Intel Core i5-3470T vs Intel Core i7-860 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, though narrow, victory for the Intel Core i7-860 across every shared benchmark. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the i7-860 scores 259 against 256 for the i5-3470T, a delta of 1.2 percent. That pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i7-860 posts 1081 versus 1069, again a 1.1 percent gap. The single-core results are similarly close: the i7-860 leads in Cinebench R20 single-core with 152 points against 150, a 1.3 percent margin, and in Cinebench R23 single-core with 363 versus 359, a 1.1 percent difference. The largest relative lead for the i7-860 appears in the R23 multi-core test, where its 2574 score beats the i5-3470T's 2547 by 1.0 percent.

What stands out is not the size of these margins but their uniformity. The i7-860 wins all five head-to-head comparisons, yet the largest delta is only 1.3 percent. In practical terms, these two processors deliver nearly identical rendering throughput in the Cinebench suite, despite very different underlying designs. The average benchmark score places the i7-860 at 886, which is 2.7 percent above the i5-3470T's 863. The i5-3470T also has a Geekbench multi-core score of 1102 and a single-core score of 560, tests that were not recorded for the i7-860, so those data points cannot be compared directly.

The percentile rankings reinforce the near-equality. The i5-3470T sits at the 23rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the i7-860 sits at the 24th. That one-point percentile difference matches the benchmark deltas: the i7-860 is marginally faster but occupies essentially the same performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel eras. The i5-3470T is an Ivy Bridge part, built on a 22 nm process with a die size of 93.6 mm². The i7-860 is a Nehalem part, codenamed Lynnfield, fabricated on a 45 nm process with a die size of 296 mm² and 774 million transistors. The process node difference is substantial, and it explains much of the efficiency gap between the two.

Core and thread counts differ markedly. The i5-3470T has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, while the i7-860 has 4 physical cores and 8 threads. Despite having half the cores and threads, the i5-3470T nearly matches the i7-860 in multi-threaded Cinebench tests, which points to a significant per-core performance advantage for the newer architecture. The i5-3470T's base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 3.60 GHz; the i7-860 starts at 2.80 GHz and boosts to 3.47 GHz. The i5-3470T has both a higher base and a higher boost clock, reinforcing its per-clock efficiency lead.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both share 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the L3 cache differs: the i5-3470T has 3 MB shared, while the i7-860 has 8 MB shared. The larger L3 on the i7-860 is a legacy of its four-core design and older memory hierarchy. Memory support is DDR3 with a dual-channel bus on both, and neither supports ECC memory. PCIe generations differ: the i5-3470T supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-860 supports Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i5-3470T includes integrated graphics, the Intel HD 2500, while the i7-860 has no integrated graphics at all, a notable feature split for builds without a discrete GPU. The i5-3470T uses socket 1155, while the i7-860 uses socket 1156, so they are not platform-compatible. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

Given the head-to-head data, the i7-860 wins every recorded Cinebench comparison, but the margins are small enough that the choice depends more on platform and feature needs than on raw benchmark scores. The i7-860's advantage is consistent across both single-core and multi-core tests, which suggests a slight overall throughput edge in CPU-bound rendering workloads. Its 8 MB of L3 cache and four physical cores make it the more capable part for heavily threaded tasks that scale with core count, even if the recorded Cinebench scores show only a 1 to 1.3 percent lead.

The i5-3470T wins in areas not captured by the shared benchmark list. It has integrated graphics, which the i7-860 lacks entirely, so a system built around the i5-3470T can operate without a discrete GPU. Its 35 W TDP versus the i7-860's 95 W TDP makes it the clear choice for low-power or compact builds where thermal output and cooling requirements are constrained. The i5-3470T also supports PCIe Gen 3, which offers newer connectivity for compatible devices, and its 22 nm process node indicates a more modern manufacturing technology.

For users running the exact Cinebench workloads in the database, the i7-860 is the nominal winner in every case. For users prioritizing power consumption, integrated graphics, or newer PCIe support, the i5-3470T holds the advantage despite losing the benchmark comparisons. The average benchmark score difference, 886 versus 863, is small enough that real-world application performance will likely be dominated by other system components.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core i7-860 scores 2574 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-3470T scores 2547, giving the i7-860 a 1.0 percent lead.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-860 scores 363 and the i5-3470T scores 359, a 1.1 percent difference. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-860 leads 152 to 150, a 1.3 percent difference.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 memory with a dual-channel memory bus. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: Does the i5-3470T have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the i5-3470T includes Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics. The i7-860 has no integrated graphics.

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

A: The i5-3470T has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-860 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The i5-3470T has a TDP of 35 W, while the i7-860 has a TDP of 95 W.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the Intel Core i5-3470T and the Intel Core i7-860.

Cores: The i5-3470T has 2 cores; the i7-860 has 4 cores.

Threads: The i5-3470T has 4 threads; the i7-860 has 8 threads.

Base clock: The i5-3470T runs at 2.90 GHz; the i7-860 runs at 2.80 GHz.

Boost clock: The i5-3470T boosts to 3.60 GHz; the i7-860 boosts to 3.47 GHz.

TDP: The i5-3470T is rated at 35 W; the i7-860 is rated at 95 W.

Socket: The i5-3470T uses Intel Socket 1155; the i7-860 uses Intel Socket 1156.

Architecture: The i5-3470T is based on Ivy Bridge; the i7-860 is based on Nehalem.

Codename: The i5-3470T codename is Ivy Bridge; the i7-860 codename is Lynnfield.

Generation: The i5-3470T is listed as Core i5 (Ivy Bridge); the i7-860 is listed as Core i7 (Lynnfield).

Process node: The i5-3470T is built on a 22 nm process; the i7-860 is built on a 45 nm process.

Transistors: The i5-3470T has no recorded transistor count; the i7-860 has 774 million transistors.

Die size: The i5-3470T has a die size of 93.6 mm²; the i7-860 has a die size of 296 mm².

L3 cache: The i5-3470T has 3 MB shared L3 cache; the i7-860 has 8 MB shared L3 cache.

PCIe: The i5-3470T supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the i7-860 supports Gen 2 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics: The i5-3470T includes Intel HD 2500; the i7-860 has none.

Production status: The i5-3470T has no recorded production status; the i7-860 is marked as end-of-life.

Release date: The i5-3470T was released on 2012-05-31; the i7-860 was released on 2009-09-07.

Part number: The i5-3470T carries part number SR0RJ; the i7-860 carries part number SLBJJ.

Average benchmark score: The i5-3470T averages 863; the i7-860 averages 886.

Percentile vs all CPUs: The i5-3470T sits at the 23rd percentile; the i7-860 sits at the 24th percentile.

Benchmark wins: The i5-3470T has 0 wins in the head-to-head comparison; the i7-860 has 5 wins.