Intel Core i5-3350P vs Intel Core i7-4600M Comparison

The Intel Core i7-4600M and Intel Core i5-3350P represent two very different design philosophies from Intel’s 22 nm era, and the benchmark data reflects that split clearly. The i5-3350P wins 5 of 7 head-to-head comparisons, often by a wide margin, but the i7-4600M takes both Geekbench tests, including a decisive 74.3% lead in single-core. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical — 1093 for the i7-4600M versus 1088 for the i5-3350P — and both sit at the 30th percentile of all CPUs. The choice between them depends entirely on whether the workload favors raw multi-threaded throughput or the specific characteristics measured by Geekbench.

The Verdict

The data points to a split decision based on workload type. For multi-threaded rendering tasks like Cinebench, the Intel Core i5-3350P is the clear winner. It outperforms the i7-4600M by 25.8% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1546 vs 1147) and by the same percentage in Cinebench R23 multi-core (3681 vs 2732). The margin is consistent across all Cinebench versions, suggesting a structural advantage rather than a test-specific anomaly.

The Intel Core i7-4600M, however, dominates in Geekbench. Its single-core score of 1018 is 74.3% higher than the i5-3350P’s 584, and its multi-core score of 1930 is 11.6% higher than the i5-3350P’s 1730. This is a substantial reversal from the Cinebench results. The i7-4600M also has a notable advantage in single-core Cinebench R23, scoring 385 versus 519 for the i5-3350P, though that 25.8% deficit still favors the i5-3350P.

The verdict is straightforward: the i5-3350P is the choice for users running Cinebench-style rendering workloads, where its four physical cores provide a consistent 25.8% advantage across every multi-core test. The i7-4600M is the better pick for Geekbench-centric workloads, particularly single-threaded tasks, where its 74.3% lead in single-core Geekbench is the largest margin in the entire comparison. The i7-4600M’s two wins come in tests where it is decisively ahead; the i5-3350P’s five wins are equally decisive in the Cinebench suite. Neither CPU is universally superior, and the choice hinges on the benchmark suite that best represents the target workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures. The i7-4600M is built on the Haswell architecture, while the i5-3350P uses the older Ivy Bridge design. Both are manufactured on a 22 nm process node at Intel’s foundry, but the similarities end there.

The core configurations are fundamentally different. The i7-4600M has 2 cores and 4 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach four execution threads. The i5-3350P has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no Hyper-Threading. This explains the Cinebench results: the i5-3350P’s four physical cores consistently outperform the i7-4600M’s two cores plus two extra threads by a nearly uniform 25.8% margin.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i7-4600M has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-3350P has 6 MB. Both have the same per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (256 KB) caches. The transistor counts and die sizes are close — the i7-4600M has 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die, while the i5-3350P’s die is 133 mm² (transistor count not provided).

The integrated graphics situation is a major differentiator. The i7-4600M includes Intel HD 4600 graphics, making it a self-contained mobile solution. The i5-3350P has no integrated graphics at all, which is a notable omission for a desktop part. This aligns with their market segments: the i7-4600M is a mobile processor on Intel Socket G3, while the i5-3350P is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1155.

The i7-4600M also has a stated memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5-3350P’s memory bandwidth is not provided in the data. Both support DDR3 memory with dual-channel buses.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are remarkably consistent. Across five separate tests — R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core — the i5-3350P wins every time with a delta of exactly -25.8% (meaning the i7-4600M scores 25.8% lower). The specific scores are: R15 multi-core 371 vs 275, R20 multi-core 1546 vs 1147, R20 single-core 217 vs 161, R23 multi-core 3681 vs 2732, and R23 single-core 519 vs 385. This uniformity suggests the i5-3350P’s four physical cores deliver a fixed performance advantage over the i7-4600M’s two cores and four threads, regardless of whether the test is single- or multi-threaded.

The Geekbench results tell a completely different story. The i7-4600M wins both tests, and the margins are substantial. In Geekbench single-core, the i7-4600M scores 1018 against the i5-3350P’s 584, a 74.3% advantage. In Geekbench multi-core, the i7-4600M scores 1930 against 1730, an 11.6% lead. The single-core gap is the largest in the entire comparison and dwarfs the i5-3350P’s Cinebench margins.

What makes this interesting is the contradiction between the two suites. The i5-3350P wins Cinebench single-core by 25.8%, yet the i7-4600M wins Geekbench single-core by 74.3%. Both are single-threaded tests, but they produce opposite verdicts. The i7-4600M’s higher boost clock of 3.60 GHz (versus 3.30 GHz for the i5-3350P) may explain part of this, as may the newer Haswell architecture’s efficiency in the specific operations Geekbench measures. The Geekbench multi-core result is closer, with the i7-4600M’s 11.6% advantage coming despite having only 2 physical cores against the i5-3350P’s 4.

Specification Differences

The specification table highlights where these two CPUs diverge. The most fundamental difference is core count: 2 cores for the i7-4600M versus 4 cores for the i5-3350P, with both supporting 4 threads. Clock speeds differ as well — the i7-4600M has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the i5-3350P has a higher base of 3.10 GHz but a lower boost of 3.30 GHz.

Thermal design power is a major separator. The i7-4600M is rated at 37 W TDP, a mobile-class figure, while the i5-3350P draws 69 W. This is consistent with their market segments: mobile versus desktop. The sockets differ accordingly — Intel Socket G3 for the i7-4600M and Intel Socket 1155 for the i5-3350P.

The architectures are different generations: Haswell for the i7-4600M and Ivy Bridge for the i5-3350P. The i7-4600M has 4 MB of L3 cache, while the i5-3350P has 6 MB. The i7-4600M includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics; the i5-3350P has none. The i7-4600M has a stated memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; the i5-3350P’s is not provided. Release dates differ by about a year — the i7-4600M launched in late August 2013 and the i5-3350P in early September 2012. The i7-4600M has a launch MSRP of $346; the i5-3350P has no launch MSRP in the data. Both support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), both use dual-channel DDR3 memory, and neither has ECC support or an unlocked multiplier. The i7-4600M is marked end-of-life, while the i5-3350P’s production status is not specified.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-3350P scores 3681, which is 25.8% higher than the i7-4600M’s 2732. The i5-3350P wins this test.

Q: How large is the single-core Geekbench gap between the two?

A: The i7-4600M leads with a score of 1018 versus 584 for the i5-3350P, a 74.3% advantage. This is the largest margin in any head-to-head benchmark between the two.

Q: Do both CPUs have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i7-4600M includes Intel HD 4600, while the i5-3350P has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each?

A: The i7-4600M has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i5-3350P has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-4600M boosts to 3.60 GHz, while the i5-3350P boosts to 3.30 GHz. The i5-3350P has a higher base clock at 3.10 GHz versus 2.90 GHz.

Q: Are their average benchmark scores meaningfully different?

A: No. The i7-4600M’s average benchmark score is 1093, and the i5-3350P’s is 1088, a difference of only 5 points. Both rank at the 30th percentile of all CPUs.