Benchmark Results: Gaming Performance
Of the 15 mobile Sandy Bridge-based SKUs being announced, all of them offer HD Graphics 3000. With 12 execution units, the HD Graphics 3000 (GT2) on the mobile side enjoys the same architecture that we see on the desktop. The only difference is in clock speed. Some models run at up to 1300 MHz, others run at 1100 MHz, one does 950 MHz, and another tops out at 900 MHz. As you might guess, the final specification is largely dependent on TDP.
The "---9" (LV) and "---7" (ULV) Core i7 models, for the most part, are fairly similar, as the graphic cores run up to 950-1100 MHz, depending on the specific TDP. The major difference lies in the base graphics clock. The LV parts drop down to 500 MHz, while the ULV clocks in at 350 MHz.
| i7-2820QM | i5-2500K | i5-2400 | i5-540M | i5-655K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (Mobile) | Sandy Bridge (Desktop) | Sandy Bridge(Desktop) | Arrandale(Mobile) | Clarkdale(Desktop) |
| Execution Units | 12 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 12 |
| Graphics | HD Graphics 3000 (GT2) | HD Graphics 3000 (GT2) | HD Graphics 2000 (GT1) | HD Graphics(Ironlake) | HD Graphics(Ironlake) |
| Base Graphics Clock | 650 MHz | 850 MHz | 850 MHz | 500 MHz | 733 MHz |
| Max. Graphics Clock | 1300 MHz | 1100 MHz | 1100 MHz | 766 MHz | - |
In our launch coverage, we used the Core i5-2500K to represent the desktop version of the HD Graphics 3000 and the i5-2400 for the HD Graphics 2000.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the only game where we see the mobile version of the HD Graphics 3000 slide in ahead of the Core i5-2500K, a result of its faster max graphics frequency. Otherwise, the two run comparably in the other tests. The Core i5-2500K leads in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Far Cry 2, thanks to its higher processor-based Turbo Boost hitting a max of 3.7 GHz. The Core i7-2820QM trails a bit, as its maximum clock rate is 3.4 GHz.