Intel Core i3 3217U  vs 3110M 

There are two types of laptops users. The first type is a constant traveler who needs a thin and light laptop for his on-the-go lifestyle. The second type is one who needs a powerful laptop to replace his bulky desktop. For this matchup, we’re comparing two CPUs intended for such situations: the Intel Core i3 3217U versus the Intel Core i3 3110M.

The 3217U belongs to the U series geared towards Ultraportables. In this form factor, the processor speed is slightly underclocked, but this results to a much thinner and lighter laptop. It packs a 1.8 GHz Dual Core CPU with 4 threads and 3MB cache, and sips a modest power consumption of only 17W TDP.

In contrast is the 3110M, which is part of the M series. This series is intended for regular sized laptops, for fully featured performance. Its Dual Core chip is clocked higher at 2.4 GHz, but like the 3217U, it also has 4 threads and 3MB cache. However, these decent specs result to a much higher power consumption of 35W TDP, twice that of the 3110M.

Looking at the benchmarks, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the fully featured 3110M is the winner: it led by a margin of 16% in the GeekBench test, 35% in the 3Dmark06 CPU test, and 38% in the Single Core performance benchmark. However, the 3217U is much more compact and portable; and its low power consumption gives it the edge in the performance-per-watt comparison.

In conclusion, choose the laptop that best suits your needs. If you’re a constant traveler, then opt for the portable yet capable Intel Core i3 3217U; but if you’re looking for a laptop that works well as a desktop alternative, then we recommend the zippy performance of the Intel Core i3 3110M.