Intel Core i5-3450S vs Intel Core i7-4600M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data presents a striking split. The Intel Core i5-3450S dominates the Cinebench suite across every version tested. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-3450S scores 377 against 275 for the i7-4600M, a 37.1% advantage. That margin holds almost exactly through Cinebench R20 multicore, where the i5-3450S reaches 1573 points versus 1147, again a 37.1% gap. Cinebench R23 multicore continues the pattern: 3747 for the i5-3450S versus 2732 for the i7-4600M, a 37.2% lead. Single-core Cinebench results show a similar story. The i5-3450S posts 222 in Cinebench R20 single-core against 161 for the i7-4600M, a 37.9% margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-3450S scores 529 versus 385, a 37.4% advantage. Those five Cinebench wins are decisive and consistent.

The picture flips entirely in Geekbench. The i7-4600M scores 1930 in Geekbench multicore against 1712 for the i5-3450S, meaning the i7-4600M leads by 11.3%. The single-core Geekbench result is even more lopsided: the i7-4600M posts 1018 versus 581 for the i5-3450S, a 42.9% margin. This is a peculiar divergence. Cinebench and Geekbench measure different workloads, and the data suggests the two processors have distinct strengths that depend heavily on the testing methodology. The i5-3450S wins five of the seven head-to-head benchmarks, while the i7-4600M wins two. Yet the average benchmark score for the i5-3450S is 1099, only 6 points higher than the i7-4600M's 1093. The overall averages suggest near parity, but the individual test results tell a more nuanced story.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and target different market segments. The i5-3450S is a desktop part built on the Ivy Bridge architecture, released in April 2012. The i7-4600M is a mobile processor based on Haswell, released in August 2013. Both use a 22 nm process node and are fabricated by Intel, but the transistor counts differ substantially. The i5-3450S packs 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, while the i7-4600M contains 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die. The i5-3450S has four physical cores and four threads, with no hyper-threading. The i7-4600M has two physical cores and four threads, meaning it relies on hyper-threading to reach its thread count.

Cache configuration also differs. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is where they diverge: the i5-3450S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-4600M has only 4 MB. That extra 2 MB of L3 cache likely contributes to the i5-3450S's strong Cinebench performance in multi-core workloads, as more cache can reduce memory latency for frequently accessed data. The i7-4600M does have a higher memory bandwidth rating at 25.6 GB/s, whereas the i5-3450S lists no explicit memory bandwidth figure in the database. Both support DDR3 memory in dual-channel configuration. Neither supports ECC memory.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-3450S carries Intel HD 2500 graphics, while the i7-4600M features Intel HD 4600. The HD 4600 is a newer generation with more execution units, but the database does not record any graphics benchmark scores, so the impact of this difference is not quantified here. The i5-3450S uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i7-4600M uses Intel Socket G3, which is a mobile socket. The i7-4600M has a lower TDP at 37 watts compared to 65 watts for the i5-3450S. That 28-watt difference reflects the mobile design target of the i7-4600M, which must operate within tighter thermal and power envelopes.

Both processors use PCI Express Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-3450S is marked as a desktop segment product, while the i7-4600M is marked as mobile and has an end-of-life production status. The i7-4600M has a launch MSRP of $346, while the i5-3450S has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. The base clock for the i5-3450S is 2.80 GHz with a boost to 3.50 GHz. The i7-4600M starts at 2.90 GHz base and boosts to 3.60 GHz. Despite the slightly higher clocks on the i7-4600M, the i5-3450S wins most benchmarks, which points to the advantage of having two additional physical cores.

Where Each One Wins

The data indicates a clear split based on workload type. The i5-3450S wins every Cinebench test, both single-core and multi-core. Cinebench is a rendering workload that stresses CPU compute across all available threads. The i5-3450S's four physical cores give it a structural advantage in these tests. The margins are remarkably consistent, hovering around 37.1% to 37.9% across all Cinebench variants. That consistency suggests the advantage comes from the core count rather than any specific architectural feature, since the percentage difference does not shrink or grow with different Cinebench versions.

The i7-4600M wins Geekbench, which is a more mixed workload that includes integer, floating-point, and memory operations. The single-core Geekbench margin is large at 42.9%, which is surprising given that the i7-4600M has only a 0.10 GHz higher base clock and 0.10 GHz higher boost clock than the i5-3450S. The Haswell architecture likely explains this gap. Haswell introduced improvements in instruction-level parallelism, branch prediction, and execution unit efficiency compared to Ivy Bridge. Those microarchitectural refinements can show up strongly in single-threaded tests where clock speed and per-core efficiency dominate.

For multi-core Geekbench, the i7-4600M still wins, but by a smaller margin of 11.3%. The i5-3450S's two extra physical cores partially compensate for the older architecture, but not enough to overcome the i7-4600M's per-core efficiency advantage in this particular benchmark. This suggests that users running workloads similar to Cinebench, which scale with core count, should favor the i5-3450S. Users running workloads similar to Geekbench, which reward per-core performance, should favor the i7-4600M. The average benchmark scores sit nearly equal at 1099 for the i5-3450S and 1093 for the i7-4600M, reinforcing the idea that neither processor is universally superior.

The percentile rankings also align closely. The i5-3450S sits at the 31st percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the i7-4600M sits at the 30th percentile. That one-percentage-point difference is negligible in practical terms. The nearest rivals for each processor confirm their comparable standing. The i5-3450S is within 0.2% of the Intel Pentium 6805, the Intel Xeon E5-1603 v3, the AMD PRO A10-8850B, and the Intel Pentium Gold G6500. The i7-4600M is within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-4610M, the Intel Core i7-10510Y, the Intel Core i5-3475S, and the Intel Pentium Gold G5400. Both processors occupy a similar performance tier overall, despite their different benchmark profiles.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-3450S has an average benchmark score of 1099, which is 6 points higher than the Intel Core i7-4600M's average of 1093. The difference represents a 0.5% gap, which is within the noise of typical benchmark variation.

Q: How many cores and threads does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core i5-3450S has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning it does not support hyper-threading. The Intel Core i7-4600M has 2 cores and 4 threads, meaning it does support hyper-threading. The i5-3450S has twice the physical core count, while the i7-4600M uses hyper-threading to double its thread count.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-3450S has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Intel Core i7-4600M has a TDP of 37 watts. The i7-4600M consumes 28 watts less power, which reflects its mobile design and makes it suitable for laptops and other power-constrained systems.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-4600M wins Geekbench single-core with a score of 1018 against 581 for the Intel Core i5-3450S. This is a 42.9% lead for the i7-4600M, which is the largest margin in any recorded benchmark between these two processors.

Q: What is the L3 cache capacity for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-3450S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i7-4600M has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-3450S has 2 MB more L3 cache, which may contribute to its multi-core Cinebench wins.

Q: Are these processors from the same architecture generation?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-3450S uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, while the Intel Core i7-4600M uses the Haswell architecture. Both are built on a 22 nm process node, but Haswell is a newer microarchitecture with different design improvements.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear decision framework. For workloads that resemble Cinebench, which includes 3D rendering, video encoding, and other multi-threaded compute tasks, the Intel Core i5-3450S is the stronger choice. Its four physical cores deliver a consistent 37% advantage across all Cinebench versions, and that margin does not erode even in single-core Cinebench tests. The extra 2 MB of L3 cache and the larger die with 1,400 million transistors provide a solid foundation for sustained compute throughput.

For workloads that resemble Geekbench, which includes everyday productivity, web browsing, office applications, and single-threaded legacy software, the Intel Core i7-4600M takes the lead. Its Haswell architecture delivers a 42.9% advantage in single-core Geekbench and an 11.3% advantage in multi-core Geekbench. The higher clock speeds of 2.90 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost help, but the microarchitectural efficiency of Haswell is the primary driver. The i7-4600M also carries a lower TDP of 37 watts, making it the only viable option for mobile systems where power draw matters.

The overall averages are nearly identical. The i5-3450S averages 1099 points, and the i7-4600M averages 1093 points. Their percentile rankings differ by only one point, at 31st and 30th respectively. Neither processor can be declared a universal winner. The i5-3450S is the database pick for multi-threaded desktop workloads, and the i7-4600M is the database pick for single-threaded and mobile scenarios. Users who need both types of performance will find the choice depends entirely on which benchmark family aligns with their primary applications.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two processors differ, based on the recorded data.

| Specification | Intel Core i5-3450S | Intel Core i7-4600M |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 37 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1155 | Intel Socket G3 |

| Architecture | Ivy Bridge | Haswell |

| Codename | Ivy Bridge | Haswell |

| Generation | Core i5 (Ivy Bridge) | Core i7 (Haswell) |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 960 million |

| Die Size | 160 mm² | 131 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 25.6 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 2500 | Intel HD 4600 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | Not specified | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2012-04-28 | 2013-08-31 |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $346 |

| Part Number | SR0P2 | SR1H7 |