Intel Core i7-8557U vs Intel Core i7-2960XM

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-8557U or Intel Core i7-8557U – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-8557U features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2019 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-8557U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1528 socket.
The Intel Core i7-2960XM features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2011 and belongs to the 2 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-2960XM, you'll need a motherboard with a PGA 988 socket.
Mobile Segment Mobile
Intel Core i7-8557U Name Intel Core i7-2960XM
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i7
8 Generation 2
Intel Core i 8000U Group Intel Core i 2000M
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-8557U has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-8557U is 1.7 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.5 GHz.
The Intel Core i7-2960XM has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-2960XM is 2.7 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.7 GHz.
4.5 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.7 GHz
No Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
1.7 GHz Frequency 2.7 GHz
8 Threads 8
3.4 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) None
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
4 CPU Cores 4
4x Cores 4x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-8557U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-8557U uses the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, which has 384 texture shaders
and 48 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-2960XM has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-2960XM uses the Intel HD Graphics 3000, which has 96 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
0.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.65 GHz
Q4/2017 Release date Q1/2011
12 Direct X 10.1
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 GPU name Intel HD Graphics 3000
14 nm Technology 32 nm
-- Max. displays --
384 Shaders 96
32.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
48 Execution units 12
9.5 Generation 6
1.15 GHz GPU (Turbo) 1.3 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode / Encode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode VP8 No
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
Decode / Encode JPEG No
No AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 2
32.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
38.4 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
DDR4-2400 Memory type DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 55 W watts.
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 55 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-8557U is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-2960XM is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
Q3/2019 Release date Q4/2011
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Coffee Lake U Architecture Sandy Bridge H
14 nm Technology 32 nm
BGA 1528 Socket PGA 988
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
430 $ Release price 570 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
8.0 MB L3-Cache 8.0 MB