Intel Core i5-4258U vs Intel Core i7-930 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data records a clear sweep for the Intel Core i7-930 across all five shared Cinebench tests. The i7-930 wins every head-to-head comparison, with margins ranging from 15.3% to 16.2%. These are consistent, substantial advantages that appear across both multi-core and single-core workloads.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-930 scores 258 against the i5-4258U's 222, a 16.2% lead. The multi-core gap narrows only slightly in newer test versions: Cinebench R20 shows 1076 versus 929 (15.8% ahead), and Cinebench R23 shows 2563 versus 2213 (again 15.8% ahead). The consistency of this margin across three generations of the Cinebench suite suggests the performance difference is structural rather than workload-specific.

Single-core results tell a similar story. The i7-930 leads by 15.3% in Cinebench R20 single-core (151 versus 131) and by 15.7% in Cinebench R23 single-core (361 versus 312). Notably, the single-core deficit for the i5-4258U is nearly as large as its multi-core deficit, which indicates the older desktop processor holds an advantage in per-thread performance as well as in raw thread count.

The i5-4258U does have additional Geekbench results in the database, but no direct head-to-head comparison exists for that test. Its Geekbench scores are 1664 multi-core and 844 single-core, which place it in the 24th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-930 sits at the 23rd percentile, a negligible difference of one percentile point despite the i7-930's consistent Cinebench wins.

The average benchmark score across all recorded tests favors the i5-4258U slightly: 902 versus 882, a 2.3% difference. This apparent contradiction with the head-to-head sweep occurs because the i5-4258U has additional Geekbench results included in its average, while the i7-930 does not. Within the shared Cinebench tests, the i7-930 is uniformly faster.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras. The i7-930 uses Intel's Nehalem architecture on the Bloomfield codename, built on a 45 nm process with 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The i5-4258U uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, packing 1,400 million transistors into a much smaller 118 mm² die. The newer manufacturing process allows Haswell to nearly double the transistor count while occupying less than half the silicon area.

Core configurations differ sharply. The i7-930 provides 4 cores and 8 threads with Hyper-Threading, while the i5-4258U provides 2 cores and 4 threads. Clock speeds are closer than the generational gap might suggest: the i7-930 runs at 2.80 GHz base and 3.07 GHz boost, while the i5-4258U runs at 2.40 GHz base and 2.90 GHz boost. The i7-930's higher clocks contribute to its single-core advantage, but the 4-core versus 2-core difference drives the multi-core results.

Cache hierarchies reflect the desktop versus mobile positioning. Both share 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core. The i7-930 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4258U has only 3 MB. This 5 MB L3 deficit may impact the mobile chip in workloads with larger working sets that exceed its smaller cache capacity.

Power envelopes diverge dramatically. The i7-930 has a 130 W TDP and targets desktop systems using Intel Socket 1366. The i5-4258U has a 28 W TDP and is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1168. The i5-4258U integrates Intel HD 5100 graphics, while the i7-930 has no integrated graphics at all. The i7-930 supports triple-channel DDR3 memory; the i5-4258U supports DDR3 but the database does not record its memory bus configuration.

The Verdict

The data points to the i7-930 as the stronger processor for compute-heavy workloads. It wins every shared benchmark by a margin of roughly 15% to 16%, in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tests. Users who need maximum Cinebench-style rendering performance should select the i7-930 based on these measurements.

The i5-4258U, however, carries advantages that the benchmarks do not capture. Its 28 W TDP versus 130 W makes it suitable for portable systems, and its integrated HD 5100 graphics remove the need for a separate GPU. The i7-930 requires a discrete graphics solution and a desktop platform.

For workloads that fit within the shared Cinebench tests, the i7-930 is the clear choice. For mobile use cases where power consumption and integrated graphics matter, the i5-4258U is the only viable option between these two parts, because the i7-930's socket and power requirements preclude portable designs entirely.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-930 | Intel Core i5-4258U |

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

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.07 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| TDP | 130 W | 28 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1366 | Intel BGA 1168 |

| Architecture | Nehalem | Haswell |

| Codename | Bloomfield | Haswell |

| Process node | 45 nm | 22 nm |

| Transistors | 731 million | 1,400 million |

| Die size | 263 mm² | 118 mm² |

| L3 cache | 8 MB (shared) | 3 MB (shared) |

| Memory bus | Triple-channel | Not recorded |

| Integrated graphics | None | Intel HD 5100 |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2010-02-27 | 2013-06-03 |

| Part number | SLBKP | SR18A |

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-930 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 258 versus 222 in R15 (16.2% ahead), 1076 versus 929 in R20 (15.8% ahead), and 2563 versus 2213 in R23 (15.8% ahead).

Q: Does the i5-4258U win any single-core tests?

A: No. The i7-930 leads by 15.3% in Cinebench R20 single-core (151 versus 131) and by 15.7% in Cinebench R23 single-core (361 versus 312).

Q: Why does the i5-4258U have a higher average benchmark score if it loses every head-to-head test?

A: The i5-4258U has additional Geekbench results (1664 multi-core, 844 single-core) included in its average of 902, while the i7-930's average of 882 is based only on its Cinebench results. The extra data points pull the i5-4258U's average slightly higher.

Q: How do the core counts compare?

A: The i7-930 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-4258U has 2 cores and 4 threads. This 2-core difference is the primary driver of the multi-core performance gap.

Q: What are the TDP differences?

A: The i7-930 has a 130 W TDP, while the i5-4258U has a 28 W TDP. The i5-4258U consumes substantially less power, making it suitable for mobile systems.

Q: Does either processor include integrated graphics?

A: Only the i5-4258U includes integrated graphics, specifically Intel HD 5100. The i7-930 has no integrated graphics and requires a separate graphics card.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i7-930:

• All five shared Cinebench benchmarks: multi-core and single-core variants of R15, R20, and R23
• Single-threaded performance: 15.3% to 15.7% ahead depending on the test version
• Multi-threaded performance: 15.8% to 16.2% ahead depending on the test version
• Desktop workloads where the 130 W TDP is acceptable and a discrete GPU is already present
• Scenarios requiring triple-channel memory support
• Workloads that benefit from 8 MB of L3 cache versus 3 MB

Intel Core i5-4258U:

• Mobile and laptop deployments where the 28 W TDP and BGA 1168 socket are required
• Systems needing integrated graphics without a separate GPU
• The Geekbench test suite, where its scores of 1664 multi-core and 844 single-core are recorded in the database
• Applications that prioritize lower power consumption over raw compute throughput
• Compact designs using the smaller 118 mm² die and 22 nm process

The recorded data shows the i7-930 as the performance leader in every directly comparable benchmark, but the i5-4258U occupies a different market position entirely. The i7-930's 45 nm desktop design and 130 W power draw target a different use case than the i5-4258U's 22 nm mobile architecture. Users choosing between these two should base their decision primarily on platform requirements: the i7-930 demands a desktop motherboard with Socket 1366, while the i5-4258U is designed for soldered mobile integration. Within the benchmarks both share, the i7-930's 15% to 16% advantage holds consistently, but that advantage comes with a much larger power footprint and no integrated graphics option.