years from now. The PC you buy today – with some future-proofing – should provide for all your computing needs.