Intel Core i3-4370 vs Intel Core i5-4430 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a remarkably consistent pattern across all five shared benchmark tests: the Intel Core i5-4430 wins every single head-to-head matchup against the Intel Core i3-4370. There is no test in the database where the Core i3-4370 manages to pull ahead, and the margin is nearly identical in each discipline.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-4430 scores 400 against the i3-4370's 330, a lead of 21.2 percent. That multi-core advantage carries over almost unchanged into the newer Cinebench R20 test, where the i5-4430 posts 1669 and the i3-4370 trails at 1379, a difference of 21 percent. The same story repeats in Cinebench R23 multi-core: 3974 for the i5-4430 versus 3284 for the i3-4370, again a 21 percent gap.

What is more surprising is the single-core picture. Typically, a higher-clocked dual-core part with four threads might be expected to at least match a lower-clocked quad-core in lightly threaded workloads. The data does not support that expectation here. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-4430 scores 235, while the i3-4370 manages 194, giving the i5-4430 a 21.1 percent advantage. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R23 single-core: 561 for the i5-4430 versus 463 for the i3-4370, a margin of 21.2 percent.

The consistency of these deltas is striking. Every benchmark, whether old or new, multi-threaded or single-threaded, reports a win for the i5-4430 within a narrow band of 21.0 to 21.2 percent. This suggests the performance difference is not workload-dependent but rather a fundamental throughput gap between the two parts. The i5-4430's four physical cores deliver a substantial and uniform advantage across the entire Cinebench suite.

In terms of overall average benchmark score, the i5-4430 sits at 1149, while the i3-4370 records 1130. The i5-4430 occupies the 33rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, just ahead of the i3-4370's 32nd percentile. The i5-4430's closest rivals include the Intel Core i7-3612QE at 1147 (0.2 percent behind), the AMD Opteron 4284 at 1146 (0.2 percent behind), and the Intel Core i7-2600S at 1146 (0.3 percent behind). The i3-4370, meanwhile, sits exactly level with the Intel Pentium Gold G5500 at 1130, and within 0.1 percent of both the Intel Core i5-4690T and the Intel Core i7-3612QM.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-4430 is the clear winner across every recorded benchmark category. Its five wins out of five head-to-head tests leave no ambiguity about which processor is faster in this comparison. For workloads that scale with physical cores, such as rendering or video encoding, the i5-4430's four cores versus the i3-4370's two cores provide an obvious structural advantage. The Cinebench multi-core results, with a 21 percent lead in every generation of the test, confirm this.

However, the i3-4370 does have a narrow domain where it could be considered competitive on paper: power efficiency. The i3-4370 carries a TDP of 54 watts, while the i5-4430 is rated at 84 watts. This 30-watt difference means the i3-4370 draws substantially less power under load, which can translate into lower cooling requirements and quieter operation in a compact desktop build. Yet even here, the performance-per-watt picture is not favorable to the i3-4370, since it delivers roughly 21 percent less performance in every test while consuming 36 percent less power.

For users prioritizing raw compute throughput, the i5-4430 is the only choice based on the recorded data. The i3-4370 does not win a single benchmark in the database, so there is no use case derived from these measurements where it comes out ahead in speed. Its only potential advantage lies in scenarios where lower power draw is more important than absolute performance, such as a low-noise media center or a basic office machine where the extra cores of the i5-4430 would go unused.

The i3-4370's higher base clock of 3.80 GHz compared to the i5-4430's 3.00 GHz might suggest an advantage in lightly threaded tasks, but the benchmark results contradict this. The i5-4430 wins single-core tests by 21 percent despite a 0.80 GHz deficit in base clock. This indicates that the i5-4430's architecture and cache configuration more than compensate for its lower clock speed in single-threaded workloads.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental Haswell architecture, manufactured on Intel's 22 nm process node. Both use the same Intel Socket 1150, support dual-channel DDR3 memory, and feature PCIe Gen 3. Both integrate Intel HD 4600 graphics, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The die size is identical at 177 mm², and both chips pack 1,400 million transistors.

The core count is the most obvious divergence. The i5-4430 has four physical cores with four threads, while the i3-4370 has two physical cores with four threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. This explains the multi-core performance gap: the i5-4430's two additional physical cores provide a 21 percent advantage in multi-threaded workloads, which is consistent across all three Cinebench multi-core tests.

Cache configuration also differs. The i5-4430 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, identical to the i3-4370. However, the shared L3 cache is 6 MB on the i5-4430 versus 4 MB on the i3-4370. This 2 MB difference in last-level cache likely contributes to the i5-4430's single-core advantage, as a larger shared cache can reduce memory latency for both cores and improve performance even in lightly threaded scenarios.

Clock speeds are the one area where the i3-4370 has a nominal edge. The i3-4370 runs at a base clock of 3.80 GHz with no boost clock listed, while the i5-4430 operates at 3.00 GHz base and boosts to 3.20 GHz. Despite the i3-4370's higher sustained clock, the benchmark data shows the i5-4430 winning single-core tests by a wide margin. This suggests that the i5-4430's larger L3 cache and possibly superior memory access patterns outweigh its lower clock speed.

Power characteristics differ significantly. The i5-4430 has a TDP of 84 watts, while the i3-4370 is rated at 54 watts. The i3-4370's lower power draw is a direct consequence of having only two physical cores and a smaller L3 cache. Both processors use the same 22 nm process and same foundry, so the power difference is purely a function of core count and cache size.

Release timing also separates the two. The i5-4430 launched on 2013-06-01, while the i3-4370 arrived later on 2014-07-20. Both belong to the Haswell generation, but the i5-4430 predates the i3-4370 by over a year.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-4430 wins all multi-core benchmarks. In Cinebench R15 multi-core it scores 400 versus 330 for the Core i3-4370, and in Cinebench R23 multi-core it scores 3974 versus 3284, a 21 percent advantage in both cases.

Q: Does the Core i3-4370's higher clock speed help in single-core tests?

A: No. Despite a base clock of 3.80 GHz versus 3.00 GHz for the Core i5-4430, the i5-4430 wins single-core tests by 21.1 percent in Cinebench R20 and 21.2 percent in Cinebench R23. The larger 6 MB L3 cache on the i5-4430 appears to overcome the clock deficit.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The Core i3-4370 has a TDP of 54 watts, while the Core i5-4430 is rated at 84 watts. The i3-4370 draws less power, but it also delivers roughly 21 percent less performance in every benchmark.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory and expansion features?

A: Yes. Both support dual-channel DDR3 memory, both use PCIe Gen 3, and both have integrated Intel HD 4600 graphics. They also share the same Intel Socket 1150 and 22 nm Haswell architecture.

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of each processor?

A: The Core i5-4430 has an average benchmark score of 1149 and sits at the 33rd percentile among all CPUs. The Core i3-4370 has an average score of 1130 and sits at the 32nd percentile.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Core i3-4370 wins?

A: In the recorded head-to-head data, the Core i3-4370 wins zero out of five tests. The Core i5-4430 wins all five, with delta percentages ranging from 21.0 to 21.2.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-4430 | Intel Core i3-4370 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.20 GHz | None |

| TDP | 84 W | 54 W |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Release Date | 2013-06-01 | 2014-07-20 |

| Part Number | SR14G | None |

| Cinebench R15 Multi-core | 400 | 330 |

| Cinebench R20 Multi-core | 1669 | 1379 |

| Cinebench R20 Single-core | 235 | 194 |

| Cinebench R23 Multi-core | 3974 | 3284 |

| Cinebench R23 Single-core | 561 | 463 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 1149 | 1130 |

| Percentile vs All CPUs | 33 | 32 |

The two processors share identical specifications in several areas: both use the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, both have 64 KB L1 cache per core and 256 KB L2 cache per core, both support dual-channel DDR3, both have PCIe Gen 3, both integrate Intel HD 4600 graphics, and both are locked (multiplier unlocked: false). The die size of 177 mm² and transistor count of 1,400 million are also the same for both. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has a launch MSRP listed in the database.