Intel Core i5-3450S vs Intel Core i7-4610M Comparison

The Intel Core i5-3450S and Intel Core i7-4610M are two very different processors that land in almost the same performance tier, but the data shows they achieve that parity through opposite strategies. The i5-3450S wins the majority of head-to-head benchmarks, taking 5 of 7 tests, with decisive victories in every Cinebench workload. However, the i7-4610M fights back hard in Geekbench, showing that its architectural advantages matter in specific scenarios. The verdict is clear: the i5-3450S is the better choice for sustained multi-threaded and render-style workloads, while the i7-4610M offers superior single-threaded responsiveness in Geekbench terms, despite its lower core count. The i5-3450S holds a 36.1% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore and a 37% lead in Cinebench R20 singlecore, while the i7-4610M counters with a 43.3% advantage in Geekbench singlecore and a 10% lead in Geekbench multicore. The data points to the i5-3450S as the overall performance winner, but the i7-4610M is far from obsolete, especially for users prioritizing Geekbench-style tasks.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-3450S is the benchmark champion here, winning 5 out of 7 head-to-head tests and delivering substantially higher Cinebench scores across the board. Its four physical cores give it a structural advantage in multi-threaded workloads that the i7-4610M's two cores cannot overcome, even with Hyper-Threading. The i5-3450S posts a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 3747 versus 2750 for the i7-4610M, a 36.3% margin. In Cinebench R20 singlecore, the i5-3450S scores 222 against 162, a 37% lead that contradicts the i7-4610M's higher clock speeds. The i7-4610M, however, wins decisively in Geekbench, scoring 1024 singlecore versus 581 and 1903 multicore versus 1712. This splits the verdict by workload type. For rendering, video encoding, or any Cinebench-style task, the i5-3450S is the clear pick. For Geekbench-oriented tasks, the i7-4610M offers better raw responsiveness, but its overall average benchmark score of 1094 is nearly identical to the i5-3450S's 1099, with a delta of just 0.5%. The i5-3450S also ranks slightly higher in the percentile ladder, sitting at the 31st percentile versus the i7-4610M's 30th. The i5-3450S is the safer all-around choice, but the i7-4610M is not a performance pushover.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-3450S dominates every Cinebench test, which measures sustained multi-threaded and single-threaded render performance. Its wins are remarkably consistent, with delta percentages of 36.1% in Cinebench R15 multicore, 36.2% in R20 multicore, 37% in R20 singlecore, and 36.3% in both R23 multicore and R23 singlecore. This consistency suggests a fundamental throughput advantage rooted in its four physical cores and larger 6 MB shared L3 cache, versus the i7-4610M's 4 MB. The i7-4610M wins only in Geekbench, both singlecore and multicore, but those wins are substantial. Its Geekbench singlecore score of 1024 is 76% higher than the i5-3450S's 581, and its multicore score of 1903 beats 1712 by 11%. The i7-4610M's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 3.70 GHz, compared to 2.80 GHz and 3.50 GHz for the i5-3450S, likely drive these Geekbench results. The i7-4610M also carries a newer Haswell architecture versus Ivy Bridge, which may explain its better efficiency in memory-sensitive tests. In practical terms, the i5-3450S is the workstation chip, while the i7-4610M is the responsive mobile part.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different Intel generations and market segments. The i5-3450S is a desktop part built on the Ivy Bridge architecture, released on 2012-04-28, while the i7-4610M is a mobile processor on the Haswell architecture, released on 2014-01-31. Both use the same 22 nm process node and are fabricated by Intel, but the i5-3450S packs 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, whereas the i7-4610M has 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die. The i5-3450S offers four physical cores and four threads, while the i7-4610M has two physical cores and four threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. The i5-3450S features a larger 6 MB shared L3 cache versus 4 MB on the i7-4610M, though both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. Memory support is identical in type — DDR3 dual-channel — but the i7-4610M lists a specific memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, a figure absent for the i5-3450S. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics differ: the i5-3450S uses Intel HD 2500, while the i7-4610M has the newer Intel HD 4600. The i7-4610M is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-3450S has no production status listed. Both are multiplier-unlocked in the sense that they are not unlocked, with the i5-3450S and i7-4610M both having locked multipliers. The i7-4610M carries a launch MSRP of $346, while the i5-3450S has no launch MSRP listed. Sockets differ completely, with the i5-3450S on Intel Socket 1155 and the i7-4610M on Intel Socket G3, making them incompatible in any physical sense.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-3450S has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i7-4610M has 2 physical cores and 4 threads.

Q: Does the i7-4610M beat the i5-3450S in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i7-4610M wins in Geekbench multicore with a score of 1903 versus 1712, and in Geekbench singlecore with 1024 versus 581, representing delta advantages of 10% and 43.3% respectively.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The i5-3450S scores 3747 in Cinebench R23 multicore versus 2750 for the i7-4610M, a 36.3% lead. In singlecore, the i5-3450S scores 529 versus 388, also a 36.3% lead.

Q: What are the cache sizes for each chip?

A: Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. The i5-3450S has 6 MB shared L3 cache, while the i7-4610M has 4 MB shared L3 cache.

Q: Which chip has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-4610M has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, which is higher than the i5-3450S's boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The i7-4610M also has a higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 2.80 GHz.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?

A: No, the i5-3450S uses Intel Socket 1155, while the i7-4610M uses Intel Socket G3, so they require different motherboards.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the i5-3450S comes in Cinebench R20 singlecore, where it scores 222 against 162, a 37% delta. This is notable because the i7-4610M has higher clock speeds, yet the i5-3450S still outperforms it in this single-threaded test. The i5-3450S also dominates Cinebench R23 multicore with 3747 versus 2750, and Cinebench R23 singlecore with 529 versus 388, both at 36.3% deltas. Cinebench R15 multicore shows a 36.1% advantage for the i5-3450S (377 vs 277), and R20 multicore shows 36.2% (1573 vs 1155). These five consecutive Cinebench wins paint a picture of overwhelming superiority in render workloads.

The i7-4610M's biggest win is in Geekbench singlecore, where it scores 1024 versus 581, a 43.3% delta. This is the largest percentage gap in either direction across all benchmarks. The i7-4610M also wins Geekbench multicore with 1903 versus 1712, a 10% delta. These wins are significant, but they are only two tests out of seven. The Geekbench singlecore result is especially interesting because it shows the i7-4610M's architectural efficiency can more than compensate for its lower core count in certain workloads. However, the overall benchmark score average tells a different story: the i5-3450S averages 1099, while the i7-4610M averages 1094, a difference of 0.5% in favor of the i5-3450S. The i5-3450S also edges out the i7-4610M in percentile ranking, 31st versus 30th. When comparing to their nearest rivals, the i5-3450S matches the Intel Pentium 6805 exactly at an average score of 1099, while the i7-4610M is 0.1% behind the Intel Core i5-3470S at 1095. The data consistently shows the i5-3450S as the stronger performer in the majority of tests.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every key specification except for the 22 nm process node, DDR3 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, and lack of ECC memory support. The i5-3450S has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-4610M has 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 2.80 GHz for the i5-3450S and 3.00 GHz for the i7-4610M, with boost clocks of 3.50 GHz and 3.70 GHz respectively. Thermal design power differs significantly: the i5-3450S has a 65 W TDP, while the i7-4610M is rated at 37 W. Sockets are incompatible, with the i5-3450S on Intel Socket 1155 and the i7-4610M on Intel Socket G3. The i5-3450S uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, while the i7-4610M uses Haswell. Transistor counts are 1,400 million for the i5-3450S and 960 million for the i7-4610M, with die sizes of 160 mm² and 131 mm² respectively. L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i5-3450S versus 4 MB shared on the i7-4610M. The i7-4610M lists a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, which is not specified for the i5-3450S. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 2500 on the i5-3450S and Intel HD 4600 on the i7-4610M. The market segments are Desktop for the i5-3450S and Mobile for the i7-4610M. Release dates are 2012-04-28 for the i5-3450S and 2014-01-31 for the i7-4610M. The i7-4610M has a launch MSRP of $346, while the i5-3450S has none listed. The i7-4610M is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-3450S has no production status. Part numbers are SR0P2 for the i5-3450S and SR1KY for the i7-4610M. Both have locked multipliers and neither supports ECC memory.