i5-3320M vs i7-3612QM

[krismax24]

I was configuring a computer for music production use when I noticed that the i7 has a lower frequency than the i5 (2.1 vs 2.5 respectively)

How does the lower frequency & greater number of cores (4vs 2) affect its performance under heavy use?

[Tyranids]

the i7 will destroy the i5 provided your application can utilize more than 2 cores.

[maverick1989]

Also, that is the base frequency. Turbo boost pushes both CPUs to the same clocks while giving the i7 double the computation (+ any architectural improvements/bonuses).

[Mobius 1]

Get the 3610QM, it's a "better" 3612QM. And less expensive too

[Cloudfire]

But 3612QM is in theory cooler than 3610QM

Anyhow, I don`t know what sort of music projects you have krismax, but if you visualize yourself as running multiple projects at the same time with occational surfing, movies etc on the side, I think a Quad core, aka 3612QM would fit your needs much better. A dual core would suffer once you launch several things at the same time dragging everything down

[Botsu]

The 3612qm is nice but while some say it runs cooler than the 45w quad cores other say there's no noticeable difference... I don't know who's to be trusted, it'd be good to have some hard numbers to compare, preferably with the same notebook.

[nissangtr786]

meh if I was getting a quad I would get the 3612qm so I can say I have the only mobile 35w quad core with 4c 8t as well as less chance of throttling in psu adaptor.

If I was getting a very powerful laptop I would get an i7 3612qm. To be honest though the i5 3320m is very powerful cpu and music production doesn't really take much power so an i5 3320m will be enough I believe.

What computer do you currently have and the specs are?

[HTWingNut]

The 3612qm is nice but while some say it runs cooler than the 45w quad cores other say there's no noticeable difference... I don't know who's to be trusted, it'd be good to have some hard numbers to compare, preferably with the same notebook.

It's buried somewhere in the **Official Clevo W110ER / Sager NP6110 Owner's Lounge**

No time atm to delve into it, well and don't feel like weeding through all that stuff.

But here's my wPrime + Furmark runs compared with the 3612QM. I would rather see Prime95, but haven't been able to find anyone to do that yet.


User HeavenCry with 3612QM
wPrime + Furmark
HTWingNut's Sager NP6110 / Clevo W110ER First Look & Review
Prime95 + Kombustor
HTWingNut's Sager NP6110 / Clevo W110ER First Look & Review

My 3610QM wPrime + Furmark run
HTWingNut's Sager NP6110 / Clevo W110ER First Look & Review

User R3d with i5-2450m (Sandy Bridge):
**Official Clevo W110ER / Sager NP6110 Owner's Lounge**

[nissangtr786]

A 3612qm cpu is perfect I believe. I hope to get an l521x or l721x? with that cpu in it as it is the first with a 35w cpu that has 4c 8t.

Amazing how far computing has come.

[HTWingNut]

It's your money, but I don't know what your fascination with the 3612QM is. I'd say save your money and go with the 3610QM as there is no advantage other than saying it's a 35W TDP CPU which runs slower but at the same power and temps as the 3610QM 45W TDP CPU.