Intel Core i5-4430 vs Intel Core i7-3612QE Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4430 and Intel Core i7-3612QE are separated by a single generation and a fundamental market divide, yet benchmark data places them in a statistical dead heat. The i5-4430 is a desktop Haswell part, while the i7-3612QE is a mobile Ivy Bridge processor with Hyper-Threading. Across every Cinebench test in the database, the i5-4430 wins by margins of 0.0% to 0.3%, a difference so small it is effectively a tie. Both processors hold the 33rd percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are 1149 and 1147, respectively. The real story is not raw performance—which is nearly identical—but the architectural and platform trade-offs that define each chip.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-4430 wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 400 versus 399 in Cinebench R15 multi-core (a 0.3% lead), 1669 versus 1666 in R20 (0.2% ahead), and 3974 versus 3967 in R23 (0.2% ahead). The margins are negligible in real-world terms.

Q: Is the i7-3612QE's Hyper-Threading an advantage?

A: The i7-3612QE supports 8 threads compared to the i5-4430's 4 threads, yet it still loses every multi-core benchmark. The i5-4430's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 2.10 GHz appears to offset the threading advantage, resulting in a 0.2% to 0.3% deficit for the i7 in multi-core tests.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: They are essentially identical. In Cinebench R15 single-core, both score 56. In R20, both score 235. In R23, the i5-4430 edges ahead 561 to 560—a 0.2% difference. Single-threaded performance is a tie.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) difference?

A: The i7-3612QE has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i5-4430 is rated at 84 watts. This makes the i7 a significantly more power-efficient part, suited for mobile or compact systems, whereas the i5 is a mainstream desktop chip.

Q: Are these processors comparable in overall benchmark average?

A: Yes. The i5-4430 has an average benchmark score of 1149, and the i7-3612QE scores 1147. The i5-4430's nearest rival is the i7-3612QE with a delta of 0.2%, confirming they are direct competitors in this database.

Q: Which processor has a newer architecture?

A: The i5-4430 uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process with a 177 mm² die size. The i7-3612QE uses the earlier Ivy Bridge architecture, also on 22 nm, but with a smaller 160 mm² die. Both are built by Intel and contain 1,400 million transistors.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent adjacent Intel microarchitectures, though they target different market segments. The i5-4430 is built on Haswell, the successor to Ivy Bridge, while the i7-3612QE is an Ivy Bridge part. Both use Intel's 22 nm process node and integrate 1,400 million transistors, but the die sizes differ: the i5-4430 measures 177 mm², while the i7-3612QE is smaller at 160 mm², reflecting its mobile design goals.

Core and thread counts present a key divergence. The i5-4430 has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no Hyper-Threading. The i7-3612QE also has 4 physical cores but supports 8 threads, giving it a theoretical advantage in heavily threaded workloads. Despite this, benchmark data shows the i5-4430 maintains a slight edge, likely due to clock speed advantages.

Cache configurations are identical in structure: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The memory bus is dual-channel on both, and neither supports ECC memory. The i5-4430's integrated graphics are Intel HD 4600, while the i7-3612QE uses Intel HD 4000—a generational improvement for the Haswell part.

The i5-4430 supports PCIe Gen 3, whereas the i7-3612QE's PCIe capability is not listed in the data. The i5-4430 also supports DDR3 memory officially, while the i7-3612QE's memory support field is null, though its dual-channel bus implies similar capability. The i7-3612QE is a mobile part with a 35-watt TDP and a BGA 1023 socket, while the i5-4430 is a desktop part with an 84-watt TDP on Intel Socket 1150.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent: the i5-4430 wins all six benchmark comparisons, but never by more than 0.3%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-4430 scores 400 against the i7-3612QE's 399, a 0.3% lead. The R15 single-core test is a dead tie at 56 points each. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i5-4430 takes multi-core 1669 to 1666 (0.2% ahead), and single-core is again tied at 235. In the newest Cinebench R23, the i5-4430 leads multi-core 3974 to 3967 (0.2%) and single-core 561 to 560 (0.2%).

The pattern is clear: the i5-4430's advantage is small but consistent. The largest margin is 0.3% in R15 multi-core, while four of the six tests show leads of 0.0% or 0.2%. The i7-3612QE never wins a single test, despite having twice the thread count. This suggests that the i5-4430's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz (versus 2.10 GHz) and boost clock of 3.20 GHz (versus 3.10 GHz) fully compensate for the i7's Hyper-Threading capability. The average benchmark scores reinforce this: 1149 for the i5-4430 and 1147 for the i7-3612QE, a 0.2% difference that is within statistical noise.

For buyers, this means the performance difference is effectively nonexistent. The i5-4430 is nominally faster in every test, but the margins are so thin that real-world applications would show no discernible difference. The i7-3612QE's nearest rival list includes the i5-4430 with a delta of -0.2%, confirming that these are near-identical performers in this database.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields, even where performance is similar. The i5-4430 has a base clock of 3.00 GHz, while the i7-3612QE runs at 2.10 GHz—a 0.90 GHz advantage for the i5. Boost clocks are closer: 3.20 GHz versus 3.10 GHz, a 0.10 GHz lead for the i5-4430. Thermal design power is a major differentiator: the i5-4430 is rated at 84 watts, more than double the i7-3612QE's 35 watts.

Socket compatibility separates them completely. The i5-4430 uses Intel Socket 1150, a desktop platform, while the i7-3612QE uses Intel BGA 1023, a soldered mobile package. The market segments reflect this: the i5-4430 is a Desktop part, and the i7-3612QE is Mobile. Release dates also differ, with the i5-4430 launching on 2013-06-01 and the i7-3612QE on 2012-04-28—a gap of over a year.

Integrated graphics differ by generation. The i5-4430 ships with Intel HD 4600, while the i7-3612QE has Intel HD 4000. The i5-4430 supports PCIe Gen 3, but the i7-3612QE's PCIe generation is not specified. Both have 4 cores, 6 MB of L3 cache, 64 KB L1 per core, and 256 KB L2 per core. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both lack ECC memory support. The i5-4430's part number is SR14G, while the i7-3612QE is SR0ND.

The die size difference is notable: 177 mm² for the i5-4430 versus 160 mm² for the i7-3612QE, despite identical transistor counts of 1,400 million. This suggests the Haswell architecture uses its area less densely, or the mobile i7 has a more streamlined layout. The i5-4430 also has a higher average benchmark score of 1149 versus 1147, though both sit at the 33rd percentile globally.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-4430 is the faster processor, but only by a razor-thin margin. It wins all six Cinebench tests, with leads ranging from 0.0% to 0.3%. The average benchmark score difference is 2 points (1149 versus 1147), which is effectively zero. The i5-4430's performance advantage comes from its higher clock speeds—3.00 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost—which overcome the i7-3612QE's Hyper-Threading advantage of 8 threads versus 4.

The i7-3612QE is the better choice for scenarios where power consumption is critical. Its 35-watt TDP is less than half the i5-4430's 84-watt rating, making it suitable for laptops or compact systems where heat and battery life matter. The i5-4430, with its desktop socket and higher TDP, is designed for traditional desktop builds where power headroom is less constrained.

For raw performance, the i5-4430 is the nominal winner. It matches or beats the i7-3612QE in every test, including single-core benchmarks where both are tied. The i5-4430's newer Haswell architecture and HD 4600 graphics (versus HD 4000) provide minor platform advantages. However, the performance delta is so small that users should base their decision on platform requirements—socket type, TDP, and intended use—rather than benchmark scores. The data shows no meaningful performance gap between these two processors, making the i7-3612QE a compelling low-power alternative and the i5-4430 a standard desktop choice with a negligible speed edge.