Intel Core i5-4440S vs Intel Core i5-5287U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a remarkably consistent picture: the Intel Core i5-4440S wins every single head-to-head comparison, with the margin of victory nearly identical across all five tested workloads. The widest gap appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the i5-4440S scores 220 against the i5-5287U's 153, a delta of 43.8%. This near-uniform delta—hovering between 43.6% and 43.8% across every test—suggests the performance difference is systemic rather than workload-specific, driven by fundamental architectural and configuration disparities rather than any particular benchmark's characteristics.

In multi-threaded workloads, the i5-4440S extends its lead further. Cinebench R15 multicore shows the desktop chip scoring 375 versus 261 for the mobile part, a 43.7% advantage. The R20 multicore test repeats this exact margin: 1566 to 1090. The R23 multicore benchmark, which stresses sustained performance more heavily, shows 3729 versus 2596, again a 43.6% delta. The consistency here is striking—whether the workload is older or newer, single-threaded or multi-threaded, the i5-4440S maintains roughly a 44% performance advantage over the i5-5287U.

The single-core results tell the same story with even tighter margins. Cinebench R20 single-core: 220 to 153, a 43.8% gap. Cinebench R23 single-core: 526 to 366, a 43.7% gap. The i5-5287U's higher base clock (2.90 GHz versus 2.80 GHz) and equal boost clock (3.30 GHz for both) do nothing to close the gap. The data indicates that raw clock speed is not the differentiator here; the i5-4440S's four physical cores and larger shared cache provide a structural advantage that the i5-5287U's dual-core design cannot overcome, even when the latter is running at comparable frequencies.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this hierarchy. The i5-4440S posts an average score of 1078, while the i5-5287U manages 1072—a narrow 0.6% difference in aggregate. This near-parity in overall average masks the consistent 43.7% deltas in individual Cinebench tests, suggesting that the i5-5287U's Geekbench scores (2007 multicore, 1029 single-core)—tests not run on the i5-4440S—are what pull its average up. The Cinebench suite, which both CPUs share, tells a far more lopsided story.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-4440S wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. In R15, it scores 375 versus 261 (43.7% higher); in R20, 1566 versus 1090 (43.7% higher); in R23, 3729 versus 2596 (43.6% higher). The i5-5287U has no multi-core wins.

Q: Is the i5-5287U competitive in single-core workloads?

A: No. The i5-4440S also wins all single-core tests. In R20 single-core, it scores 220 versus 153 (43.8% higher); in R23 single-core, 526 versus 366 (43.7% higher). Despite the i5-5287U having a higher base clock (2.90 GHz versus 2.80 GHz) and the same boost clock (3.30 GHz), it trails by more than 43% in both single-threaded tests.

Q: How do these CPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The i5-4440S sits at 30th percentile among all CPUs, with an average score of 1078. Its closest competitor is the AMD A12-9800 (1081, -0.2%) and the Intel Pentium Gold G6505T (1082, -0.3%). The i5-5287U also sits at the 30th percentile, with an average of 1072; its nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-4170T (1072, 0% delta), making them statistically identical in aggregate performance.

Q: What explains the consistent 43.7% score difference?

A: The i5-4440S has twice the physical cores (4 versus 2) and double the shared L3 cache (6 MB versus 3 MB). These structural advantages persist across every Cinebench version tested, producing remarkably consistent deltas between 43.6% and 43.8%. The i5-5287U's newer 14 nm process and higher transistor count (1,900 million versus 1,400 million) do not translate into benchmark wins.

Q: Does the i5-5287U have any benchmark advantage at all?

A: In the head-to-head data, the i5-5287U wins zero of five tests. However, it has Geekbench scores available (2007 multicore, 1029 single-core) that were not run on the i5-4440S, so no direct comparison exists for those workloads. Its average score of 1072 is only 0.6% below the i5-4440S's 1078, indicating the Geekbench results are relatively strong.

Q: Are these CPUs in the same performance class?

A: Yes. Both sit at the 30th percentile of all CPUs, and their average scores are nearly identical (1078 versus 1072). However, their Cinebench results diverge dramatically—the i5-4440S is consistently ~44% faster across all shared tests. This suggests the i5-5287U's aggregate score is buoyed by workloads where the two are closer, but in the Cinebench suite, the i5-4440S dominates.

The Verdict

The data leaves little room for ambiguity: the Intel Core i5-4440S is the superior performer in every benchmark both CPUs share. With five wins out of five head-to-head tests and deltas consistently around 43.7%, the desktop chip is decisively ahead in both single-core and multi-core Cinebench workloads. The i5-5287U's higher base clock and equal boost clock do not compensate for its two-core design and halved L3 cache.

For users running Cinebench-class workloads—rendering, content creation, or any multithreaded application—the i5-4440S is the clear choice. Its four physical cores provide a structural advantage that manifests as a ~44% performance lead across the board. The i5-5287U, despite being a newer Broadwell part on a 14 nm process, cannot overcome the core-count deficit.

However, the picture is not entirely one-sided. The i5-5287U's average benchmark score (1072) is within 0.6% of the i5-4440S's (1078), suggesting that in workloads not captured by the Cinebench suite—such as the Geekbench tests where the i5-5287U scores 2007 multicore and 1029 single-core—the mobile chip may be far more competitive. The i5-5287U also carries a launch MSRP of $315, though pricing analysis is outside the scope of this data.

The i5-5287U's production status is listed as end-of-life, while the i5-4440S has no production status listed, implying it may still be in production. For new system builds, the i5-4440S offers better benchmark performance and a socket (Intel Socket 1150) that supports desktop motherboards. The i5-5287U's BGA 1168 socket is soldered, limiting its use to pre-built mobile systems.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ across nearly every major specification category. The i5-4440S is a desktop part with 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-5287U is a mobile part with 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks differ slightly: 2.80 GHz for the i5-4440S versus 2.90 GHz for the i5-5287U, though both boost to 3.30 GHz.

Power consumption diverges sharply: the i5-4440S has a 65 W TDP, while the i5-5287U draws only 28 W. This 37 W difference reflects the mobile chip's efficiency focus. Socket compatibility is entirely different—the i5-4440S uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i5-5287U uses Intel BGA 1168, making them physically incompatible.

Memory support is similar (DDR3, dual-channel), but the i5-5287U lists a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i5-4440S. PCIe capabilities differ: the i5-4440S supports PCIe Gen 3, while the i5-5287U is limited to PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics also differ: the i5-4440S pairs with Intel HD 4600, while the i5-5287U includes Intel Iris 6100. The i5-5287U has a listed launch MSRP of $315; the i5-4440S has no MSRP data.

Release dates are roughly 18 months apart: the i5-4440S launched on 2013-08-31, and the i5-5287U on 2015-02-28. The i5-5287U is marked end-of-life, while the i5-4440S has no production status specified.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap spans two Intel generations. The i5-4440S uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process, while the i5-5287U uses the Broadwell architecture on a 14 nm process. The transistor counts reflect the die shrink: the i5-4440S packs 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die, while the i5-5287U crams 1,900 million transistors into a smaller 133 mm² die.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. Both share 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the shared L3 cache is halved on the mobile chip: 6 MB for the i5-4440S versus 3 MB for the i5-5287U. This 3 MB difference is likely a major contributor to the i5-4440S's consistent performance lead, as a larger shared cache reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data.

The generation labels confirm the split: the i5-4440S is from the Core i5 (Haswell) generation, while the i5-5287U belongs to the Core i5 (Broadwell-U) family. Both CPUs lock their multipliers, so neither supports overclocking. Neither supports ECC memory. The foundry is Intel for both, though the i5-5287U's 14 nm process is a full node ahead of the i5-4440S's 22 nm node.

The integrated graphics differ as well: Intel HD 4600 on the desktop part versus Intel Iris 6100 on the mobile part. The Iris 6100 is generally positioned as a higher-tier graphics solution, though no benchmark data is provided to quantify this advantage. The i5-5287U's smaller die size (133 mm² versus 177 mm²) despite more transistors (1,900 million versus 1,400 million) is a direct consequence of the denser 14 nm process.

The different market segments—Desktop for the i5-4440S, Mobile for the i5-5287U—explain the socket choices and TDP targets. The 65 W TDP of the i5-4440S enables sustained operation at higher power draw, while the 28 W TDP of the i5-5287U suits thin-and-light laptops. The architectural differences are substantial, but the benchmark data shows they do not translate into performance parity—the older, larger, more power-hungry Haswell chip wins decisively in every shared test.