Intel Core i5-3210M vs Intel Core i5-7200U

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i5-3210M vs Intel Core i5-7200U and decide which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, video editing, programming. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software such as 3DMark, Blender, Gears 5, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, PassMark, Furmark, Prime95, Handbrake, WPrime, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, 7zip, MATLAB, Blender, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Rainbow Six Siege
Halo Infinite
Last Man Standing
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Overwatch
Death Stranding
Grand Theft Auto V
Watch Dogs Legion
Apex Legends
Valorant
Valheim
Red Dead Redemption 2
Borderlands 3
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Fallout 76
Cyberpunk 2077
DOOM: Eternal
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fortnite

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-7200U or Intel Core i5-3210M.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-3210M

50%

Core i5-7200U

51%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-7200U is 1% better than Core i5-3210M. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-3210M

50%

Core i5-7200U

51%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Battlefield V, Metro Exodus, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	89.5	90.0
Valorant	101.7	102.3
Cyberpunk 2077	57.0	57.3
Apex Legends	95.6	96.1
Call of Duty Warzone	76.3	76.7
Overwatch	82.4	82.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	70.2	70.6
DOOM Eternal	50.9	51.1
Warzone	79.3	79.8
Assassin's Creed	85.4	85.9
Valheim	84.4	84.9

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-3210M

66%

Core i5-7200U

192%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-7200U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-3210M since it has less power consumption: 35W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-3210M	Intel Core i5-7200U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	107	132
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	256	334
Cinbench 20 Single-core	231	308
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	534	652
Cinbench 23 Single-core	576	817
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	1373	1978

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-3210M	Intel Core i5-7200U
Single-Core	1545	1807
Multi-Core	2429	3391

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-3210M	Intel Core i5-7200U
Single-Core	693	864
Multi-Core	1489	1952

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-3210M	Intel Core i5-7200U
Announcement date	January 01, 2012	October 01, 2016
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	PGA988B	FCBGA1356
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	7
Turbo Frequency	3.1 MHz	3.1 MHz
Frequency	2.5 MHz	2.5 MHz
Cores	2	2
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	5 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2400 millions	1810 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	35 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600	DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	3 MB	3 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-3210M is better: 2
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-7200U is better: 26
Although it should be realized that all the figures in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-3210M and Intel Core i5-7200U before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-3210M specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-7200U specs and review.