Intel Core i5-2500K vs Intel Core i5-4670R Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i5-4670R wins every single recorded head-to-head test against the Intel Core i5-2500K. Across five Cinebench comparisons, the margin never strays far from the 26% mark, showing a systematic performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-4670R scores 448 against the i5-2500K's 354, a 26.6% lead. That is the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison. The single-core results tell a similar story, though the raw numbers are smaller. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-4670R posts 263 versus 208, a 26.4% advantage. The i5-2500K's best showing is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it trails by 26.2%, the narrowest margin recorded. Even so, the i5-4670R's 627 score comfortably outpaces the i5-2500K's 497.

The multi-core tests show the same pattern. Cinebench R20 multi-core gives the i5-4670R a 26.3% lead (1868 versus 1479), and Cinebench R23 multi-core matches that exactly at 26.3% (4448 versus 3523). The i5-4670R also wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test, though the database does not list a score for the i5-2500K in that specific test. What the recorded data shows is a processor that delivers roughly a quarter more performance across the board, regardless of thread count or workload generation.

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect this split. The i5-4670R carries an average benchmark score of 1286, while the i5-2500K averages 1329. That appears contradictory given the head-to-head sweep, but the averages include different test sets. The i5-4670R's average is drawn from its Cinebench results, while the i5-2500K's average includes Geekbench scores, where it posts 2434 multi-core and 805 single-core. Those Geekbench numbers are not part of the direct comparison, yet they inflate the older chip's overall average. The head-to-head data is unambiguous: in every test where both processors ran the same benchmark, the i5-4670R won by roughly 26%.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-4670R wins everywhere the two processors share a benchmark. That includes all five Cinebench tests in the head-to-head table. There is no recorded test where the i5-2500K comes out ahead. The i5-4670R's advantage is consistent in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, which points to a broad architectural improvement rather than a niche strength.

For users running rendering workloads, Cinebench R23 multi-core is the most demanding test in the set, and the i5-4670R's 4448 score versus 3523 shows a 26.3% advantage. That translates to noticeably shorter render times for CPU-based production tasks. Single-core performance, which matters for older games and lightly threaded applications, also favors the i5-4670R by 26.2% in Cinebench R23. The i5-4670R's 627 single-core score is a clear step above the i5-2500K's 497.

The i5-2500K does have one area of distinction: its Geekbench results are recorded in the database, and those scores (2434 multi-core, 805 single-core) contribute to its higher average benchmark score of 1329. However, those tests were not run on the i5-4670R, so no direct comparison is possible. In the tests that matter for this head-to-head, the i5-2500K has zero wins.

The use-case split is therefore simple. For any workload covered by the Cinebench suite, the i5-4670R is the stronger choice. The i5-2500K's only edge is its older platform's larger shared L3 cache and its Geekbench scores, which exist outside the direct comparison. Users who prioritize the recorded Cinebench metrics should favor the i5-4670R without hesitation.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-4670R wins all three multi-core tests. It leads by 26.6% in Cinebench R15 (448 versus 354), 26.3% in Cinebench R20 (1868 versus 1479), and 26.3% in Cinebench R23 (4448 versus 3523).

Q: How does single-core performance compare between the two chips?

A: The i5-4670R leads in every recorded single-core test. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 263 against 208, a 26.4% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 627 against 497, a 26.2% lead.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes. Both the i5-4670R and the i5-2500K rank in the 35th percentile against all CPUs in the database. Despite the i5-4670R's consistent head-to-head wins, both chips occupy the same overall performance tier.

Q: Which chip has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The i5-2500K has a higher average benchmark score of 1329, compared to the i5-4670R's 1286. This is because the i5-2500K's average includes Geekbench scores (2434 multi-core, 805 single-core) that were not recorded for the i5-4670R. In the shared Cinebench tests, the i5-4670R wins every time.

Q: Is the i5-4670R's lead consistent across different Cinebench versions?

A: Yes. The delta percentage ranges from 26.2% to 26.6% across all five head-to-head Cinebench tests. The narrowest margin is in Cinebench R23 single-core at 26.2%, and the widest is in Cinebench R15 multi-core at 26.6%.

Q: Does the i5-2500K win any benchmark in the head-to-head data?

A: No. The head-to-head table records 5 wins for the i5-4670R and 0 wins for the i5-2500K. The i5-2500K's Geekbench scores are in the database but were not run against the i5-4670R.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several fundamental specifications. The i5-4670R uses the Intel BGA 1364 socket, while the i5-2500K uses Intel Socket 1155. That alone prevents direct swapping between systems. The i5-4670R has a base clock of 3.00 GHz, while the i5-2500K runs at 3.30 GHz. Both boost to 3.70 GHz.

Thermal design power differs substantially. The i5-4670R is rated at 65 watts, while the i5-2500K draws 95 watts. That is a 30-watt gap in favor of the newer chip, which is notable given the i5-4670R's higher benchmark scores. The i5-4670R achieves better performance at lower power consumption.

Cache configurations also differ. The i5-4670R has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-2500K has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-2500K's larger cache is a point in its favor, though it does not translate into benchmark wins. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core.

Memory support is identical in type (DDR3), but the i5-2500K lists a dual-channel memory bus and 25.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The i5-4670R does not have recorded memory bus or bandwidth figures in the database. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

The integrated graphics differ. The i5-4670R features Intel Iris Pro 5200, while the i5-2500K has Intel HD 3000. The i5-2500K also lists PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-4670R has no recorded PCIe specification.

Production status separates the two as well. The i5-4670R is listed as active, while the i5-2500K is end-of-life. The i5-2500K has a recorded launch MSRP of $216, while the i5-4670R has no launch MSRP in the database. Both processors have an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The i5-4670R is built on the Haswell architecture, while the i5-2500K uses Sandy Bridge. This is a generational leap of two architecture families. The i5-4670R belongs to the Core i5 (Haswell) generation, and the i5-2500K belongs to the Core i5 (Sandy Bridge) generation.

The manufacturing process differs significantly. The i5-4670R uses a 22 nm process node, while the i5-2500K uses 32 nm. Intel is the foundry for both. The smaller process node helps explain the i5-4670R's lower 65-watt TDP despite its higher performance.

Transistor counts and die sizes reflect the process change. The i5-4670R packs 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die. The i5-2500K has 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The newer chip fits more transistors into a smaller physical area, a direct result of the 22 nm process.

Core and thread counts are identical: both have 4 cores and 4 threads. The L1 and L2 cache layouts match as well, with 64 KB per core and 256 KB per core respectively. The shared L3 cache differs, but not in the direction of the newer chip: the i5-2500K has 6 MB shared, while the i5-4670R has 4 MB shared.

The integrated graphics solutions represent two different GPU generations. The i5-4670R's Iris Pro 5200 is a more advanced integrated graphics solution than the i5-2500K's HD 3000. This matters for systems without discrete graphics, though no benchmark data in the database measures GPU performance.

The i5-4670R's release date is 2013-06-01, while the i5-2500K's is 2011-01-08. The newer chip benefits from two and a half years of architectural development. The recorded benchmarks show that development translated directly into a 26% performance improvement across the Cinebench suite, achieved at a lower TDP and on a smaller process node. The i5-2500K's larger L3 cache and higher base clock do not compensate for the architectural gap.