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Intel Core i7-3689Y

Intel Core i7-3689Y: Obsolete, but Still Relevant? Review of the Processor for Compact Devices

(April 2025)

Introduction: Why are We Reflecting on Ivy Bridge in 2025?

The Intel Core i7-3689Y processor, released in 2013, today looks like a relic from the ultrabook era of Windows 8. However, even after 12 years, it can still be found in niche devices and on the secondary market. What are its strengths, who might find it useful in 2025, and how does it compare to modern chips? Let's delve into the details.

Architecture and Process Technology: What’s Inside?

Cores, Threads, and Frequencies

The Core i7-3689Y is based on the Ivy Bridge microarchitecture (3rd generation Intel Core) with a 22nm manufacturing process. It is a dual-core processor supporting Hyper-Threading (4 threads). The base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 2.6 GHz. In comparison, modern 10nm Intel chips (e.g., Core i5-1235U) have base frequencies starting from 1.3 GHz, but thanks to a more advanced architecture and 10 cores, they offer a significant performance boost.

Integrated Graphics

The built-in GPU is Intel HD Graphics 4000 with 16 execution units and a frequency of up to 850 MHz. In 2025, this is sufficient only for:

- Watching 1080p videos (with hardware decoding of H.264);

- Working with office applications;

- Light gaming such as Minecraft or Stardew Valley at low settings.

Support for DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.0 limits compatibility with modern games and graphic editors.

Power Consumption and TDP: Compactness vs. Performance

The processor's TDP is 13W, which allows for use in devices without active cooling (e.g., tablets or thin ultrabooks). However, this low power consumption comes at a cost:

- Frequencies are reduced even compared to other Ivy Bridge chips (e.g., Core i7-3632QM had a TDP of 35W and a frequency of up to 3.2 GHz);

- The Turbo mode is rarely activated due to thermal limitations.

In 2025, processors with a similar TDP (10-15W) demonstrate 3-5 times higher performance due to a 5nm manufacturing process and multi-core architecture, such as Apple's M2, AMD Ryzen 5 7520U, and Intel Core Ultra 5 134U.

Performance: What Can the Chip Do in 2025?

Office Tasks

- Microsoft Office, browser: Working with documents and 5-10 tabs in Chrome is possible but with delays when rendering heavy pages.

- Zoom/Teams: Video calls at 720p without background filters - a limit.

Multimedia

- Video: Streaming 1080p (Netflix, YouTube) works without issues thanks to GPU decoding.

- Photo Editors: GIMP or older versions of Photoshop - yes, but with long processing times for filters.

Gaming

- CS:GO: 20-25 FPS at low settings in 720p;

- Fortnite: Not recommended, as frame rates will drop below 15 FPS.

Turbo Boost Mode

The maximum frequency of 2.6 GHz is achieved only under single-core load. In multi-threaded scenarios (e.g., rendering), the frequency remains at 2.0-2.2 GHz.

Use Cases: Who Could Use i7-3689Y in 2025?

1. Ultra-Budget Devices: Laptops priced under $300 (new but with outdated components).

2. Specialized Equipment: Terminals, POS systems, media panels where stability matters more than speed.

3. Secondary Market: Used ultrabooks (e.g., Dell XPS 12 2013) for $50-100.

Not suitable for:

- Modern gaming;

- Video editing;

- Working with neural networks or 3D modeling.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

With a battery capacity of 40-50 Wh (typical for ultrabooks from 2013-2015), the runtime reaches 6-8 hours while reading/viewing videos. This is aided by:

- Intel SpeedStep: Dynamic frequency reduction during idle.

- C-states: Disabling unused components.

However, modern processors (for example, Apple M2) provide 15-18 hours of battery life at a similar TDP.

Comparison with Competitors

AMD 2013: A6-4455M

- 2 cores, 2.6 GHz, Radeon HD 7500G.

- TDP 17W, but inferior multi-threaded performance due to lack of Hyper-Threading.

Modern Analogues (2025):

1. Apple M2 (5nm, 8 cores): 4 times higher performance with TDP 15W.

2. AMD Ryzen 5 7520U (6nm, 4 cores/8 threads): Supports DDR5 and RDNA 2 graphics.

3. Intel Core Ultra 5 134U (7nm, 10 cores): Artificial intelligence for workload optimization.

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Passive cooling;

- Compatibility with Windows 10/11 and Linux;

- Low cost of devices on the secondary market.

Weaknesses:

- Obsolete performance;

- Lack of support for AVX2, USB 3.2, Wi-Fi 6;

- Limited upgrade potential (DDR3L memory, SATA SSD).

Notebook Selection Recommendations

If you are considering a device with an i7-3689Y in 2025, pay attention to:

1. Type of Storage: Only models with SSDs (minimum 256GB). HDDs will make the system unresponsive.

2. RAM: 8 GB is the minimum for Windows 11.

3. Screen: Full HD (1920×1080) is preferable over outdated 1366×768.

4. Price: New laptops with this CPU are not manufactured, but on the secondary market, do not overpay more than $100-150.

Alternatives for New Purchases:

- Budget: Lenovo IdeaPad 1 with AMD Athlon Silver 7120U ($350);

- Ultrabook: ASUS ZenBook 13 with Intel Core Ultra 5 134U ($899).

Final Conclusion: Is It Worth Buying?

The Intel Core i7-3689Y in 2025 is an option for very niche tasks:

- As a temporary solution on a tight budget;

- To run legacy software that is incompatible with modern operating systems;

- In ecosystems where repairability is more important than speed.

Key Benefits:

- Affordability;

- Proven reliability;

- Compactness.

However, for most users, even budget modern processors (AMD Ryzen 3, Intel Core i3 12th generation) will be a better investment. Technology is not standing still, and 13W in 2025 is no longer a compromise, but rather a foundation for powerful and energy-efficient systems.

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.

i7-3689Y

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

1.50 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.

2.60 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

2.60 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

13 W

Max. Operating Temperature

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

105 C

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

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.

850 MHz

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 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 5

Single Core Score

596

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

1199

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1209

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

1967

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Xeon Platinum 8270

644 +8.1%

Ryzen 3 2200U

618 +3.7%

Core i7-3689Y

596

Xeon E7-4830 v4

577 -3.2%

Xeon E5-1607 v2

559 -6.2%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i5-3380M

1362 +13.6%

FX-4130

1279 +6.7%

Core i7-3689Y

1199

A8-6500T

1103 -8%

Pentium 4405U

1049 -12.5%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i7-2675QM

1320 +9.2%

Opteron 4334

1269 +5%

Core i7-3689Y

1209

Athlon II X4 638

1163 -3.8%

Celeron N4120

1099 -9.1%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Athlon X4 730

2278 +15.8%

Celeron 6305

2100 +6.8%

Core i7-3689Y

1967

A6-3620

1851 -5.9%

A10-4655M

1655 -15.9%