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Intel Core i7-3667U

Intel Core i7-3667U: Obsolete, Yet Relevant for Basic Tasks?

Analysis of a 2012 Mobile Processor in the Context of 2025

Architecture and Technology: The Ivy Bridge Legacy

The Intel Core i7-3667U processor, released in 2012, belongs to the third generation of Intel Core processors (codename Ivy Bridge). It is built on a 22nm technology process—revolutionary for its time—thanks to Tri-Gate (3D) transistor technology, which reduced power consumption and improved performance.

- Cores and Threads: 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading support (4 threads).

- Frequencies: base frequency of 2.0 GHz, maximum turbo mode frequency of 3.2 GHz.

- Graphics: integrated GPU Intel HD Graphics 4000 with a frequency of 350–1150 MHz.

The Ivy Bridge architecture brought IPC (instructions per cycle) improvements of 5–15% compared to Sandy Bridge, as well as PCIe 3.0 and USB 3.0 support. However, the integrated HD 4000 graphics still appear weak even in 2025; it can only handle basic tasks like 1080p video playback or simple 2D games.

Power Consumption and TDP: Balance for Ultrabooks

The processor's TDP is 17W, typical for mobile CPUs in the "U" series (Ultra-low power). This allows for the creation of thin laptops with passive or compact active cooling.

- Real Load: under stress tests, consumption reaches 20–22W but only for short periods.

- Thermal Output: during extended loads (e.g., rendering), throttling may occur due to overheating.

In comparison, modern Intel 13th generation processors (e.g., Core i7-1365U) offer 10 cores and 3–4 times higher performance while maintaining a TDP of 15W.

Performance: What Can the Core i7-3667U Do in 2025?

Evaluation through the lens of modern tasks:

1. Office Work and Web Browsing:

- Running a browser with 10–15 tabs, office applications (Word, Excel)—the processor copes, but there are delays with heavy web pages (e.g., Google Docs with large spreadsheets).

- Geekbench 6: 526 (single-core) / 1008 (multi-core)—this is on par with budget smartphones from 2023–2024.

2. Multimedia:

- 4K video playback (via YouTube) is only possible with hardware acceleration, but there may be stuttering.

- Photo editing in Lightroom: acceptable for basic corrections, but exporting will take 3–4 times longer than on modern CPUs.

3. Gaming:

- CS:GO at low settings: 25–35 FPS (720p).

- Minecraft (without shaders): 40–50 FPS.

- Modern games (2023+) are unplayable even on the lowest settings.

Turbo Boost: brief overclocking to 3.2 GHz assists in "burst" tasks (starting applications), but under continuous load, the frequency drops to 2.4–2.6 GHz.

Use Cases: Who is This CPU Suitable For in 2025?

The Core i7-3667U is a choice for very limited budgets or specific tasks:

- Office Laptops: document work, email, Zoom/Teams (without background tasks).

- Educational Devices: laptops for school/university students.

- Retro Gaming: running old games (pre-2010).

Not Suitable For:

- Video editing, 3D modeling.

- Modern games and applications utilizing AI acceleration.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

Even in 2025, laptops with this processor can demonstrate 6–8 hours of operation under:

- Screen brightness of 150 nits.

- Active use of browsers and office programs.

Power Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: dynamic frequency adjustment.

- C-states: shutting down unused components.

- Display Power Saving Technology: reducing GPU load.

However, battery degradation in older devices (produced between 2012–2015) reduces autonomy to 2–3 hours.

Comparisons with Competitors: Against AMD, Apple, and Contemporaries

1. AMD A10-4655M (2012):

- 4 cores, TDP 25W, Radeon HD 7620G.

- Performance in gaming is 10–15% higher, but battery life is worse.

2. Apple A8 (2014):

- Chip from iPhone 6: 2 cores, 1.4 GHz.

- Geekbench 6: ~400 (single-core), ~700 (multi-core). Lags behind i7-3667U, but macOS optimization provides an advantage in interface smoothness.

3. Intel Core i5-1235U (2023):

- 10 cores (2P+8E), TDP 15W.

- Geekbench 6: 1800/6000. Outperforms i7-3667U by 3–6 times.

Pros and Cons: Is It Worth Considering in 2025?

Pros:

- Low cost of devices (new laptops—$300–400, e.g., Chuwi Gemibook).

- Sufficient performance for Linux distributions (Lubuntu, Xubuntu).

- Lightweight (laptops starting at 1.2 kg).

Cons:

- Lack of support for modern instructions (AVX2, AI acceleration).

- Maximum of 16 GB DDR3-1600 MHz (slow for 2025).

- No support for Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you still decide to buy a device with the i7-3667U in 2025:

1. Type of Device: ultrabook or compact laptop (e.g., Dell Latitude 3330).

2. Essential Requirements:

- SSD (at least 256GB).

- 8GB RAM (preferably 16GB).

- Screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 (avoid 1366 x 768).

3. Price: do not overpay. New models with this CPU should not cost more than $400.

Alternatives:

- For $500–600, you can find laptops with Intel Core i3-1215U or AMD Ryzen 3 7320U, which are 4–5 times more powerful.

Final Conclusion: Who is This Processor For?

The Core i7-3667U in 2025 is:

- A budget solution for those needing a "work" laptop for minimal money.

- A niche option for retro-tech enthusiasts or specific tasks (e.g., running software requiring old drivers).

Key Benefits:

- Price below $400.

- Compatibility with Windows 10/11 (with limitations) and lightweight OS.

Summary: if your budget is strictly limited and you’re willing to tolerate slow performance in multitasking—this processor still has a place. In all other cases, it's better to pay extra for a modern platform.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

April 2012

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i7-3667U

Code Name

Ivi Bridge

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.00 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

3.20 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.20 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCBGA1023

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

22 nm

TDP

17 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

105 C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

2.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8 2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

32 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

5 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

25.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

GPU Name

Intel® HD Graphics 4000

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.15 GHz

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP/DP/HDMI/SDVO/CRT

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Instruction Set Extensions

Intel® AVX

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

4 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

526

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

1008

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

628

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1367

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1523

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2420

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i5-2500

600 +14.1%

Xeon E7-4880 v2

563 +7%

Core i7-3667U

526

Pentium G2030

490 -6.8%

Core i5-2415M

456 -13.3%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Pentium Gold G5400T

1253 +24.3%

A10-5800K

1114 +10.5%

Core i7-3667U

1008

Pentium G2140

917 -9%

Xeon E7-2890 v2

761 -24.5%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i7-6822EQ

673 +7.2%

Xeon E5-2690 v3

652 +3.8%

Core i7-3667U

628

Athlon Silver 3050C

606 -3.5%

FX-4300

584 -7%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon E5-2420

1509 +10.4%

A12-9800

1439 +5.3%

Core i7-3667U

1367

Xeon E5-2660

1292 -5.5%

Athlon II X3 460

1212 -11.3%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i7-1370PRE

1583 +3.9%

Core i3-2130

1561 +2.5%

Core i7-3667U

1523

A8-6500B

1490 -2.2%

Core i7-2920XM

1469 -3.5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Opteron 3350 HE

2825 +16.7%

Pentium Silver N5030

2631 +8.7%

Core i7-3667U

2420

Xeon E3-1220L

2274 -6%

Pentium 4405U

2097 -13.3%