Encoding Performance
The i7-3720QM averaged 107.7fps in HandBrake, 10% and 22% slower than the i7-2600K and i7-3770K desktop processors. For a modestly clocked mobile chip, it's remarkable that the i7-3720QM is slightly faster than the i7-975 Extreme Edition, a three-year-old flagship desktop processor that once sold for $1,000.
The i7-3720QM averaged 134.9fps in x264 HD Benchmark's second pass test, 9% faster than the Phenom II X6 1100T and about equal to the FX-8150. Compared to other Intel processors, the i7-3720QM was 7% slower than the i7-2600K and 21% slower than the i7-3770K.
When running our AVI to MPG conversion test in TMPGEnc 4.0 Xpress, the i7-3720QM took 6 minutes and 59 seconds, 12% slower than the i7-2600K and 24% slower than the i7-3770K, yet 7% faster than AMD's flagship FX-8150.