Intel Core i5-3470T vs Intel Core i7-930 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data places the Intel Core i7-930 and Intel Core i5-3470T in the same performance tier, with the i7-930 winning all five head-to-head Cinebench tests by margins between 0.6% and 0.8%. These differences are small enough that they fall within normal run-to-run variation, so neither processor offers a meaningful performance advantage in the workloads captured by the database. The i7-930 edges ahead in every recorded test, but the largest lead is only 0.8% in Cinebench R15 multi-core.

The i7-930 is the pick for users who need the extra threads. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-3470T has 2 cores and 4 threads. Despite this 2x thread count advantage, the i7-930 only manages a 0.8% lead in multi-core tests, which suggests that the older Nehalem architecture and higher 130W TDP do not translate into proportional throughput. The i5-3470T, with its 35W TDP and 22nm Ivy Bridge node, delivers nearly identical scores while consuming a fraction of the power envelope. The database shows both chips at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are 882 for the i7-930 versus 863 for the i5-3470T, a 2.2% gap.

For a new build or an upgrade where power efficiency matters, the i5-3470T is the better choice. It offers comparable performance, a much lower TDP, and integrated graphics, which the i7-930 lacks entirely. For a system that already has a Socket 1366 motherboard and triple-channel DDR3 memory, the i7-930 remains viable, but its performance lead over the i5-3470T is negligible. Users who prioritize single-threaded responsiveness will find the i5-3470T’s higher boost clock of 3.60 GHz versus 3.07 GHz on the i7-930, but the benchmark data shows only a 0.6% to 0.7% difference in single-core tests, so the clock advantage does not produce a measurable win.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-930 wins all multi-core Cinebench tests, but by very slim margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 258 against 256 for the i5-3470T, a 0.8% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i7-930 scores 1076 versus 1069, a 0.7% lead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-930 scores 2563 versus 2547, a 0.6% lead.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The i7-930 also leads in single-core tests, but again by minimal amounts. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 151 versus 150, a 0.7% difference. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 361 versus 359, a 0.6% difference. Despite the i5-3470T having a higher boost clock (3.60 GHz versus 3.07 GHz), it does not win any single-core test.

Q: Do the two processors have the same market positioning?

A: Both are Desktop market segment parts, but their architecture generations differ. The i7-930 is from the Nehalem generation (codename Bloomfield) released in February 2010, and it is marked as end-of-life. The i5-3470T is from the Ivy Bridge generation released in May 2012. Both sit at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The i7-930 has an average benchmark score of 882, while the i5-3470T has 863. That is a 2.2% gap in favor of the i7-930. The nearest rivals for the i7-930 include the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U at 881 (0.1% delta) and the AMD Phenom II X6 1035T at 881 (0.1% delta). For the i5-3470T, the nearest rival is the Intel Xeon W3520 at 862 (0.1% delta) and the AMD A8-7650K at 860 (0.3% delta).

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

A: Yes, the i5-3470T includes Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics. The i7-930 has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required for any display output on that platform.

Q: Which processor has the lower power consumption?

A: The i5-3470T has a 35W TDP, while the i7-930 has a 130W TDP. This is a substantial difference, with the i5-3470T using less than a third of the thermal design power of the i7-930.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras. The i7-930 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, built on a 45nm process node. It packs 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The i5-3470T uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22nm process node, with a die size of 93.6 mm². The transistor count for the i5-3470T is not recorded in the database, but the die size reduction is substantial, reflecting the more advanced manufacturing process.

The i7-930 has 4 cores and 8 threads, supporting simultaneous multithreading. The i5-3470T has 2 cores and 4 threads, also with hyper-threading. The core count difference is the most significant architectural divergence, yet the benchmark data shows that the extra cores on the i7-930 provide only a marginal advantage in multi-threaded Cinebench tests.

Cache hierarchies differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is much larger on the i7-930: 8 MB shared versus 3 MB shared on the i5-3470T. Despite having nearly three times the L3 cache, the i7-930 does not achieve a meaningful performance lead, which suggests that the Ivy Bridge architecture’s efficiency compensates for its smaller cache.

Memory support is another key difference. The i7-930 uses triple-channel DDR3 memory, while the i5-3470T uses dual-channel DDR3. Both support DDR3, but the memory bus width differs. The i7-930’s triple-channel configuration offers more memory bandwidth in theory, but the benchmark results do not show a corresponding performance benefit in the recorded Cinebench tests.

PCI Express support also differs. The i7-930 supports PCIe Gen 2, while the i5-3470T supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the CPU. The newer PCIe standard on the i5-3470T provides higher bandwidth for compatible devices, though this is not reflected in the CPU benchmarks.

The i7-930 has no integrated graphics, while the i5-3470T includes Intel HD 2500. This is a functional difference: the i5-3470T can drive a display without a discrete GPU, whereas the i7-930 cannot.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i7-930 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-3470T has 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are close: the i7-930 runs at 2.80 GHz, while the i5-3470T runs at 2.90 GHz. Boost clocks differ more noticeably: the i7-930 boosts to 3.07 GHz, while the i5-3470T boosts to 3.60 GHz. Despite the i5-3470T’s higher boost clock, the i7-930 wins every single-core benchmark by a small margin.

TDP is a major differentiator. The i7-930 has a 130W TDP, while the i5-3470T has a 35W TDP. This is a 95W difference, which affects cooling requirements and power delivery. The i7-930 uses the Intel Socket 1366, while the i5-3470T uses Intel Socket 1155, so they are not socket-compatible.

Process technology differs: the i7-930 is on 45nm, while the i5-3470T is on 22nm. The die size reflects this, with the i7-930 at 263 mm² and the i5-3470T at 93.6 mm². The i7-930 has 731 million transistors, while the i5-3470T’s transistor count is not recorded.

L3 cache differs: the i7-930 has 8 MB shared, while the i5-3470T has 3 MB shared. Memory bus differs: triple-channel for the i7-930, dual-channel for the i5-3470T. PCIe support differs: Gen 2 for the i7-930, Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the i5-3470T. Integrated graphics are present only on the i5-3470T (Intel HD 2500). The i7-930 does not support ECC memory, and neither does the i5-3470T. Both have locked multipliers.

Release dates differ: the i7-930 was released in February 2010, while the i5-3470T was released in May 2012. The i7-930 is marked as end-of-life in the database, while the i5-3470T has no production status recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data covers five Cinebench tests, and the i7-930 wins all of them. The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i7-930 scores 258 versus 256 for the i5-3470T, a 0.8% delta. This is the only test where the gap reaches 0.8%; the other four tests show smaller margins.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i7-930 scores 1076, while the i5-3470T scores 1069, a 0.7% delta. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-930 scores 151, and the i5-3470T scores 150, also a 0.7% delta. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-930 scores 2563 versus 2547, a 0.6% delta. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-930 scores 361 versus 359, a 0.6% delta.

The i5-3470T has two additional Geekbench scores in the database that the i7-930 does not have. In Geekbench multi-core, the i5-3470T scores 1102, and in Geekbench single-core, it scores 560. These are not part of the head-to-head comparison because the i7-930 has no corresponding Geekbench results, so they cannot be directly compared.

The win count is decisive: the i7-930 wins 5 tests, and the i5-3470T wins 0. However, the magnitude of these wins is small. A 0.6% to 0.8% advantage is within the margin of error for many benchmark runs, so the practical performance difference is minimal. The i7-930’s 4-core/8-thread configuration and 8 MB L3 cache do not deliver a large lead over the i5-3470T’s 2-core/4-thread configuration with 3 MB L3 cache.

The average benchmark score reinforces this picture. The i7-930 has an average score of 882, and the i5-3470T has an average score of 863. That is a 2.2% difference, which is larger than any individual head-to-head delta, but still modest. Both processors sit at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, indicating that they occupy the same performance band.

For the i7-930, the nearest rivals are the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U (average score 881, delta 0.1%), the AMD Phenom II X6 1035T (881, 0.1%), the Intel Core i3-1000NG4 (881, 0.1%), and the AMD PRO A12-8870E (880, 0.2%). For the i5-3470T, the nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon W3520 (862, 0.1%), the AMD A8-7650K (860, 0.3%), the Intel Xeon X3460 (866, -0.4%), and the Intel Core i7-4500U (859, 0.4%). These rival comparisons show that both processors are closely matched with other budget and older mainstream parts.

The data indicates that the i7-930’s architectural advantages, more cores, more threads, and larger L3 cache, are largely neutralized by the i5-3470T’s newer 22nm process and higher boost clock. The i5-3470T achieves 98% to 99% of the i7-930’s performance in every shared test, while using a 35W TDP. For system builders, the choice depends on platform requirements: Socket 1366 with triple-channel memory for the i7-930, or Socket 1155 with dual-channel memory and integrated graphics for the i5-3470T. The benchmark results alone do not justify choosing one over the other on performance grounds, as the recorded differences are all under 1%.