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Intel Core i7-3687U

Intel Core i7-3687U: Outdated, but Relevant for Basic Tasks? A Processor Review for 2025

Architecture and Process Technology: The Ivy Bridge Legacy

The Intel Core i7-3687U processor, released in 2013, belongs to the Ivy Bridge generation (3rd generation Core). Despite its age, it can still be found in used or budget laptops in 2025.

- Process Technology: 22 nm—this was groundbreaking at its time, but now it’s considered outdated (modern processors use 5–3 nm).

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 4 threads due to Hyper-Threading. Base clock speed is 2.1 GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 with a frequency of 350–1200 MHz. It supports DirectX 11 but is too weak for modern gaming or rendering.

The Ivy Bridge architecture brought improvements in energy efficiency compared to Sandy Bridge, but by 2025, its capabilities are limited. For example, it lacks support for AVX2 and modern AI instructions.

Power Consumption and TDP: Compactness at the Expense of Performance

TDP of 17 Watts is a key feature that defines the use case of this processor.

- For comparison: modern ultrabook chips in the Intel Core U series (e.g., Core i7-1355U) have a TDP of 15 Watts, but offer double the performance.

- The low TDP allows for passive or compact active cooling, which is crucial for thin laptops.

- Drawback: Under prolonged loads (e.g., rendering), the clock speed drops due to overheating, even with Turbo Boost.

Performance: Real-World Tasks in 2025

Office Work and Multimedia

- Office Applications (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace): The processor handles them, but with delays when managing 10+ tabs in a browser.

- Multimedia: Watching 1080p/4K video (with hardware acceleration) is smooth. Photo editing in Lightroom is slow, especially with filters.

Gaming

- Older Games: Skyrim, CS:GO—30–40 FPS on low settings (720p).

- Modern Titles: Even Fortnite on minimal settings will stutter.

Turbo Boost Mode

A temporary "boost" up to 3.3 GHz is helpful for short tasks (opening heavy PDFs), but after 20–30 seconds, the frequency drops to 2.5–2.7 GHz due to overheating.

Use Scenarios: Who Would Benefit from the i7-3687U in 2025?

1. Students—for lectures, document work, and Zoom.

2. Office Employees—for basic tasks without complex analytics.

3. Minimal Digital Users—web surfing, email, YouTube.

4. Owners of Used Devices—upgrading old laptops from HDDs to SSDs.

Not Suitable For:

- Video editing, 3D modeling.

- Modern gaming.

- Working with neural networks or Big Data.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

- Typical Runtime: 4–6 hours (with a battery capacity of 40–50 Wh). In comparison, modern laptops with ARM processors (Apple M3, Snapdragon X Elite) offer 12–18 hours.

- Energy-Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep—dynamic frequency scaling.

- C-states—voltage reduction during idle.

- Advice: Replacing the battery and installing an SSD will extend the life of the device.

Comparison with Competitors: Against AMD, Apple, and Modern Intel

- AMD A10-4655M (2012): Similar TDP (25 W), but worse single-thread performance (-30% in Geekbench 6).

- Intel Core i5-10210U (2019): 4 cores, 8 threads, TDP of 15 W. Multi-Core performance is 2.5 times higher.

- Apple M1 (2020): Power consumption of 10 W, Multi-Core ~7500 in Geekbench 6—a revolutionary breakthrough.

Conclusion: The i7-3687U lags behind even budget modern chips but may serve as an alternative for very limited budgets.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

- Low cost of used devices ($100–200).

- Sufficient performance for basic tasks.

- Compact and quiet operation.

Cons:

- Outdated architecture.

- Weak multi-threaded performance.

- Lack of support for modern technologies (Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4).

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you are still considering a device with the i7-3687U in 2025:

1. Type of Device: Only ultrabooks or budget models (e.g., Dell Latitude E6430s).

2. Necessary Upgrades:

- Replace HDD with SSD ($20–30 for 256 GB).

- Increase RAM to 8–16 GB (if possible).

3. What to Look For:

- Battery condition.

- Availability of USB 3.0 and HDMI.

- Screen matrix (better IPS than TN).

Modern Alternatives:

- Laptops with Intel Core i3-1215U ($400–500): Twice the performance, DDR5 support.

- ARM Chromebooks ($300–400): Better battery life but limited OS.

Final Conclusion: Who Is This Processor For?

The Intel Core i7-3687U in 2025 is an option for those who:

- Seek an extremely budget-friendly solution for basic tasks.

- Are willing to compromise (slow performance, short battery life).

- Plan to use the laptop as a temporary device.

Key Benefits:

- Price below $200 on the secondary market.

- Ease of repair and upgrades.

- Compact form factor.

However, for most users, modern budget models are preferable—they offer better performance, battery life, and support for new technologies.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

January 2013

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.

i7-3687U

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

2.10 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.

3.30 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.30 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.

1.20 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

465

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

856

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

496

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1063

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1595

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

2630

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Xeon E7-8880 v2

536 +15.3%

Xeon E5-4610

497 +6.9%

Core i7-3687U

465

PRO A4-8350B

426 -8.4%

Phenom II X4 850

396 -14.8%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Pentium G3440

1069 +24.9%

Athlon II X4 631

955 +11.6%

Core i7-3687U

856

Pentium G630T

713 -16.7%

A6-7400K

627 -26.8%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon E5-1428L v2

527 +6.3%

PRO A6-9500

510 +2.8%

Core i7-3687U

496

Xeon E5-2470 v2

484 -2.4%

Celeron G1610T

465 -6.3%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i5-2450M

1215 +14.3%

A8-6500B

1134 +6.7%

Core i7-3687U

1063

Core i5-2557M

971 -8.7%

Core i7-2617M

878 -17.4%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i5-5350U

1662 +4.2%

Core i3-4130T

1628 +2.1%

Core i7-3687U

1595

Celeron G3900T

1570 -1.6%

Xeon E5-2630L v3

1534 -3.8%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Celeron J4125

2961 +12.6%

Core i5-4278U

2825 +7.4%

Core i7-3687U

2630

Pentium G4500T

2391 -9.1%

Core i3-3220

2263 -14%