Intel Core i7-3630QM vs Intel Core i7-8550U

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example there are difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i7-3630QM vs Intel Core i7-8550U and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing. Here is all information from several benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as 7zip, AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, PassMark, Blender, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), WPrime, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, VeraCrypt, Prime95, SuperPi, Gears 5, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8550U 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 i7-8550U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-3630QM

51%

Core i7-8550U

52%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.1	91.9
Valorant	103.5	104.4
Cyberpunk 2077	58.0	58.5
Apex Legends	97.3	98.1
Call of Duty Warzone	77.6	78.3
Overwatch	83.9	84.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.4	72.0
DOOM Eternal	51.8	52.2
Warzone	80.8	81.4
Assassin's Creed	87.0	87.7
Valheim	85.9	86.6

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. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i7-3630QM

57%

Core i7-8550U

228%

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 i7-8550U is more energy efficient than the Core i7-3630QM as it consumes less power: 45W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly 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

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

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i7-8550U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	120	167
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	590	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	245	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1230	1211
Cinbench 23 Single-core	722	979
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3469	3111

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

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	1699	2072
Multi-Core	5080	5970

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

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	780	1027
Multi-Core	3044	3788

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 later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-3630QM	Intel Core i7-8550U
Announcement date	January 01, 2012	April 01, 2017
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	rPGA988B	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	8
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	2.4 MHz	1.8 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	5 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1820 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	45 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 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 i7-3630QM is 25% better than Core i7-8550U 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: 6
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8550U is better: 25
Although it should be realized that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i7-3630QM and Intel Core i7-8550U before making a decision which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-3630QM specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8550U specs and review.