I7 3630qm tests in games. The most powerful mobile Haswell
Product release date.
Lithography
Lithography indicates the semiconductor technology used to produce integrated chipsets and the report is shown in nanometer (nm) indicating the size of the features embedded in the semiconductor.
Number of Cores
The number of cores is a term hardware, which describes the number of independent central processing modules in one computing component (chip).
Number of threads
A thread or thread of execution is a software term for a basic ordered sequence of instructions that can be passed to or processed by a single CPU core.
CPU base clock
The base frequency of the processor is the speed of opening / closing of the processor transistors. The base frequency of the processor is the operating point where the design power (TDP) is set. Frequency is measured in gigahertz (GHz) or billions of computing cycles per second.
Maximum clock speed with Turbo Boost technology
The maximum turbo clock speed is the maximum single-core processor clock speed that can be achieved with the Intel® Turbo Boost and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost technologies it supports. Frequency is measured in gigahertz (GHz) or billions of computing cycles per second.
Cache
The processor cache is an area of high-speed memory located in the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to an architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.
System bus frequency
A bus is a subsystem that transfers data between computer components or between computers. As an example one can name system bus(FSB), through which data is exchanged between the processor and the memory controller block; DMI interface, which is a point-to-point connection between the onboard Intel memory controller and the Intel I/O controller box on the motherboard; and a Quick Path Interconnect (QPI) interface connecting the processor and the integrated memory controller.
Estimated power
Thermal Design Power (TDP) indicates the average performance in watts when the processor's power is dissipated (when running at base frequency with all cores engaged) under a complex workload as defined by Intel. Review the requirements for thermoregulation systems in the datasheet.
Embedded options available
Available Options for Embedded Systems indicate products that provide an extended purchase option for intelligent systems and embedded solutions. Product specifications and terms of use are provided in the Production Release Qualification (PRQ) report. Contact your Intel representative for details.
Max. amount of memory (depends on the type of memory)
Max. memory means the maximum amount of memory supported by the processor.
Memory types
Intel® processors support four different types memory: single-channel, dual-channel, triple-channel and Flex.
Max. number of memory channels
Application bandwidth depends on the number of memory channels.
Max. memory bandwidth
Max. memory bandwidth refers to the maximum rate at which data can be read from memory or stored in memory by the processor (in GB/s).
ECC Memory Support‡
ECC memory support indicates the processor's support for ECC memory. ECC memory is a type of memory that supports the detection and repair of common types of internal memory corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both the processor and the chipset to be supported.
Processor-integrated graphics ‡
The processor graphics system is the graphics data processing circuit integrated into the processor, which forms the operation of the video system, computing processes, multimedia and information display. Intel® HD Graphics, Iris™ Graphics, Iris Plus Graphics, and Iris Pro Graphics deliver advanced media conversion, high frame rates, and 4K Ultra HD (UHD) video. For getting additional information see the Intel® Graphics Technology page.
Graphics Base frequency
The base frequency of the graphics system is the nominal/guaranteed graphics rendering clock (MHz).
Max. graphics system dynamic frequency
Max. graphics dynamic frequency is the maximum conventional rendering frequency (MHz) supported by Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency.
Graphics system output
The graphics system output defines the interfaces available for interacting with device displays.
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Intel® Quick Sync Video Technology provides fast conversion video for portable media players, web hosting, and video editing and creation.
InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® InTRU™ 3D Technology lets you play 1080p Blu-ray* stereoscopic 3D content using HDMI interface* 1.4 and high quality sound.
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® Flexible Display is an innovative interface that allows you to display independent images on two channels using an integrated graphics system.
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a set of video encoding and processing technologies built into an integrated graphics system processor. These technologies make video playback more stable and graphics more clear, vivid and realistic. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology delivers brighter colors and more realistic skin through video quality improvements.
PCI Express Edition
Editorial PCI Express is the version supported by the processor. PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is a high-speed serial expansion bus standard for computers to connect hardware devices to it. Various versions PCI Express supports various data transfer rates.
PCI Express Configurations‡
PCI Express (PCIe) configurations describe the available PCIe link configurations that can be used to map PCIe PCH links to PCIe devices.
Max. number of PCI Express lanes
The PCI Express (PCIe) link consists of two pairs of signaling links, one for receiving and the other for transmitting data, and this channel is the base module of the PCIe bus. The number of PCI Express lanes is the total number of lanes supported by the processor.
Supported Connectors
A connector is a component that provides mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and the motherboard.
T JUNCTION
The temperature at the actual contact patch is the maximum temperature allowed on the processor die.
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology‡
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the frequency of the processor to the desired level, using the difference between the nominal and maximum values \u200b\u200bof temperature and power consumption, which allows you to increase power efficiency or "overclock" the processor if necessary.
Compliant with Intel® vPro™ platform ‡
Intel® vPro™ Technology is a set of management and security tools built into the processor designed to address four key areas information security 1) Threat management, including protection against rootkits, viruses and other malware 2) Personal information protection and website access pinpoint protection 3) Protection of sensitive personal and business information 4) Remote and local monitoring, remediation, PC repair and workstations.
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology‡
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) provides two processing threads for each physical core. Multithreaded applications can perform more tasks in parallel, which greatly speeds up the work.
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) ‡
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-x) allows a single hardware platform to function as multiple "virtual" platforms. The technology improves manageability by reducing downtime and maintaining productivity by dedicating separate partitions for computing operations.
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) ‡
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O enhances virtualization support in IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® (VT-i) processors with I/O virtualization features. Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O helps users improve system security, reliability, and I/O device performance in virtualized environments.
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT) ‡
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables, also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) technology, accelerates memory-intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables Technology on Intel® Virtualization Technology-enabled Platforms Reduces Memory and Power Overhead and Increases Uptime battery life due to hardware optimization of page forwarding table management.
Intel® 64 architecture ‡
Intel® 64 architecture combined with the corresponding software supports 64-bit applications on servers, workstations, desktops, and laptops.¹ Intel® 64 architecture delivers performance improvements that allow computing systems to use more than 4 GB of virtual and physical memory.
Command set
The instruction set contains the basic commands and instructions that the microprocessor understands and can execute. The value shown indicates which Intel instruction set the processor is compatible with.
Command Set Extensions
Instruction set extensions are additional instructions that can be used to improve performance when performing operations on multiple data objects. These include SSE (Support for SIMD Extensions) and AVX (Vector Extensions).
Intel® My WiFi Technology
Intel® My WiFi Technology provides wireless connection Ultrabook™ or laptop to devices with WiFi support such as printers, stereos, etc.
4G WiMAX wireless technology
4G WiMAX Wireless technology provides wireless broadband Internet access at speeds up to 4 times faster than 3G.
Idle States
The idle state (or C-state) mode is used to conserve power when the processor is idle. C0 means running state, that is, the CPU is in this moment does useful work. C1 is the first idle state, C2 is the second idle state, and so on. The higher the numerical indicator of the C-state, the more energy-saving actions the program performs.
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology delivers high performance, as well as compliance with the requirements of mobile systems for energy saving. Standard Intel SpeedStep® technology allows you to switch the voltage level and frequency depending on the load on the processor. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is built on the same architecture and uses design strategies such as separation of voltage and frequency changes, and clock distribution and recovery.
Intel® Demand Based Switching Technology
Intel® Demand Based Switching is a power management technology that keeps the applied voltage and clock speed of the microprocessor at a minimum. required level until an increase is needed. computing power. This technology was introduced to the server market under the name Intel SpeedStep®.
Thermal control technologies
Thermal management technologies protect the processor package and system from thermal failure through multiple thermal management features. An on-chip Digital Thermal Sensor (DTS) detects the core temperature, and thermal management functions reduce the power consumption of the processor package when necessary, thereby lowering the temperature to ensure operation within normal operating specifications.
Intel® Fast Memory Access Technology
Intel® Fast Memory Access Technology is an advanced Video Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) backbone architecture that improves system performance by optimizing the use of available bandwidth and reducing memory access latency.
Intel® Flex Memory Access Technology
Intel® Flex Memory Access makes it easy to upgrade by supporting a variety of memory module sizes in dual-channel mode.
Intel® Privacy Protection Technology‡
Intel® Privacy Protection Technology is a built-in security technology based on the use of tokens. This technology provides simple and secure access control to online commercial and business data, protecting against security threats and fraud. Intel® Privacy Protection Technology uses PC hardware authentication mechanisms in websites, banking systems, and online services to authenticate a PC's uniqueness, protect against unauthorized access, and prevent malware attacks. Intel® Privacy Protection Technology can be used as a key component of two-factor authentication solutions designed to protect information on websites and control access to business applications.
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology‡
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology enhances secure command execution through hardware enhancements to Intel® processors and chipsets. This technology provides digital office platforms with security features such as measured application launch and secure command execution. This is achieved by creating an environment where applications run in isolation from other applications on the system.
Function Execute override bit ‡
The Execute Cancel Bit is a hardware security feature that helps reduce vulnerability to viruses and malicious code, and prevent malware from executing and spreading on a server or network.
Anti-theft technology
Intel® Anti-Theft Technology helps keep the data on your laptop safe in case it's lost or stolen. For use Intel technologies® Anti-Theft, you must subscribe to an Intel® Anti-Theft Technology Service Provider.
Core i7-3630QM processor, the price of a new one on amazon and ebay is 27,300 rubles, which is equal to $471. Marked by the manufacturer as: AW8063801106200.
The number of cores is 4, it is produced according to the 22 nm process technology, Ivy Bridge architecture. Thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, the number of threads is 8, double more number physical cores and increases the performance of multi-threaded applications and games.
The base frequency of the Core i7-3630QM cores is 2.4 GHz. The maximum frequency in Intel Turbo Boost mode reaches 3.4 GHz. Please note that cooler Intel Core The i7-3630QM should cool processors with a TDP of at least 45W at stock frequencies. When overclocked, the requirements increase.
Motherboard for Intel Core i7-3630QM must be with FCPGA988 socket. The power system must be capable of supporting processors with a TDP of at least 45W.
Thanks to the integrated Intel® HD Graphics 4000, the computer can operate without a discrete graphics card because the monitor is connected to the video output on the motherboard.
Price in Russia
Want to buy Core i7-3630QM cheaply? Look at the list of stores that already sell the processor in your city.Family
ShowIntel Core i7-3630QM test
The data comes from tests by users who tested their systems with and without overclocking. Thus, you see the average values corresponding to the processor.
Speed of numerical operations
Different tasks require different strengths CPU. A system with few fast cores is great for gaming, but will be inferior to a system with large quantity slow cores in the rendering script.
We believe that for a budget gaming computer suitable processor with at least 4 cores/4 threads. At the same time, individual games can load it at 100% and slow down, and performing any tasks in the background will lead to a drop in FPS.
Ideally, the buyer should aim for a minimum of 6/6 or 6/12, but keep in mind that systems with more than 16 threads are currently only applicable to professional tasks.
The data is obtained from tests by users who tested their systems both with overclocking (the maximum value in the table) and without (the minimum). A typical result is indicated in the middle, with a colored bar indicating the position among all tested systems.
Accessories
We have compiled a list of components that users most often choose when building a computer based on the Core i7-3630QM. Also with these components, the best results in tests and stable operation are achieved.
The most popular config: motherboard for Intel Core i7-3630QM - Asus T100CHI, video card - GeForce GT 420.
Characteristics
Main
Manufacturer | Intel |
Description Information about the processor, taken from the official website of the manufacturer. | Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz) |
Architecture The code name for a microarchitecture generation. | Ivy Bridge |
Release date Month and year when the processor appeared on sale. | 01-2013 |
Model Official name. | i7-3630QM |
cores The number of physical cores. | 4 |
streams Number of threads. The number of logical processor cores that the operating system sees. | 8 |
Multithreading Technology Thanks to Intel's Hyper-threading and AMD's SMT technologies, one physical core is defined in operating system as two logical, thereby increasing processor performance in multi-threaded applications. | Hyper-threading (Please note that some games may not work well with Hyper-threading, which is why you should disable the technology in motherboard BIOS fees). |
base frequency Guaranteed frequency of all processor cores at maximum load. Performance in single-threaded and multi-threaded applications and games depends on it. It is important to remember that speed and frequency are not directly related. For example, a new processor at a lower frequency may be faster than an old one at a higher one. | 2.4GHz |
Turbo frequency The maximum frequency of one processor core in turbo mode. Manufacturers have made it possible for the processor to independently increase the frequency of one or more cores under heavy load, thereby increasing the speed of operation. It greatly affects the speed in games and applications that are demanding on the frequency of the CPU. | 3.4GHz |
L3 cache size The third level cache acts as a buffer between the computer's RAM and the processor's level 2 cache. Used by all cores, the speed of information processing depends on the volume. | 6 MB |
Instructions | 64-bit |
Instructions They allow to speed up calculations, processing and execution of certain operations. Also, some games require instruction support. | AVX |
Process technology The technological process of production, measured in nanometers. The smaller the technical process, the more perfect the technology, the lower the heat dissipation and power consumption. | 22 nm |
Bus frequency The speed of data exchange with the system. | 5 GT/s DMI |
Max TDP Thermal Design Power - an indicator that determines the maximum heat dissipation. The cooler or water cooling system must be rated for an equal or greater value. Remember that with overclocking, TDP increases significantly. | 45 W |
video core
Integrated graphics core Allows you to use your computer without a discrete graphics card. The monitor is connected to the video output on the motherboard. If earlier integrated graphics made it possible to simply work at a computer, today it can replace budget video accelerators and makes it possible to play most games at low settings. | Intel® HD Graphics 4000 |
GPU base frequency The frequency of operation in 2D mode and idle. | 650MHz |
GPU base frequency The frequency of operation in 3D mode under maximum load. | 1150MHz |
Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi) Support for Wireless Display technology operating on the Wi-Fi 802.11n standard. Thanks to it, a monitor or TV equipped with the same technology does not require a cable to connect. | Yes |
Supported monitors The maximum number of monitors that can be simultaneously connected to the integrated video core. | 3 |
RAM
Max Volume random access memoryThe amount of RAM that can be installed on a motherboard with this processor. | 32GB |
Supported type of RAM The type of RAM depends on its frequency and timings (speed), availability, price. | DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600 |
RAM channels Thanks to the multi-channel memory architecture, the data transfer speed is increased. On desktop platforms, two-channel, three-channel and four-channel modes are available. | 2 |
Bandwidth of RAM | 25.6GB/s |
ECC memory Support for memory with error correction, which is used on servers. Usually more expensive than usual and requires more expensive server components. However, second-hand server processors, Chinese motherboards and ECC memory sticks, which are sold relatively cheaply in China. | No. Or we have not yet managed to mark the support. |
Core i7 4930MX versus 3610QM, 3630QM in MSI GT70 gaming laptops
The Intel Core i7 line, both desktop and mobile, includes the most powerful processors for the mass market. Initially, Core i7 (at least mobile ones) assumed the use of four cores with Hyper-Threading technology, i.e. only 8 threads. However, only a small part of applications could use all these threads, and most still work in one, maximum two threads. Therefore, the advantages of the Core i7 were shown only in a small number of applications, and often the Core i5 with a higher clock speed was faster. The multi-core Core i7 had other significant drawbacks: a large die size, high price, high power consumption and heat dissipation, which is why they are contraindicated in thin and light laptops.
Nevertheless, the reputation of "the most performance of the processor" was assigned to them. Therefore, Intel quickly changed tactics and began to urge everyone to distinguish between Core i5 and Core i7 not by the number of cores, but by the overall level of performance. In general, the company knows better which processor to include. So the older Core i5 models with higher operating frequencies migrated to the Core i7 line.
In recent generations, the situation has been exacerbated by the emergence of ultra-mobile lines. They also have their own Core i7, which in terms of performance, God forbid, reach the mobile Core i5.
Today we take a look at the performance of a "real" Intel Core i7 of the next generation of Core architecture, Haswell: Core i7-4930MX. Moreover, this is actually the top processor in the line. Well, since it came to us as part of a new generation of the MSI GT70 gaming laptop, then we will compare it with similar gaming systems of the previous generation.
Intel Haswell
The new Intel Haswell platform (its official name is "4th generation Intel Core") has two main development priorities:
- Improving Energy Efficiency
- Development and performance improvement of the graphics subsystem
As for energy efficiency, judging by the fact that NVIDIA representatives are constantly talking about the same thing, this is a new modern market development trend. Its essence is that in new generations of chips, the level of performance either remains at the same level or slightly increases, but it is achieved with much less energy consumption and heat generation. In this case, we probably took an unfortunate example for a starting acquaintance with the Haswell ideology: 57 W of the processor and a howling cooling fan are not the energy efficiency indicators that can convince me.
As for the CPU units, there are no global changes compared to Ivy Bridge, but Intel continues to refine the architecture: there are a lot of seemingly minor improvements and optimizations that should eliminate a lot of bottlenecks. As a result, Haswell processors should work faster in real-world tasks precisely due to optimal load distribution. Numerous minor improvements to the power saving system are aimed, as I understand it, mainly at turning off and then turning on the necessary processor units (or the processor in general) as soon as possible. Conjures up associations with hybrid cars, where the system shuts down the engine at any stop for nothing. Let's hope that at least the results will be better.
Once again, the most serious work has been done on the integrated graphics core. It has been improved again: now there are several versions with a different number of graphic blocks, etc. Note that priority in development was given to mobile solutions. The fourth-generation Core i7 mobile processors have an HD Graphics 4600 core (this is the GT2 platform) with 20 blocks and some other improvements aimed at a radical increase in speed. By the way, the Quicksync hardware transcoder has also been optimized.
In principle, I'm already starting to get used to the fact that the TDP of Intel processors with the transition to a thinner process technology with other optimizations is only growing. It grows, as a rule, due to integrated graphics, which ... is not needed here. Because not only the HD 4000, but even the HD 3000 is enough to work in economy mode (roughly speaking, on the desktop), despite the fact that modern applications are increasingly using functions related to 3D graphics. And where serious performance in 3D is needed, external (discrete) graphics should be used, which any normal manufacturer will definitely put in a laptop for the top Core i7.
The performance of integrated graphics will be much more important for low-end models, as well as in thin and light laptops, where cost issues, as well as power consumption and heat dissipation (including from a dedicated graphics chip) become critical. Another question is that by reinforcing the graphics part of the processor chip, Intel creates problems with this very heat release and removal. However, we'd better leave these considerations for research devoted to the above-mentioned processors.
To summarize, it is already obvious that the main and most interesting events for Haswell will unfold in the energy-efficient solutions market, and we will try to address them as quickly as possible. And today we have powerful mobile systems with top performance for a laptop - that's what we'll talk about.
MSI GT70
The performance study was conducted on three laptops... which by most parameters represent one model in which the platform is constantly updated - this is the MSI GT70. The appearance of the model, the location of ports and connectors, the keyboard and other parameters have not changed for quite a long time - apparently, the company considers them so successful that they do not need a radical update. New MSI GT70 based on Haswell platform appearance practically does not differ from its predecessors.
However, the MSI GT70 Dragon Edition stands somewhat apart. It has aluminum panels made in a chic red color with an engraved silhouette of a dragon. It looks very unusual and directly attracts the eye. Dragon Edition has a very high-performance configuration, but at the same time it costs a lot: in the region of 90,000 rubles. That is, this model was really available only to fan players, but at the same time it looked and worked accordingly.
However, the main advantage of the GT70 line, according to MSI, is powerful and balanced configurations. The point is that when developing a laptop, engineers try to optimize performance as much as possible and remove the “bottlenecks” that can hinder even very powerful chips. This is important for top-end solutions (like the ones we tested today), but it is especially true for mid-range solutions, where every percentage of performance will count. As you can see, in this regard, Intel and MSI follow close priorities.
Configuration of tested models
So, to evaluate the performance, we used three laptops:
- MSI GT70 on the new Intel platform Haswell (prototype)
We will no longer refer to features specific models laptops (the links above are enough to evaluate them), but let's turn to their configuration.
MSI GT70 | MSI GT70 Dragon Edition | MSI GT70 Haswell | |
CPU | Intel Core i7-3610QM | Intel Core i7-3630QM | Intel Core i7-4930MX |
Chipset | Intel Panther Point HM77 | Intel Panther Point HM77 | N/A |
RAM | 16 GB (DDR3-1333) | 16 GB (DDR3-1600) | 16GB (2x8GB DDR3L) |
Video subsystem | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MH | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB DDR5 |
Screen | 17.3″, 1920×1080 dots, matte | 17.3″, 1920×1080 dots, matte | |
HDD | RAID 0 array of two HDDs + HDD | RAID 0 array of two SDD + HDD | RAID 0 array of three SDD + HDD |
It immediately catches the eye that the Haswell prototype has a much more powerful configuration than the Ivy Bridge laptops. The processor belongs to the Extreme line and is, in fact, the most powerful in the line, while the 3610QM and 3630QM can rather be called "the fastest mass models" (and at the time of their release, and not to this day). In addition, the new GT70 is equipped with NVIDIA's top graphics chip. (Notebooks with GTX 680M, unfortunately, never got to us. Although there were 670M, 675MH ... There were very few left!)
Thus, in terms of positioning and technical characteristics, the new generation processor is significantly higher in class, and there will be no equal comparison in terms of technical parameters and operating frequencies. On the one hand, this is a global minus of mobile platforms: it is rarely possible to find two comparable configurations for testing; forever, at least something will be different (or there is a similar configuration, but it simply cannot be physically obtained). On the other hand (we have already talked about this before), the comparison of laptops is, as a rule, at the level of products, not subsystems. Although the new GT70 will still outperform its predecessors, it will certainly cost significantly more.
However, let's wait with the conclusions. For now, let's compare specifications participating processors.
The test included two Ivy Bridge processors, Intel Core i7 3610QM and 3630QM. The difference between them is small: 100 MHz in both modes. There is even an idea that one processor was simply relabeled into another for marketing purposes. The 3630QM also has a slightly higher maximum frequency of the graphics core. Plus, let me remind you that different memory is installed in the laptops participating in the comparison (DDR3-1333 versus DDR3-1600), and this can also give the older one some performance increase. Let's see what the difference in performance will be between them.
The Core i7-4930MX (Haswell) processor has a significantly higher base frequencies, but it accelerates a little less: by 900 MHz, and not by 1 GHz. As a percentage, the difference when operating at the nominal frequency is 25%, at the overclocking frequency it is less - only 15%. Well, a new graphics core, HD Graphics 4600. It is worth noting that it has a wider frequency range: in idle, the frequency can be less, and under load - more than that of the Ivy Bridge graphics core. In the Haswell line, by the way, there are processors with parameters very close to the 3630QM, and later we will try to compare the performance of the two generations Core platforms in close conditions. In the meantime, we note that with a difference in the results of "processor" tests (not using 3D graphics) in the region of 15-25%, this difference, most likely, will be due exclusively to the higher frequency of the top processor on Haswell.
As already mentioned, the Intel Core i7-4930MX on Haswell belongs to the extreme line and is actually a top-end processor, therefore it has several features. Firstly, these are higher operating frequencies, which you have to pay for: it has a high TDP, 57 watts. For similar processors on Ivy Bridge, it was 55 W, for the 3610QM and 3630QM participating in the tests - 45 W. The same is with the cache: for the processors of the Extreme line it is 8 MB versus 6 MB for the "regular" ones. Oh, and a high price. If for the 3630QM the recommended price was $378, then for the new processor it was $1096. It is clear that the processor has just started, and this is the base price, and we will never, ever know the amount of discounts for manufacturers, but ... You can see a complete comparison of the parameters of the used processors.
In the process of testing, we, unfortunately, knocked down the RAID with the test data, which slightly reduced the test program (in particular, tests of heating, noise, etc.). On the other hand, I think that this is even good: the fact is that we had a pre-production sample that did not always work adequately. Therefore, we'd better test the final laptop, especially since the Russian office of MSI promised to provide us with such an opportunity.
Performance Study
For synthetic tests, we are just presenting the results for now.
The GT70 Dragon Edition scores 5352 in PCMark 7, for example, making the Core i7-4930MX about 20% better.
We will not comment on synthetics for the time being, but let's move on to performance tests in real applications.
2012 Benchmark Performance Study
To determine the performance level of the GT70 with the Intel Core i7-4930MX, we used our usual testing methodology in real applications. I remind readers that its results (but not ratings!) Are compatible with any other tests, including desktop systems. For 100% we took the results of the GT70 with Intel processor Core i7-3610QM.
And immediately a small explanation regarding the data in the tables. I try to show the test results so that you can clearly see how and what worked. For example, a difference of 10% looks significant, but if in reality this difference was provided by one extra second, then it is clear that the difference is within the measurement error. With approximately the same goals, the article indicates a rating for each application, and not just for the group as a whole. Even in this study, it is clear that often the failure of one application (and most often the result of a technical failure) levels out the success in other tests.
If the test result is given in units of time, then the less time spent, the better. If in points, then almost always the more points, the better. I will discuss the reverse situations separately.
Archiving and unarchiving data
Archiving | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
7-zip pack | 0:01:09 | 0:01:08 | 101 | 0:00:58 | 119 |
7-zip unpack | 0:00:09 | 0:00:09 | 100 | 0:00:07 | 129 |
RAR pack | 0:01:16 | 0:01:14 | 103 | 0:01:01 | 125 |
RAR unpack | 0:00:41 | 0:00:39 | 105 | 0:00:32 | 128 |
The archiving test shows well how the processor behaves in simple computing tasks. True, not all archivers can use multiple cores, so parallelization is not the most efficient there, and unarchiving is generally always a single-threaded process.
The difference between the two Ivy Bridge laptops is predictably low, only 2%. However, it is, and it is worth noting. But the Core i7-4930MX immediately shows an advantage of 25%. Moreover, it is interesting that it gives the maximum increase in unzipping, i.e., in fact, when it comes to performance per core. So here we have every reason to believe that we see only the effect of a higher clock frequency in the i7-4930MX, and often even this frequency does not provide it with proportional acceleration.
Browsers and Office Applications
Office | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
excel | 0:15:59 | 0:15:32 | 103 | 0:11:29 | 139 |
FineReader | 0:10:37 | 0:10:17 | 103 | 0:08:31 | 125 |
Firefox | 5718 | 5873 | 103 | 7523 | 132 |
Internet Explorer | 718 | 747 | 104 | 1236 | 172 |
Opera | 5689 | 5865 | 103 | 7474 | 131 |
PowerPoint | 0:00:57 | 0:00:55 | 104 | 0:00:43 | 133 |
Word | 0:01:30 | 0:01:27 | 103 | 0:01:06 | 136 |
Dragon Edition is still 3% ahead of the "regular" GT70, while the Core i7-4930MX is increasing its lead to 31%. That is, in office applications, the new processor feels very good.
Working with raster graphics
Graphic arts | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
ACDSee | 0:13:48 | 0:13:15 | 104 | 0:10:43 | 129 |
GIMP | 0:13:55 | 0:13:23 | 104 | 0:10:46 | 129 |
ImageMagick | 0:02:17 | 0:02:12 | 104 | 0:01:47 | 128 |
paintshop pro | 0:06:44 | 0:06:28 | 104 | 0:05:16 | 128 |
photoshop | 0:02:18 | 0:02:11 | 105 | 0:01:45 | 131 |
When it comes to raster graphics, Dragon Edition also increases its advantage over the regular version - it is likely that this is due to faster memory. The Core i7-4930MX outperforms the 3610QM by 29% on average in the group. A very solid advantage.
Working with vector graphics
Graphic arts | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
Corel Draw | N/A | 0:02:37 | 100 | 0:02:01 | 130 |
Illustrator | N/A | 0:06:48 | 100 | 0:05:37 | 121 |
Here, unfortunately, the GT70 failed to pass the tests. However, if we take the results of 3930QM as 100%, then the Core i7-4930MX again seriously takes the lead. On average for the group - also by 25%.
Audio encoding
Audio encoding | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
Apple loss | 350 | 350 | 100 | 393 | 112 |
FLAC | 449 | 467 | 104 | 550 | 122 |
Monkey's Audio | 310 | 320 | 103 | 377 | 122 |
MP3 (Lame) | 203 | 210 | 103 | 249 | 123 |
Nero AAC | 191 | 197 | 103 | 234 | 123 |
Ogg Vorbis | 135 | 139 | 103 | 171 | 127 |
Audio encoding is another test for a fairly simple and stable computational load. Moreover, for each thread, the benchmark starts its own encoding process, i.e. it occupies all available cores and threads. Here the Dragon Edition is 3% faster than the base version (slightly higher frequency and possibly faster memory), the Core i7-4930MX is 22% faster.
Interestingly, as soon as the load became not “variable”, but “constant”, the advantage of the Core i7-4930MX immediately noticeably decreased and returned to a difference comparable to the difference in clock frequencies.
Video encoding
Video encoding | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
Expression Encoder | 0:02:35 | 0:02:30 | 103 | 0:02:07 | 122 |
Premiere | 0:01:46 | 0:01:42 | 104 | 0:01:24 | 126 |
Vegas Pro | 0:03:39 | 0:04:10 | 88 | 0:03:32 | 103 |
x264 | 0:06:04 | 0:05:53 | 103 | 0:04:39 | 130 |
Xvid | 0:06:18 | 0:06:07 | 103 | 0:05:06 | 124 |
In terms of final score, there is no difference between the two Ivy Bridge laptops, but in reality, as you can see, the Dragon Edition has the same 3% advantage, which is simply leveled by the failure in Vegas Pro. The Core i7-4930MX, by the way, also performed poorly in this particular test, which reduced its overall superiority in the group to 21%. However, as we can see from the detailed layout, in this type of tasks, on average, it is also 28-30% faster.
Games (high graphics settings)
Games (high) | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
Aliens vs. Predator | 36,3 | 51,6 | 142 | 89,8 | 247 |
Batman: Arkham Asylum | 125,7 | 170,6 | 136 | 252 | 200 |
Far Cry 2 | 74,7 | 80,4 | 108 | 99,4 | 133 |
F1 2010 | 41,3 | 65,4 | 158 | 109,5 | 265 |
Metro 2033 | 22,1 | 32,7 | 148 | 45,7 | 207 |
Crysis: Warhead | 38,9 | 53,4 | 137 | 80,9 | 208 |
Wow! 138% and 210%! This is where the actual attributes of gaming laptops come into play - NVIDIA graphics adapters, and the speed boost provided by older solutions is quite impressive. So as a gaming laptop, the new GT70 with a Haswell processor and an NVIDIA GTX 780M looks great.
Games (low graphics settings)
Games (low) | MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % |
Aliens vs. Predator | 209,1 | 283,2 | 135 | 459,3 | 220 |
Batman: Arkham Asylum | 302,4 | 283,7 | 94 | 406,8 | 135 |
Far Cry 2 | 102,7 | 99,7 | 97 | 123,7 | 120 |
F1 2010 | 126,6 | 131 | 103 | 161,1 | 127 |
Metro 2033 | 92,7 | 94,7 | 102 | 110,5 | 119 |
Crysis: Warhead | 172,2 | 170,1 | 99 | 245 | 142 |
At low graphics settings, the ratings improve: 105% and 144%. In this mode, the average fps depends more on the CPU than on the video card. However, compared to the reference 3910QM laptop, the new model with the Core i7-4930MX gives a very nice 44% increase. The absolute fps values are impressive here as well.
I emphasize that in these tests external (discrete) graphics were used, we did not test the integrated one.
Java
The Dragon Edition is 2% faster, while the 4930MX is a very good 28%. At the same time, as we can see, the Microsoft compiler reacts to the growth of platform capabilities much weaker than other compilers, otherwise the advantage would be more than 30 percent.
Mathematical calculations
MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % | |
MAPLE | 0,4542 | 0,4663 | 103 | 0,6925 | 152 |
MATLAB | 0,0266 | 0,026 | 102 | 0,0229 | 116 |
Maya | 7,1 | 7,67 | 108 | 9,72 | 137 |
Creo Elements | 392 | 380 | 103 | 280 | 140 |
solidworks | 27,46 | 26,3 | 104 | 19,9 | 138 |
In this group of tests for Matlab, Creo Elements and SolidWorks, the ratings are considered the opposite: the lower the better.
On average across the group, the Dragon Edition outperforms the regular GT70 by 4%, while the new Core i7-4930MX model outperforms by 37%. A very impressive increase, and it is significantly more than the average for our tests.
3D: work in the editor
MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % | |
Maya | 1,87 | 2,11 | 113 | 3,05 | 163 |
Creo Elements | 1086 | 1196 | 91 | 725 | 150 |
solidworks | 61,38 | 54,28 | 113 | 25,35 | 242 |
In this group of tests for Creo Elements and SolidWorks, ratings are considered the opposite: the lower the better.
When rendering in a 3D editor, the resources of the graphics adapter are used, so a powerful video card significantly improves the results. In total, the increase in Dragon Edition is 6%, while the Core i7-4930MX is as much as 85%.
3D: final rendering
MSI GT70 3610QM | MSI GT70 3310QM | % | MSI GT70 4930MX | % | |
3ds max | 0:07:36 | 0:07:20 | 104 | 0:05:19 | 143 |
light wave | 0:06:30 | 0:06:15 | 104 | 0:05:04 | 128 |
Maya | 0:14:11 | 0:14:09 | 100 | 0:10:56 | 130 |
And finally, the final rendering. This is again an intensive load, and multi-threaded and purely processor. Here the Dragon Edition still has the same 3% advantage, while the Core i7-4930MX outperforms the reference configuration by 34%.
Off the grid: multitasking
The last test goes, as they say, outside the overall standings. This is a test of the parallel operation of several resource-intensive applications.
In general, the benefits of using more powerful components are obvious: with the new platform, you will save 3 minutes out of 17 on the overall process.
Results and conclusions
So, what conclusions can we draw from our very short testing?
We took a look at the performance level of Haswell's most powerful mobile processor, the Core i7-4930MX, compared to the powerful yet mainstream platforms of the previous generation. In this comparison, he was doomed to win, if only because of his great superiority in clock speeds. When testing the desktop Core i7-4770K processor, where the frequencies were still the same, Haswell's performance gain was very dependent on the type of tasks and ranged from 0 to about 20%. In our testing on the mobile front, everything is more stable: there is an increase in all groups of tests, and this increase is obviously greater than the increase in clock frequency alone can provide.
Why is there some slight disappointment? It seems to me that marketers are primarily to blame here: for too long they taught us that each new generation is a revolution and a market revolution. The old days are over, the priorities have changed, but we are too accustomed to the “faster, higher, stronger” race. Now the riders have driven themselves into a trap, the growth of speed has stopped, and the flagged energy efficiency is too vague a parameter to seriously rely on. And with each generational change, you have to use an increasingly powerful microscope to find the differences between the new platform and the old one.
However, let's not forget that today we considered the most powerful processor in the line with the most high level performance. For Core i5 and Core i3 models, and especially ultra-mobile lines, the ratio of performance and energy efficiency will be different, and energy efficiency plays a much larger role there.
So the top-end Core i7 of the new generation has a right to exist - if only they had adequate prices. However, the advantages of Haswell should show up in more mobile lines, where energy efficiency issues really come to the fore.
Well, let's finish with the conclusions on the game laptop MSI GT70 based on the new Intel Haswell platform. In this configuration, this laptop is a dream for a wealthy gamer who rejects any compromise. The most powerful processor, the most powerful video card available, and the rest of the platform components to match. You won't find anything more powerful today. The GT70 with the Core i7-4930MX and NVIDIA GTX 780M is about 30% faster than the equally well-equipped previous generation gaming laptops. However, even without any comparisons, the absolute results of the novelty, primarily in games, look impressive. True, all this is not cheap: the price tag for a model in this configuration is approaching the mark of ... 150,000 rubles. Compared to this, 90,000 rubles for the MSI GT70 Dragon Edition looks like a childish prank. But with such a configuration, it was not worth expecting anything else.