Intel Core i7-3630QM vs Intel Core i5-6400

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i7-3630QM vs Intel Core i5-6400 and see which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, programming, video editing, streaming, rendering. Here is useful information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like MATLAB, Dolphin Emulator, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Gears 5, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, WPrime, Furmark, RealBench, Handbrake, Blender, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-6400 or Intel Core i7-3630QM.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-3630QM

51%

Core i5-6400

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-3630QM

51%

Core i5-6400

51%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Control, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.1	91.3
Valorant	103.5	103.7
Cyberpunk 2077	58.0	58.1
Apex Legends	97.3	97.5
Call of Duty Warzone	77.6	77.8
Overwatch	83.9	84.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.4	71.6
DOOM Eternal	51.8	51.9
Warzone	80.8	80.9
Assassin's Creed	87.0	87.1
Valheim	85.9	86.1

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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. 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 i7-3630QM

57%

Core i5-6400

49%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-3630QM is more energy efficient than the Core i5-6400 since it has less power consumption: 45W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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 i7-3630QM	Intel Core i5-6400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	120	140
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	590	497
Cinbench 20 Single-core	245	275
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1230	1061
Cinbench 23 Single-core	722	1001
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3469	3997

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

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i5-6400
Single-Core	1699	1957
Multi-Core	5080	5167

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

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i5-6400
Single-Core	780	959
Multi-Core	3044	3221

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even 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 i7-3630QM	Intel Core i5-6400
Announcement date	January 01, 2012	April 01, 2015
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	rPGA988B	LGA 1151
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	6
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.3 MHz
Frequency	2.4 MHz	2.7 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	4
Bus rate	5 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2460 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	45 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	32 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	6 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. Here Core i5-6400 is 11% better than Core i7-3630QM in terms of CPU frequency. 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 i7-3630QM is better: 5
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-6400 is better: 26
All the number that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-3630QM and Intel Core i5-6400 before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-3630QM specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-6400 specs and review.