Intel Core i5-4250U vs Intel Core i5-670 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive outcome: the Intel Core i5-670 wins all five recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core i5-4250U. The database records 5 wins for the i5-670 and 0 wins for the i5-4250U, with every test showing a consistent performance gap of roughly 15 to 16 percent in favor of the older desktop part.

Starting with multi-core workloads, the i5-670 leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core with a score of 216 versus 182 for the i5-4250U, a delta of -15.7 percent. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i5-670 scores 904 against 760, again a -15.9 percent gap. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-670 posts 2153 while the i5-4250U manages 1811, matching the -15.9 percent delta. The multi-core advantage is remarkably consistent across three generations of the Cinebench test, suggesting the i5-670's raw throughput advantage holds regardless of workload scaling.

Single-core tests tell a similar story. Cinebench R20 single-core shows the i5-670 at 127 points, the i5-4250U at 107, a -15.7 percent difference. Cinebench R23 single-core records 304 for the i5-670 and 255 for the i5-4250U, the largest delta in the set at -16.1 percent. The single-core gap mirrors the multi-core gap almost exactly, indicating that the i5-670's lead is not dependent on thread scaling but rather on per-core efficiency and clock speed.

Interpreting these numbers in context, the i5-670's 15 to 16 percent advantage across all tests places it in a distinctly higher performance tier despite both CPUs sitting at the 20th percentile among all processors in the database. The i5-4250U's average benchmark score of 756 sits nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon E5450, which scores 756 with a delta of -0.1 percent. The i5-670's average of 741 is matched exactly by the AMD Phenom II X4 B97 at 741 with a 0 percent delta. Notably, the i5-670's average score is lower than the i5-4250U's, yet the head-to-head results show the i5-670 winning every test. This discrepancy arises because the average benchmark score includes additional tests not present in the head-to-head set, such as Geekbench results for the i5-4250U, which are not recorded for the i5-670.

The consistency of the delta values, all falling between -15.7 and -16.1 percent, points to a uniform performance ceiling differential. The i5-670 does not merely win by a narrow margin in some tests and lose in others; it establishes a clear, repeatable performance advantage that persists across both single-threaded and multi-threaded benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-670 wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split is straightforward for tasks covered by the database. In multi-threaded rendering workloads, Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 all favor the i5-670 by approximately 16 percent. This makes it the stronger choice for CPU-bound productivity tasks like video encoding, 3D rendering, and batch photo processing, assuming the rest of the system can support the 73 watt thermal envelope.

Single-core performance also belongs to the i5-670, with Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core tests showing the same 16 percent edge. This translates to advantages in lightly threaded applications, legacy software, and daily desktop responsiveness where clock speed matters more than core count. The i5-670's base clock of 3.47 GHz and boost clock of 3.73 GHz, compared to 1.30 GHz base and 2.60 GHz boost for the i5-4250U, explain this result. The i5-670's boost clock is 1.13 GHz higher, a substantial margin that directly impacts single-threaded performance.

The i5-4250U, by contrast, has no benchmark wins in the recorded data. Its strengths lie in efficiency rather than performance. With a 15 watt TDP, it draws 58 watts less than the i5-670's 73 watt TDP. The i5-4250U is a mobile part using the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, while the i5-670 is a desktop part using Westmere on 32 nm. The database does not record any test where the i5-4250U outperforms the i5-670, so any use-case favoring the mobile chip would be based on power consumption and platform integration rather than measured compute performance.

For users prioritizing raw compute, the i5-670 wins every category in the database. For users prioritizing low power draw and mobile form factors, the i5-4250U is the only viable option of the two, as the i5-670 is a desktop part with a 73 watt TDP and a Socket 1156 interface, whereas the i5-4250U uses Intel BGA 1168 and is classified as a mobile processor.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and serve different market segments. The i5-4250U uses the Haswell architecture, codenamed Haswell, built on a 22 nm process node by Intel. It contains 1,400 million transistors on a die size of 118 mm². The i5-670 uses the Westmere architecture, codenamed Clarkdale, built on a 32 nm process node. It packs 382 million transistors on a much smaller 81 mm² die. The Haswell chip's transistor count is more than 3.6 times higher, but the Westmere chip achieves higher benchmark scores due to significantly higher clock speeds.

Cache configurations also differ. Both CPUs share 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs: the i5-4250U has 3 MB shared, while the i5-670 has 4 MB shared. The 1 MB L3 advantage for the i5-670 contributes to its performance lead, particularly in workloads that benefit from larger shared cache footprints.

The i5-670 features a dual-channel memory bus with 21.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The i5-4250U's memory bus and bandwidth are not recorded in the database, so no direct comparison is possible. Both support DDR3 memory, and neither supports ECC. The i5-670 includes PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes on the CPU, while the i5-4250U's PCIe configuration is not recorded.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-4250U includes Intel HD 5000, a more capable integrated GPU from the Haswell generation. The i5-670 includes a basic Intel HD solution. Neither part has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported on either.

Market positioning is a major divergence. The i5-4250U is a mobile processor released on 2013-06-03, while the i5-670 is a desktop processor released on 2010-01-06, making it roughly three years older. The i5-670 is marked as end-of-life in production status, while the i5-4250U's production status is not listed. The i5-670 carries part number SLBLT, and the i5-4250U carries SR16M.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i5-670 has a base clock of 3.47 GHz and a boost clock of 3.73 GHz. The Intel Core i5-4250U has a base clock of 1.30 GHz and a boost clock of 2.60 GHz.

Q: How much faster is the i5-670 in multi-core benchmarks?

A: The i5-670 leads by 15.7 percent in Cinebench R15 multi-core (216 vs 182), 15.9 percent in Cinebench R20 multi-core (904 vs 760), and 15.9 percent in Cinebench R23 multi-core (2153 vs 1811).

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 2 cores and 4 threads. They differ in clock speed, cache size, architecture, process node, and power consumption.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The i5-4250U has a TDP of 15 watts, while the i5-670 has a TDP of 73 watts. The i5-4250U consumes 58 watts less.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-670 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i5-4250U has 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?

A: No. The i5-4250U uses Intel BGA 1168 and is a mobile part, while the i5-670 uses Intel Socket 1156 and is a desktop part. They are not socket-compatible.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-4250U | Intel Core i5-670 |

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

| Base Clock | 1.30 GHz | 3.47 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.73 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 73 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1168 | Intel Socket 1156 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Westmere |

| Codename | Haswell | Clarkdale |

| Generation | Core i5 (Haswell) | Core i5 (Clarkdale) |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 32 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 382 million |

| Die Size | 118 mm² | 81 mm² |

| L3 Cache | 3 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Not recorded | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 21.3 GB/s |

| PCIe | Not recorded | Gen 2, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 5000 | Intel HD |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

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

| Release Date | 2013-06-03 | 2010-01-06 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $284 |

| Part Number | SR16M | SLBLT |