CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4670S and Intel Core i3-9300 are both quad-core desktop processors from Intel, but they represent different eras of the company’s design philosophy. The i5-4670S is a Haswell-era part from 2013, built on a 22 nm process, while the i3-9300 is a Coffee Lake Refresh part from 2019, fabricated on a 14 nm node. The benchmark data shows a consistent and decisive performance gap between the two, with the newer i3-9300 winning every single head-to-head test. This analysis will break down the exact margins, examine what each processor does well, and clarify which user should consider which chip based strictly on the provided metrics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-9300 wins all six benchmark comparisons. The margins are remarkably uniform across different Cinebench versions, which suggests the advantage is fundamental to the architecture rather than specific to one workload type. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i3-9300 scores 541 against the i5-4670S’s 448, a delta of -17.2% from the perspective of the older chip. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story, with scores of 76 and 63, translating to a -17.1% difference.

The pattern continues with Cinebench R20. The i3-9300 posts a multicore score of 2257, while the i5-4670S manages 1870, a -17.1% gap. In the single-core R20 test, the i3-9300’s 318 eclipses the i5-4670S’s 263, again a -17.3% delta. Moving to the more demanding Cinebench R23 workload, the i3-9300 scores 5374 multicore and 758 single-core. The i5-4670S trails with 4454 and 628, respectively, showing a -17.1% difference in multicore and -17.2% in single-core.

The consistency of these deltas, all hovering around -17%, is telling. It indicates that the performance advantage is not workload-dependent, but rather a uniform clock-speed and IPC improvement. The i3-9300 has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, compared to the i5-4670S’s 3.10 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. This raw clock advantage, combined with the newer Coffee Lake architecture, yields a nearly identical percentage gain across all Cinebench iterations. In Geekbench, the i5-4670S scores 3300 multicore and 1184 single-core, but no corresponding Geekbench data is provided for the i3-9300, so those numbers cannot be directly compared.

Looking at the average benchmark score, the i3-9300 holds a lead of 1554 versus 1526 for the i5-4670S. This is a smaller overall margin than the Cinebench tests suggest, but it is important to note that the i5-4670S’s average includes Geekbench scores that are not mirrored on the i3-9300’s sheet. The i3-9300’s percentile rank among all CPUs is 39, slightly ahead of the i5-4670S’s 38. The nearest rivals for the i3-9300 include the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 (avg score 1557, delta -0.2%) and the AMD FX-8350 (avg score 1557, delta -0.2%), placing it in a competitive bracket with those parts. The i5-4670S’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-7440HQ with an identical average score of 1527.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the Intel Core i3-9300 is the superior processor in every measured benchmark. If a user is choosing between these two for a new build or an upgrade, the i3-9300 is the only logical choice from a pure performance standpoint. It delivers approximately 17% higher performance across all Cinebench workloads, which is a substantial margin that would be noticeable in rendering, CPU-intensive tasks, and even general responsiveness. The i3-9300 also benefits from newer platform features, including DDR4 memory support with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s and ECC memory capability, which the i5-4670S lacks.

The i5-4670S is not without merit, but its advantages are confined to legacy platform compatibility. It uses the Intel Socket 1150 and supports DDR3 memory, which might be relevant for someone upgrading an old system without wanting to change the motherboard or RAM. However, the benchmark data indicates that the i3-9300 is faster in all scenarios, so the i5-4670S should only be considered if platform constraints are absolute. The i3-9300’s launch MSRP is $143, and while pricing discussions are outside the scope of this analysis, that figure is noted for reference. For a user starting fresh or willing to change the motherboard, the i3-9300 is the definitive winner.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-9300 wins in every benchmark category provided. This includes all six Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multicore configurations. Its victories are consistent, with deltas ranging from -17.1% to -17.3% against the i5-4670S. This means the i3-9300 is the better choice for any workload that relies on CPU rendering, such as 3D modeling, video encoding, or any application that utilizes Cinebench-like multi-threaded processing. Its single-core advantage also makes it better suited for tasks that are lightly threaded but sensitive to clock speed, such as gaming or older software that does not scale across multiple cores.

The Intel Core i5-4670S wins no benchmark comparisons in this head-to-head data. Its only potential advantage is its compatibility with older platforms. It uses the Intel Socket 1150 and supports DDR3 memory, which could be a deciding factor for users who already own a compatible motherboard and RAM and do not wish to perform a full platform upgrade. However, from a performance perspective, there is no workload where the data shows the i5-4670S outperforming the i3-9300. The i5-4670S’s integrated graphics are the Intel HD 4600, while the i3-9300 has the UHD 630, but no graphics benchmarks are provided in the data, so a direct comparison cannot be made.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-9300 has a higher average benchmark score of 1554, compared to the Intel Core i5-4670S’s 1526.

Q: How much faster is the i3-9300 in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i3-9300 scores 5374 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the i5-4670S scores 4454, making the i3-9300 approximately 17.1% faster.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-4670S and the Intel Core i3-9300 have 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The Intel Core i5-4670S supports DDR3 memory, while the Intel Core i3-9300 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Does the i3-9300 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-9300 has ECC memory support enabled, while the Intel Core i5-4670S does not support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i3-9300 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i5-4670S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The Intel Core i5-4670S is based on the Haswell architecture, using a 22 nm process node. It has a die size of 177 mm² and contains 1,400 million transistors. The Intel Core i3-9300 uses the Coffee Lake architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process node. Its die size is smaller at 126 mm², and the data does not list a transistor count for it. The process shrink from 22 nm to 14 nm is a key factor in the i3-9300’s improved efficiency and higher clock speeds.

The cache hierarchies are similar in structure but differ in size. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs, with the i5-4670S having 6 MB shared and the i3-9300 having 8 MB shared. This larger L3 cache on the i3-9300 can help with frequently accessed data, potentially contributing to its performance lead. The socket types are different: the i5-4670S uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i3-9300 uses Intel Socket 1151. This means they are not interchangeable on the same motherboard.

Memory support is another major architectural difference. The i5-4670S supports DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration, while the i3-9300 supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i3-9300 also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the i5-4670S. Both processors have PCIe Gen 3 support, but the i3-9300 specifies 16 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics differ as well, with the i5-4670S featuring Intel HD 4600 and the i3-9300 featuring UHD 630. The i3-9300 also has a higher base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, compared to the i5-4670S’s 3.10 GHz and 3.80 GHz, respectively. The TDP is similar, with the i5-4670S rated at 65 W and the i3-9300 at 62 W. The i3-9300’s production status is listed as end-of-life, while the i5-4670S’s status is not specified.