CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i7-4600U and Intel Celeron G6900TE represent two very different eras of Intel silicon, yet their aggregate benchmark scores place them nearly side-by-side. The i7-4600U, a 2013 Haswell-era mobile part, averages 931 points across its benchmark suite, while the G6900TE, a 2022 Alder Lake desktop chip, averages 925 points. Both occupy the 25th percentile of all CPUs, and the data shows a curious rivalry: the i7-4600U sits just 0.7% above the G6900TE in average score, while the G6900TE counters by winning every single head-to-head benchmark. This contradiction, one chip winning the aggregate, the other winning every direct test, is explained by the specific workloads measured and the architectural gulf between them.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-4600U edges ahead with an average benchmark score of 931, compared to the Intel Celeron G6900TE's 925. This represents a 0.7% lead for the i7-4600U.

Q: How many head-to-head benchmark comparisons did the Celeron G6900TE win?

A: The Celeron G6900TE won all five head-to-head comparisons, covering Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests. The i7-4600U recorded zero wins.

Q: What is the difference in thread count between the two processors?

A: The i7-4600U supports 4 threads across its 2 cores via Hyper-Threading, while the G6900TE has 2 threads across 2 cores with no multithreading capability.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Celeron G6900TE runs at a 2.40 GHz base clock, whereas the i7-4600U has a lower 2.10 GHz base clock but can boost up to 3.30 GHz. The G6900TE has no boost clock listed.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, neither the i7-4600U nor the G6900TE supports ECC memory, according to the benchmark data.

Q: What process node is each processor built on?

A: The i7-4600U uses Intel's 22 nm process with 1,300 million transistors on a 118 mm² die, while the G6900TE is fabricated on Intel's 10 nm node.

Architecture Differences

The i7-4600U belongs to the Haswell generation, specifically the Haswell-ULT codename, and targets the mobile segment with a 15 W TDP. It uses the Intel BGA 1168 socket, indicating it is soldered to the motherboard. The G6900TE, by contrast, is an Alder Lake-S desktop part with a 35 W TDP and uses the Intel Socket 1700, a user-replaceable socket. This difference in thermal envelope, 15 W versus 35 W, partially explains why the desktop chip can sustain higher clocks despite being a low-end Celeron.

The process node gap is substantial: 22 nm for the i7-4600U versus 10 nm for the G6900TE. The newer node allows the G6900TE to achieve higher clock speeds (2.40 GHz base versus 2.10 GHz) and newer features like PCIe Gen 5 support, which the i7-4600U lacks entirely. The i7-4600U's cache structure is older: 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core, while the G6900TE offers 80 KB L1 per core and a much larger 1.25 MB L2 per core. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache, but the G6900TE's larger per-core L2 is a significant architectural advantage for workloads that fit in L2.

Memory support diverges sharply. The i7-4600U is limited to DDR3, while the G6900TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i7-4600U carries Intel HD 5000, whereas the G6900TE pairs with UHD Graphics 710. Neither chip is multiplier-unlocked, so overclocking is off the table for both. The G6900TE is listed as "Active" in production status and has a part number (SRL68), while the i7-4600U's production status is not specified; its 2013 release date confirms it is an older part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The G6900TE dominates every direct comparison, with deltas that cluster tightly around 14%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the G6900TE scores 270 against the i7-4600U's 232, a 14.1% advantage. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1128 vs 968, 14.2% ahead) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (2687 vs 2306, 14.2% ahead). The consistency across R15, R20, and R23 suggests the G6900TE's advantage scales uniformly with workload length and complexity.

Single-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the G6900TE posts 159 versus the i7-4600U's 136, a 14.5% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 379 against 325, again 14.2% ahead. The margin is nearly identical across all five tests, indicating that the performance gap is architectural rather than workload-specific. The i7-4600U's boost clock of 3.30 GHz does not compensate for the G6900TE's newer core design and larger L2 cache; even at a lower base clock, the Alder Lake core extracts more instructions per clock.

The i7-4600U does have a partial redeeming factor: its Geekbench scores, which are not part of the head-to-head set. It scores 1664 multi-core and 889 single-core on Geekbench. However, the G6900TE lacks Geekbench data in the pack, so no direct comparison is possible there. In the five tests where both chips were measured, the G6900TE's smallest win is 14.1%, and its largest is 14.5%, an extraordinarily narrow band that underscores how consistently the newer chip outperforms the older one.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Celeron G6900TE wins all five head-to-head benchmarks by roughly 14% each. For any user running Cinebench workloads, whether R15, R20, or R23, single-core or multi-core, the G6900TE is the faster processor. Its 2.40 GHz base clock, 10 nm process, and larger L2 cache deliver superior performance despite having half the threads of the i7-4600U.

The i7-4600U's higher average benchmark score (931 vs 925) is a statistical artifact of including Geekbench results in the aggregate, which the G6900TE lacks. In pure head-to-head terms, the i7-4600U offers no advantage. Its only tangible benefits are a lower TDP (15 W vs 35 W) and a boost clock (3.30 GHz) that does not translate into wins. The 4-thread capability of the i7-4600U does not help in these tests; the G6900TE's 2 physical cores, backed by a much faster L2, outperform it regardless.

For a desktop user who prioritizes single-threaded responsiveness or multi-core rendering in Cinebench, the G6900TE is the clear choice. For a mobile or ultra-low-power scenario, the i7-4600U's 15 W TDP and BGA 1168 socket make it the only viable option of the two, but the performance data shows it is the slower chip in every measurable compute test. The G6900TE's active production status also suggests availability, while the i7-4600U's 2013 release date places it firmly in legacy territory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-4600U | Intel Celeron G6900TE |

|---|---|---|

| Threads | 4 | 2 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.30 GHz | None listed |

| TDP | 15 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1168 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Haswell-ULT | Alder Lake-S |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 10 nm |

| Transistors | 1,300 million | Not listed |

| Die Size | 118 mm² | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Not listed | Dual-channel |

| PCIe | Not listed | Gen 5 |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 5000 | UHD Graphics 710 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Production Status | Not listed | Active |

| Release Date | 2013-08-31 | 2022-01-03 |

| Part Number | Not listed | SRL68 |