Intel Core i5-3335S vs Intel Core i7-4600M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i5-3335S wins 5 of the 7 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-4600M wins 2. However, the i7-4600M's two wins come with much larger margins in Geekbench.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap in Geekbench?

A: The i7-4600M scores 1018 in Geekbench single-core versus 562 for the i5-3335S, a delta of 81.1% in favor of the mobile chip.

Q: Does the i5-3335S lead in all Cinebench tests?

A: Yes. Across all five recorded Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, both single- and multi-core), the i5-3335S holds a consistent lead of roughly 12.4% to 12.5% over the i7-4600M.

Q: What is the difference in core count between these two CPUs?

A: The i7-4600M has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-3335S has 4 cores and 4 threads. Both use a 22 nm process node.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The i5-3335S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the i7-4600M has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Both the i7-4600M and the i5-3335S have their multipliers locked, indicated by `multiplierUnlocked: false`.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-4600M and Intel Core i5-3335S represent two distinct generations of Intel design. The i7-4600M is built on the Haswell architecture, released in late August 2013, while the i5-3335S uses the older Ivy Bridge architecture, released in late October 2012. Both are fabricated on Intel's 22 nm process, but the transistor counts differ substantially. The Haswell part integrates 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die, while the Ivy Bridge part packs 1,480 million transistors onto a 160 mm² die. The larger transistor count and die size on the i5-3335S reflect its quad-core design versus the dual-core i7-4600M.

Cache hierarchies differ as well. Each core in both processors has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2, but the shared L3 cache is larger on the i5-3335S: 6 MB versus 4 MB. This extra cache likely contributes to the i5's advantage in multi-threaded Cinebench workloads. The memory interface is dual-channel DDR3 for both, with the i7-4600M rated at 25.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth; the database does not record a bandwidth figure for the i5-3335S. Both CPUs expose PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics also differ: the i7-4600M carries Intel HD 4600, while the i5-3335S has Intel HD 4000. The i7-4600M targets the mobile segment with an Intel Socket G3, whereas the i5-3335S is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1155. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results show a clear split: Cinebench favors the desktop i5-3335S, while Geekbench favors the mobile i7-4600M. The margins tell the story of differing strengths.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-3335S scores 314 against the i7-4600M's 275, a 12.4% advantage. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core: 1310 versus 1147, again 12.4% ahead. The R23 multi-core test shows 3121 versus 2732, also a 12.5% gap. The consistency of these deltas suggests a stable architectural advantage for the quad-core Ivy Bridge chip in heavily threaded rendering workloads. Even in single-core Cinebench tests, the i5-3335S leads. R20 single-core shows 184 versus 161, a 12.5% difference, and R23 single-core shows 440 versus 385, also 12.5%. This is notable because the i7-4600M has a higher base clock (2.90 GHz versus 2.70 GHz) and a higher boost clock (3.60 GHz versus 3.20 GHz), yet it still trails in Cinebench single-threaded performance.

The Geekbench results reverse the picture dramatically. In Geekbench multi-core, the i7-4600M scores 1930 versus 1647 for the i5-3335S, a 17.2% lead for the mobile chip. The single-core Geekbench test is an even larger rout: 1018 versus 562, an 81.1% advantage for the i7-4600M. This is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison, and it suggests that the Haswell architecture's single-thread efficiency is far ahead of Ivy Bridge in this particular workload, despite the i5's higher core count. The i5-3335S cannot compensate for its poor single-core Geekbench showing, and the i7-4600M's two wins are decisive even though it loses five tests overall.

Looking at the aggregate averages, the two chips are extremely close. The i7-4600M has an average benchmark score of 1093, while the i5-3335S sits at 1083, a difference of less than 1%. Both CPUs land at the 30th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the i7-4600M include the Intel Core i7-4610M at an average score of 1094 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-10510Y at 1092 (0.1% higher), and the Intel Core i5-3475S at 1091 (0.1% higher). The i5-3335S's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-2320 at 1083 (0% difference), the Intel Pentium Gold G6505T at 1082 (0.1% higher), and the Intel Core i3-6320 at 1085 (0.2% lower). These figures indicate that both processors sit in a tightly packed performance band, where a 1% swing in average score can flip the ranking.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors, as recorded in the database:

• Cores: i7-4600M has 2, i5-3335S has 4.
• Base clock: i7-4600M at 2.90 GHz, i5-3335S at 2.70 GHz.
• Boost clock: i7-4600M at 3.60 GHz, i5-3335S at 3.20 GHz.
• TDP: i7-4600M at 37 W, i5-3335S at 65 W.
• Socket: i7-4600M uses Intel Socket G3, i5-3335S uses Intel Socket 1155.
• Architecture / codename: i7-4600M is Haswell, i5-3335S is Ivy Bridge.
• Generation: i7-4600M is Core i7 (Haswell), i5-3335S is Core i5 (Ivy Bridge).
• Transistor count: i7-4600M at 960 million, i5-3335S at 1,480 million.
• Die size: i7-4600M at 131 mm², i5-3335S at 160 mm².
• L3 cache: i7-4600M at 4 MB shared, i5-3335S at 6 MB shared.
• Memory bandwidth: i7-4600M at 25.6 GB/s, i5-3335S not recorded.
• Integrated graphics: i7-4600M has Intel HD 4600, i5-3335S has Intel HD 4000.
• Market segment: i7-4600M is Mobile, i5-3335S is Desktop.
• Production status: i7-4600M is End-of-life, i5-3335S has no recorded status.
• Release date: i7-4600M released 2013-08-31, i5-3335S released 2012-10-31.
• Launch MSRP: i7-4600M has a recorded launch MSRP of $346, i5-3335S has none.
• Part number: i7-4600M is SR1H7, i5-3335S has none recorded.

Fields that are identical include: 22 nm process node, Intel foundry, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, DDR3 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, no ECC support, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, and locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. If the workload is heavily threaded and Cinebench-like, the i5-3335S is the clear choice. It leads by 12.4% to 12.5% across all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both single- and multi-core. Its four physical cores and 6 MB of L3 cache provide a consistent edge in rendering and similar compute tasks. The i5-3335S also draws 65 W versus the i7-4600M's 37 W, which is expected given its desktop positioning and higher core count.

If the workload is Geekbench-oriented, particularly single-threaded, the i7-4600M is dramatically better. Its 81.1% lead in Geekbench single-core and 17.2% lead in Geekbench multi-core show that Haswell's per-core efficiency can overcome a two-core deficit in certain synthetic tests. The mobile part also has a higher base and boost clock, which helps in lightly threaded scenarios. The i7-4600M's launch MSRP was $346, but no pricing information exists for the i5-3335S, so direct cost comparison is not possible from the database.

For a desktop user who prioritizes multi-threaded rendering and has access to a standard 1155 motherboard, the i5-3335S offers more consistent Cinebench performance and a larger cache. For a mobile user or anyone running Geekbench-style single-threaded workloads where per-core speed matters most, the i7-4600M's massive single-core advantage makes it the stronger part, despite its lower core count. The aggregate averages are nearly identical (1093 versus 1083), and both sit at the 30th percentile, so the decision hinges entirely on which benchmark suite reflects the target use case. The i5-3335S wins more tests, but the i7-4600M wins the tests it does win by a far wider margin.