Intel Core i5-3380M vs Intel Core i7-4500U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors into distinct usage profiles. The Intel Core i5-3380M takes the majority of wins, claiming 5 of the 7 head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-4500U secures 2 victories. The i5-3380M dominates every Cinebench workload, from the older R15 multicore test through the more demanding R23 suite. Its margins are consistent, with a 15.9% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore and a 15.6% advantage in Cinebench R23 multicore. For sustained rendering tasks, video encoding, or any workload that relies on the Cinebench-style all-core execution model, the i5-3380M is the clear choice.

The i7-4500U, however, wins decisively in Geekbench. Its multicore score of 1562 versus the i5-3380M's 1055 represents a 48.1% advantage, and the single-core gap is even larger at 62% (818 versus 505). Geekbench exercises a broader mix of integer, floating-point, and memory patterns, including cryptography, compression, and SQLite operations. The data suggests the i7-4500U handles these diverse, latency-sensitive workloads far better, making it the stronger option for general productivity, web browsing with heavy JavaScript, and application responsiveness where Geekbench patterns align with real-world usage.

The overall average benchmark scores are close, with the i7-4500U at 859 and the i5-3380M at 838, a difference of roughly 2.5%. Both processors sit near the 22nd to 23rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating they occupy a similar tier of overall performance. But that aggregate similarity hides the stark divergence in workload-specific behavior. The i5-3380M is a rendering and compute specialist, while the i7-4500U is a generalist with a strong Geekbench showing. Users should choose based on the specific applications they run, not on average scores.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different Intel microarchitectures. The i7-4500U is built on Haswell, specifically the Haswell-ULT variant, while the i5-3380M uses the older Ivy Bridge design. Both are manufactured on Intel's 22 nm process and share the same 118 mm² die size, but the transistor counts differ. The i7-4500U packs 1,300 million transistors, while the i5-3380M's transistor count is not recorded in the database. The Haswell architecture introduces improved out-of-order execution, better branch prediction, and more efficient integer and floating-point units compared to Ivy Bridge, which helps explain the i7-4500U's Geekbench dominance.

Cache configurations also differ. The i7-4500U has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-3380M has 3 MB. Both use 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The larger L3 cache on the i7-4500U likely contributes to its superior Geekbench scores, as that workload benefits from data reuse across memory accesses. The i5-3380M's smaller cache may bottleneck its performance in latency-sensitive tasks, even though its higher clock speeds help in throughput-oriented Cinebench workloads.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i7-4500U features Intel HD 4400, while the i5-3380M ships with Intel HD 4000. The Haswell generation improved the graphics architecture significantly, so the HD 4400 should offer better media and display capabilities, though no direct graphics benchmarks are recorded in the database. Both chips support DDR3 memory, but the i5-3380M explicitly lists dual-channel memory bus support, while the i7-4500U's memory bus configuration is not recorded.

Power characteristics are starkly different. The i7-4500U has a 15 W TDP, while the i5-3380M has a 35 W TDP. This more than doubles the thermal and power budget for the i5-3380M. The i7-4500U is designed for ultraportable and fanless or low-noise systems, while the i5-3380M is suited for larger laptops with more robust cooling. The sockets also differ: the i7-4500U uses Intel BGA 1168, a soldered package, while the i5-3380M uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), a socketed design that allows for replacement or upgrade.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniformly in favor of the i5-3380M. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-3380M scores 252 against the i7-4500U's 212, a 15.9% lead. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the i5-3380M posts 1051 versus 887, a 15.6% margin. Cinebench R23 multicore shows the same story: 2504 for the i5-3380M and 2113 for the i7-4500U, again 15.6% apart. Single-core Cinebench results follow suit, with the i5-3380M leading by 15.5% in R20 (148 versus 125) and 15.6% in R23 (353 versus 298). These consistent margins across all Cinebench versions indicate that the i5-3380M's higher base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz, compared to 1.80 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost on the i7-4500U, translate directly into rendering performance.

The Geekbench results invert the picture dramatically. The i7-4500U scores 1562 multicore, a 48.1% advantage over the i5-3380M's 1055. In single-core Geekbench, the i7-4500U posts 818 versus 505, a 62% lead. These are substantial margins, far larger than the Cinebench deltas. The i7-4500U's Haswell architecture and larger 4 MB L3 cache appear to provide a significant edge in Geekbench's diverse workload mix, despite the lower clock speeds. The 62% single-core gap is particularly striking, as it suggests the architectural improvements in Haswell more than compensate for the 600 MHz base clock disadvantage and 600 MHz boost clock disadvantage.

The head-to-head data reveals a processor that wins by narrow margins in one suite and loses by enormous margins in another. The i5-3380M's Cinebench leads are all in the 15.5% to 15.9% range, while the i7-4500U's Geekbench leads are 48.1% and 62%. This asymmetry suggests the two chips are optimized for fundamentally different types of work, and the benchmark choice heavily determines the winner.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several recorded specifications. The i7-4500U has a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz, while the i5-3380M runs at 2.90 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. The i7-4500U has a 15 W TDP, the i5-3380M a 35 W TDP. The i7-4500U uses Intel BGA 1168, while the i5-3380M uses Intel Socket G2 (988B). The i7-4500U is Haswell (Haswell-ULT codename, Core i7 Haswell generation), while the i5-3380M is Ivy Bridge (Ivy Bridge codename, Core i5 Ivy Bridge generation). The i7-4500U has 1,300 million transistors, while the i5-3380M's transistor count is not recorded. The i7-4500U has 4 MB shared L3 cache, the i5-3380M has 3 MB. The i7-4500U integrates Intel HD 4400 graphics, the i5-3380M integrates Intel HD 1,300 million is not the case, the i5-3380M integrates Intel HD 4000 graphics. The i5-3380M lists dual-channel memory bus support, while the i7-4500U's memory bus is not recorded. Both share 2 cores, 4 threads, 22 nm process node, 118 mm² die size, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, DDR3 memory support, and no ECC support. Both are mobile processors, neither has a launch MSRP recorded, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

The Intel Core i7-4500U has an average benchmark score of 859, while the Intel Core i5-3380M has 838.

Q: How much faster is the i5-3380M in Cinebench R23 multicore?

The i5-3380M scores 2504, leading the i7-4500U's 2113 by 15.6%.

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin between the two?

The i7-4500U's 62% single-core Geekbench advantage over the i5-3380M is the largest, with scores of 818 versus 505.

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

Yes, both have 2 cores and 4 threads, and both are built on Intel's 22 nm process with a 118 mm² die size.

Q: Which processor fits in a lower-power design envelope?

The i7-4500U has a 15 W TDP, well below the i5-3380M's 35 W TDP, making it suitable for ultraportable systems.

Q: Which processor is socketed and socketed and socketed?

The i5-3380M uses Intel Socket G2 (988B), a socketed design, while the i7-4500U uses Intel BGA 1168, a soldered BGA package.

Q: What integrated graphics does the i7-4500U integrate?

The i7-4500U integrates Intel HD 4400 graphics, while the i5-3380M uses Intel HD 4000.