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Intel Core i7-3840QM

Intel Core i7-3840QM: A Retrospective on a Mobile Processor for Enthusiasts

An Analysis of Its Capabilities and Relevance in 2025

In the era of 5nm processes and neural network accelerators, processors from past years seem archaic. However, models like the Intel Core i7-3840QM are still found in used laptops and workstations. Let's explore who might find this chip useful in 2025 and what tasks it can handle.

1. Architecture and Process Technology: The Legacy of Ivy Bridge

The Core i7-3840QM processor, released in 2012, belongs to the Ivy Bridge generation (3rd generation Intel Core). It is an evolution of the Sandy Bridge architecture, manufactured on a 22nm process with Tri-Gate (3D) transistors.

Key Specifications:

- 4 cores / 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading.

- Base frequency: 2.8 GHz, Turbo Boost 2.0: up to 3.7 GHz (for one core) and 3.6 GHz under full load on all cores.

- Cache: 8 MB L3.

- Integrated graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 with a frequency of 650–1300 MHz. Supports DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.0, and 4K output via DisplayPort.

Architecture Features:

- Improved energy efficiency compared to Sandy Bridge due to the 22nm process.

- Support for PCIe 3.0 (relevant for external GPUs in docking stations).

- Integrated DDR3L-1600 controller (max capacity — 32 GB).

The iGPU HD Graphics 4000 in 2025 is suitable only for basic tasks: office applications, 4K video playback, and light gaming such as CS:GO or Dota 2 on low settings (30–45 FPS). For modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Alan Wake 2, a discrete graphics card will be required.

2. TDP 45W: A Balance Between Power and Heat

The TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 45W indicates that the processor is intended for high-performance laptops with efficient cooling systems. Compared to modern 15W chips (like the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H), the i7-3840QM is less energy-efficient, but its TDP is justified for multi-threaded workloads.

Issues:

- Under sustained load (rendering, gaming), throttling may occur if the laptop is equipped with a weak cooler.

- Average temperature under load: 85–95°C (depends on the quality of thermal paste and cooling system).

Advice: When purchasing a used laptop with this CPU, check the condition of the thermal interface and fans. Replacing the thermal paste and cleaning the cooler can reduce the temperature by 10–15°C.

3. Performance in 2025: What Can Ivy Bridge Do?

According to Geekbench 6 (Single-Core: 688, Multi-Core: 2265), the i7-3840QM lags even behind budget modern processors. For example, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535U (Zen 3+) scores ~1800/7500 points. However, for a number of tasks, the chip remains viable.

Real-World Scenarios:

- Office Work: LibreOffice, a browser with 10–15 tabs, Zoom — the processor handles it without lag.

- Multimedia: Video conversion in HandBrake (H.264) will take 3–4 times longer than on Intel's 12th generation. 4K video playback (YouTube, local files) — without issues.

- Gaming: Paired with a discrete GPU like NVIDIA GTX 1650 (a common combination in older gaming laptops), you can run Apex Legends on medium settings (50–60 FPS) and GTA V on high settings.

Turbo Boost: Under ideal conditions (good cooling, plugged into the wall), the processor can maintain 3.5–3.6 GHz on all cores for about 2–3 minutes, then it reduces the frequency to 3.2–3.3 GHz.

4. Use Cases: Who Would Benefit from the i7-3840QM in 2025?

- Upgrade Enthusiasts: Owners of old laptops (e.g., Lenovo ThinkPad W530 or Dell Precision M4700) looking to revive their devices by replacing the processor (if the socket allows).

- Budget Workstations: Suitable for working in AutoCAD 2D, Adobe Photoshop, or Visual Studio 2019 — performance will suffice, but compiling code will be slower than with new CPUs.

- Retro Gaming: Running games from 2010–2015 on medium settings.

Not Recommended For:

- Machine learning or 4K video processing in DaVinci Resolve.

- As a primary device for modern online games (like Warzone or Fortnite).

5. Battery Life: A Sacrifice for Performance

Laptops with the i7-3840QM rarely last more than 3–4 hours on battery power, even in power-saving mode (web browsing, text tasks). The reasons are high TDP and outdated technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep dynamically regulates frequency, but not as effectively as modern algorithms.

- Lack of adaptive core management (as seen in hybrid architectures of Intel’s 12th-14th generations).

Advice: If battery life is critical, look for laptops with an additional battery (e.g., ThinkPad with Slice battery). In 2025, such devices cost $200–$300 on the secondary market.

6. Comparison with Competitors

AMD: In 2012, the main competitor was the AMD A10-5750M (4 cores, Radeon HD 8650G). The i7-3840QM wins in multi-threading (~30%) but loses in graphics performance.

Previous Generations of Intel: Sandy Bridge (i7-2860QM) falls behind by 15–20% due to the lack of Tri-Gate transistors.

Apple: In 2012, Apple used Intel processors, but with the transition to M1/M2 (2020+), the gap became enormous. For instance, the M1 outperforms the i7-3840QM in multi-threading by 3 times with a TDP of 15W.

7. Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

- High multi-threaded performance for its time.

- Support for 32 GB of RAM and PCIe 3.0.

- Upgrade potential in compatible laptops.

Weaknesses:

- High power consumption and heat generation.

- Outdated instruction set (no AVX2, no PCIe 4.0 support).

- Weak iGPU for modern tasks.

8. Recommendations for Laptop Selection

- Device Type: Workstation (Dell Precision), gaming laptop from 2012–2014 (Clevo P150EM), or business models (ThinkPad W530).

- What to Look For:

- Presence of discrete graphics (NVIDIA GTX 600/700 series or Quadro).

- Ability to install an SSD (SATA III) instead of an HDD.

- Ports: USB 3.0, DisplayPort for an external monitor.

Prices: New devices with this CPU are not available, but used laptops range from $150 to $400 depending on the configuration.

9. Final Conclusion: Who Is the i7-3840QM For?

This processor is suitable for those who:

- Seek a budget solution for basic tasks (office work, web browsing, light gaming).

- Want to upgrade an old laptop without replacing the motherboard.

- Need a platform that supports Windows 10/11 and Linux for specific software.

Key Benefits: Low cost on the secondary market, proven reliability, and sufficient power for undemanding scenarios. However, for serious work or gaming in 2025, it is better to consider laptops with Intel’s 12th-14th generation processors or AMD Ryzen 7000/8000.

Conclusion: The Core i7-3840QM is an example of a “long-lived” CPU. It may lag behind modern chips but remains a viable option for budget-conscious users or enthusiasts who value repairability and upgrading older systems.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

July 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.

i7-3840QM

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

2.80 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.

3.80 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

3.80 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.

FCBGA1224 | FCPGA988

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

45 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.

3.0

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.

650 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.

1.30 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.

8 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

688

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

2265

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

760

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

2769

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

1911

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

5903

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Ryzen 5 2500U

808 +17.4%

Xeon E5-4660 v3

743 +8%

Core i7-3840QM

688

Xeon D-1518

646 -6.1%

Celeron G3930

607 -11.8%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i5-1145GRE

2745 +21.2%

Xeon L5638

2487 +9.8%

Core i7-3840QM

2265

FX-8370

2057 -9.2%

Core i5-3570T

1861 -17.8%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Processor N95

798 +5%

Xeon E5-1650 v2

779 +2.5%

Core i7-3840QM

760

Core i5-5287U

741 -2.5%

Xeon E5-2698 v3

726 -4.5%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Core i7-8665U

3056 +10.4%

Ryzen 7 3700U

2908 +5%

Core i7-3840QM

2769

Xeon E5-1607 v3

2654 -4.2%

Core i7-6822EQ

2533 -8.5%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i5-3550S

1965 +2.8%

Xeon E5-2640

1943 +1.7%

Core i7-3840QM

1911

Core i7-3740QM

1882 -1.5%

Athlon PRO 200GE

1838 -3.8%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-4870HQ

6359 +7.7%

Core i5-10210U

6223 +5.4%

Core i7-3840QM

5903

Opteron 6274

5643 -4.4%

Core i7-4712HQ

5354 -9.3%