CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-7300 and Intel Core i5-4570T are both dual-core, four-thread desktop processors, but they come from different eras and design philosophies. The i3-7300 is a Kaby Lake part from 2017 built on a 14 nm process, while the i5-4570T is a Haswell part from 2013 built on a 22 nm process. Despite the i5 branding, benchmark data shows the newer i3-7300 holds a commanding lead across every tested workload, with head-to-head deltas consistently around 41% in its favor. Both CPUs sit at the 31st percentile in the database, meaning their average benchmark scores place them in similar company, but the distribution of those scores tells a different story.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-7300 has a base clock of 4.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-4570T has a base clock of 2.90 GHz. The i5-4570T does have a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, but the i3-7300 has no boost clock specified.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in multi-core rendering performance?

A: The i3-7300 wins all multi-core benchmarks decisively. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-7300 scores 3856 versus 2732 for the i5-4570T, a 41.1% advantage. Similar margins appear in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests.

Q: Are both processors built on the same manufacturing process?

A: No. The i3-7300 uses a 14 nm process node, while the i5-4570T uses a 22 nm process node. This process difference is a significant factor in the performance gap.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory type?

A: No. The i3-7300 supports DDR4 memory, while the i5-4570T supports DDR3. The i3-7300 also has a listed memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-4570T has no bandwidth figure in the data.

Q: What are the power consumption ratings for each chip?

A: The i3-7300 has a TDP of 51 watts, while the i5-4570T has a TDP of 35 watts. The i5-4570T draws significantly less power despite being on an older process.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The i3-7300 has an average benchmark score of 1115, while the i5-4570T has an average score of 1108. The difference is minimal, and their nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 for the i3-7300 and the AMD PRO A12-8870 for the i5-4570T.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two CPUs is stark. The i3-7300 is built on Kaby Lake, Intel's 14 nm node, and represents a much newer generation. The i5-4570T is Haswell, built on the older 22 nm node. This process shrink is not just about efficiency; it enables the i3-7300 to run at a much higher 4.00 GHz base clock, which is likely the primary driver of its benchmark dominance.

The i5-4570T compensates for its lower 2.90 GHz base clock with a 3.60 GHz boost clock, a feature the i3-7300 does not list. However, the data shows this boost capability is insufficient to close the gap. The i3-7300's transistor count and die size are not listed, while the i5-4570T has disclosed figures of 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die size, but these are just physical characteristics.

Both CPUs share the same cache layout: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. This means the performance difference is not explained by cache capacity. The memory support diverges, with the i3-7300 using DDR4 and the i5-4570T using DDR3, a generational shift that contributes to the i3-7300's listed 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i3-7300 has Intel HD 630, while the i5-4570T has Intel HD 4600.

The sockets are incompatible: the i3-7300 uses Intel Socket 1151, and the i5-4570T uses Intel Socket 1150. Both support PCIe Gen 3, but the i3-7300 lists 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-4570T just lists "Gen 3" without lane specifics. Neither CPU supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked).

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is one-sided. The i3-7300 wins all five head-to-head benchmarks, with winsA at 5 and winsB at 0. There is no workload in the provided data where the i5-4570T emerges victorious. This means the i5-4570T's only advantages are qualitative: its 35-watt TDP is lower than the i3-7300's 51 watts, and its boost clock feature is absent on the i3-7300.

For users prioritizing power efficiency, the i5-4570T is the only choice from this data. Its lower TDP could translate to quieter operation or lower cooling requirements, though no specific cooler or wattage figures are provided to quantify this. The i3-7300 wins every performance category, making it the default pick for any compute-heavy task, from rendering to single-threaded workloads.

The i5-4570T's production status is null in the data, while the i3-7300 is listed as Active. This suggests the i3-7300 is the more current product, but the i5-4570T's status is simply unknown rather than discontinued. The i5-4570T also has a Geekbench score in its benchmarks list, while the i3-7300 does not, but the i3-7300's Cinebench scores alone are enough to establish its superiority.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals several key differences between the two processors. The most obvious is the process node: the i3-7300 uses 14 nm, while the i5-4570T uses 22 nm. This is paired with a substantial clock speed gap: the i3-7300 runs at 4.00 GHz base with no boost, while the i5-4570T runs at 2.90 GHz base with a 3.60 GHz boost.

The TDP difference is notable, with the i3-7300 at 51 watts and the i5-4570T at 35 watts. The i3-7300 requires a different socket (1151) than the i5-4570T (1150), making them incompatible with the same motherboards. Memory support also diverges: the i3-7300 uses DDR4 with a listed 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-4570T uses DDR3 with no bandwidth figure.

The integrated graphics differ: the i3-7300 has Intel HD 630, and the i5-4570T has Intel HD 4600. The i5-4570T has a disclosed transistor count of 1,400 million and a die size of 177 mm², while these figures are null for the i3-7300. The i5-4570T's release date is earlier (June 2013) versus the i3-7300's January 2017 release. Both have 2 cores, 4 threads, 4 MB of L3 cache, and no ECC support. The PCIe specification is Gen 3 for both, but the i3-7300 lists 16 lanes (CPU only) while the i5-4570T does not specify lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-7300 scores 388 versus the i5-4570T's 275, a 41.1% delta. The single-core R15 score was not recorded for the i5-4570T, but the i3-7300 has a score of 54. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core result is 1619 for the i3-7300 and 1147 for the i5-4570T, a 41.2% delta. The single-core R20 shows 228 versus 161, a 41.6% delta.

Cinebench R23 continues the trend: multi-core scores are 3856 for the i3-7300 and 2732 for the i5-4570T, a 41.1% delta, while single-core scores are 544 and 385, a 41.3% delta. Every single test falls within a narrow 41.1% to 41.6% range. This uniformity suggests the performance gap is not workload-specific but rather a fundamental throughput advantage for the i3-7300, likely stemming from its higher base clock and newer architecture.

The i5-4570T has additional benchmark data that the i3-7300 lacks: Geekbench multi-core (2016) and single-core (1042) scores. These are not directly comparable to any i3-7300 result, but they do not change the overall picture. The i3-7300's average benchmark score of 1115 versus the i5-4570T's 1108 is nearly identical, which is surprising given the head-to-head deltas. This is explained by the fact that the i3-7300's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (avg score 1116), while the i5-4570T's rivals include the AMD PRO A12-8870 (avg score 1107). The average scores are pulled from different benchmark suites, so the head-to-head Cinebench results are the more reliable comparison.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-7300 is the superior performer in every benchmark recorded. Its 41%+ lead across all Cinebench tests is a massive margin, especially for two CPUs with identical core and thread counts. The i3-7300's 4.00 GHz base clock, compared to the i5-4570T's 2.90 GHz base, is the likely culprit, and the i5-4570T's 3.60 GHz boost clock cannot compensate.

The i5-4570T's only claim to preference is its 35-watt TDP, which is lower than the i3-7300's 51 watts. For a system where power draw is the primary concern, the i5-4570T is the rational choice. It also has disclosed transistor and die size data, which may appeal to those interested in physical specifications, but that is not a performance benefit.

The i3-7300 is the pick for anyone running CPU-bound tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3856 versus 2732 demonstrates a clear advantage in rendering and similar workloads. The i5-4570T, despite its i5 branding, offers no performance wins in this dataset. Its higher power efficiency is the only factor that gives it any reason to exist in a comparison. For a user with a Socket 1150 motherboard already in hand, the i5-4570T could be a drop-in upgrade, but that is a platform consideration outside the raw benchmark data. On the merits of performance alone, the i3-7300 wins outright.