Intel Core i5-4460 vs Intel Core i7-2600K Comparison

The Intel Core i7-2600K and Intel Core i5-4460 occupy the same neighborhood in the database, separated by just 18 points of average benchmark score, yet they get there by different routes. The i7-2600K relies on eight threads from four cores and an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-4460 counters with a newer Haswell architecture running four threads on four cores. The recorded data shows a clear split: the i7-2600K wins every Cinebench test, the i5-4460 wins both Geekbench tests, and the overall picture depends heavily on which workload profile matters to the buyer.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Cinebench is a clean sweep for the i7-2600K, and the margins are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multicore the Sandy Bridge part scores 469 against 421, an advantage of 11.4 percent. Single-core R15 goes the same way, 66 to 59, a gap of 11.9 percent. Cinebench R20 repeats the pattern: 1955 versus 1758 in multicore (11.2 percent ahead) and 275 versus 248 in single-core (10.9 percent ahead). Cinebench R23 lands almost exactly on the same spread, with the i7-2600K scoring 4657 to 4188 in multicore and 657 to 591 in single-core, advantages of 11.2 percent in both cases.

That uniformity is itself informative. A gap that holds steady from single-core to multi-core suggests the i7-2600K is not winning purely through thread count. Even in single-threaded Cinebench, where Hyper-Threading contributes nothing directly, the older chip leads by roughly 11 percent. The 3.40 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost clocks, sustained across four active cores with eight threads available, evidently carry enough throughput to outpace the newer design in this rendering suite.

Geekbench flips the result, and flips it emphatically. In Geekbench single-core the i5-4460 scores 1018 against 768, a 24.6 percent lead for the Haswell chip. Geekbench multicore also goes to the i5-4460, 3035 to 2613, a 13.9 percent margin. This is the single largest gap in the entire comparison, and it stands in direct contradiction to the Cinebench single-core results. Geekbench clearly rewards the architectural improvements of Haswell, which delivers strong per-clock throughput in its workload mix, while Cinebench's sustained rendering loops favor the threaded Sandy Bridge configuration and its clocks.

The aggregate picture is nearly a tie. The i7-2600K holds an average benchmark score of 1433 against 1415 for the i5-4460, and both sit at the 37th percentile versus all CPUs in the database. The head-to-head tally is six wins to two in favor of the i7-2600K, but the two Geekbench losses are among the largest margins recorded here.

Context from the rivals list reinforces how evenly matched these chips are. The i7-2600K sits within a fraction of a percent of the Intel Core i7-4712HQ (average score 1436, 0.2 percent apart) and the AMD Ryzen 5 2400G (1439, 0.4 percent apart), and just above the Intel Core i5-4570S (1426) and Intel Core i7-3820 (1424). The i5-4460 is statistically indistinguishable from the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 and AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, both at 1415, and effectively level with the Intel Core i7-3840QM (1416) and the Intel Core i7-2700K (1419). Both processors, in short, compete in the same crowded mid-tier cluster.

Architecture Differences

The i7-2600K is a Sandy Bridge design built on Intel's 32 nm process, packing 1,160 million transistors onto a 216 mm² die. The i5-4460 is a Haswell design on the 22 nm node, with 1,400 million transistors on a smaller 177 mm² die. The newer chip fits more transistors into less silicon, a direct consequence of the node shrink between the two generations.

The core configurations differ in threading, not core count. Both are quad-core processors, but the i7-2600K supports eight threads via Hyper-Threading while the i5-4460 runs four threads on four cores. That difference explains why Cinebench's rendering workloads, which scale with threads, favor the older chip despite its newer rival. The i7-2600K also clocks higher: 3.40 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost, against 3.20 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost for the i5-4460.

Cache also favors the Sandy Bridge part. The i7-2600K carries 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4460 has 6 MB. Both share identical L1 (64 KB per core) and L2 (256 KB per core) configurations. Platform connectivity goes the other way: the i5-4460 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, whereas the i7-2600K is limited to PCIe Gen 2 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics also differ, with HD 3000 on the i7-2600K and the newer HD 4600 on the i5-4460.

The sockets are incompatible: Socket 1155 for the i7-2600K and Socket 1150 for the i5-4460. Both support dual-channel DDR3 at 25.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, neither supports ECC, and both are end-of-life desktop products. One capability distinction matters for enthusiasts: the i7-2600K has an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-4460 does not.

The Verdict

For sustained rendering and heavily threaded production work, the data favors the i7-2600K. Six consecutive Cinebench wins at margins between 10.9 and 11.9 percent, across three Cinebench versions and both core counts, is a consistent and decisive body of evidence. The 8 MB of L3 cache and eight threads give it the structural advantage in this class of workload.

For workloads that resemble Geekbench's profile, shorter bursts of mixed compute where per-thread throughput dominates, the i5-4460 is clearly stronger. Its 24.6 percent single-core Geekbench lead is the biggest margin on the page, and it still wins multicore by 13.9 percent despite having half the threads. Buyers running general desktop applications, quick single-threaded tasks, or bursty mixed workloads get more done on the Haswell chip.

The platform considerations break both ways. The i5-4460 brings PCIe Gen 3, a meaningful advantage for graphics-heavy configurations, plus a newer integrated GPU in HD 4600 and a lower thermal design point at 84 W versus 95 W. The i7-2600K counters with the unlocked multiplier, giving tuners headroom the i5-4460 simply cannot offer, though its stock thermal envelope is higher. Neither board platform is current, so the choice realistically comes down to which existing system a builder is upgrading.

On raw aggregate scores the two are a coin flip, 1433 versus 1415, both at the 37th percentile. The tiebreaker is workload, not averages.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in every specification that matters except core count, manufacturer, memory support, and market segment. The i7-2600K runs 4 cores and 8 threads on Sandy Bridge at 32 nm, with a 216 mm² die and 1,160 million transistors. The i5-4460 runs 4 cores and 4 threads on Haswell at 22 nm, with a 177 mm² die and 1,400 million transistors. Clocks are 3.40 base and 3.80 boost for the i7-2600K versus 3.20 base and 3.40 boost for the i5-4460. Thermal design points are 95 W and 84 W respectively.

Cache splits at 8 MB shared L3 for the i7-2600K against 6 MB for the i5-4460, with identical per-core L1 and L2. The i7-2600K uses Socket 1155 with PCIe Gen 2 and HD 3000 graphics; the i5-4460 uses Socket 1150 with PCIe Gen 3 and HD 4600 graphics. The i7-2600K has an unlocked multiplier and carries part number SR00C; the i5-4460 is multiplier-locked with part number SR1QK. The i7-2600K launched with an MSRP of $317, the i5-4460 at $187. Both are DDR3 dual-channel designs without ECC, both are desktop parts, and both are end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench? A: The i7-2600K wins all six Cinebench tests, with margins from 10.9 to 11.9 percent, including 4657 versus 4188 in Cinebench R23 multicore.

Q: Which CPU is faster in Geekbench? A: The i5-4460, scoring 1018 versus 768 in single-core (24.6 percent ahead) and 3035 versus 2613 in multicore (13.9 percent ahead).

Q: Do both chips have four cores? A: Yes, both are quad-core, but the i7-2600K supports eight threads through Hyper-Threading while the i5-4460 is limited to four threads.

Q: Which chip can be overclocked? A: The i7-2600K has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-4460 is locked.

Q: Which platform has newer connectivity? A: The i5-4460, with PCIe Gen 3 on Socket 1150 and HD 4600 graphics, versus PCIe Gen 2 on Socket 1155 with HD 3000 graphics for the i7-2600K.

Q: Which CPU uses less power? A: The i5-4460, with a thermal design point of 84 W versus 95 W for the i7-2600K.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-2600K owns the rendering bench. Anyone spending hours in Cinebench-class workloads, video encoding, 3D rendering, or threaded batch processing, gets roughly 11 percent more throughput across the board, backed by 8 MB of L3 cache and eight threads. Its unlocked multiplier also makes it the only choice of the two for users who want to tune the chip beyond stock settings.

The i5-4460 owns responsiveness-oriented compute. Its 24.6 percent Geekbench single-core lead and 13.9 percent multicore Geekbench win point to superior performance in everyday application loads, while PCIe Gen 3, the HD 4600 integrated GPU, and the lower 84 W thermal design point make it the better foundation for a general-purpose build with a discrete GPU. Choose the i7-2600K for sustained threaded throughput and tuning; choose the i5-4460 for per-thread speed and a more modern platform.