Intel Core i5-4460 vs Intel Core i7-3820 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-3820 and Intel Core i5-4460 are both end-of-life desktop processors, yet they represent two very different design philosophies from Intel. The i7-3820 is a high-end enthusiast part built on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture, while the i5-4460 is a mainstream quad-core from the Haswell generation. Benchmark data shows a clear and consistent winner across all tested workloads: the i7-3820 dominates every single Cinebench test, with margins ranging from 16.9% to 17.8%. However, the i5-4460 counters with a more modern feature set, including native PCIe Gen 3 support and integrated graphics, making the choice less about raw performance and more about platform priorities.

Where Each One Wins

The performance split in this comparison is entirely one-sided according to the benchmark data. The Intel Core i7-3820 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, spanning R15, R20, and R23 versions in both single-core and multi-core configurations. This is a comprehensive sweep that leaves no room for the i5-4460 to claim a performance victory in CPU-bound rendering tasks. The largest margin comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i7-3820 scores 496 against 421 for the i5-4460, a 17.8% advantage. The smallest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i7-3820 leads 69 to 59, a 16.9% difference.

The i5-4460’s only unique advantage is its integrated graphics. The i7-3820 has no integrated GPU, meaning users must pair it with a discrete graphics card from the start. The i5-4460 includes Intel HD 4600, which allows for a basic display output without a separate GPU. This makes the i5-4460 a more convenient option for basic office or home systems where discrete graphics are unnecessary. Additionally, the i5-4460 supports PCIe Gen 3, while the i7-3820 is limited to Gen 2, which can matter for newer graphics cards and NVMe storage adapters, though the benchmark data does not quantify this difference.

In terms of platform features, the i7-3820 wins on memory bandwidth potential with quad-channel DDR3 support delivering 51.2 GB/s, compared to the i5-4460’s dual-channel 25.6 GB/s. The i7-3820 also offers 40 PCIe lanes from the CPU, versus 16 lanes on the i5-4460. These are architectural advantages that favor the i7-3820 in multi-GPU or high-bandwidth workstation scenarios, even if the included benchmark scores do not directly measure them. For most everyday tasks, however, the i5-4460’s lower TDP of 84W versus 130W makes it a more power-efficient choice, though no wattage figures are available beyond those TDP ratings.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and process nodes. The i7-3820 is built on Intel’s 32 nm process, using the Sandy Bridge-E architecture with a die size of 294 mm² and 1,270 million transistors. The i5-4460 uses the newer 22 nm Haswell architecture, packing 1,400 million transistors into a much smaller 177 mm² die. This process shrink allows the i5-4460 to achieve a lower TDP of 84W while still offering a more modern feature set, despite having fewer threads.

Core and thread configurations differ significantly. Both chips have 4 physical cores, but the i7-3820 supports Hyper-Threading, bringing its thread count to 8. The i5-4460 is limited to 4 threads. This explains the consistent multi-core advantage for the i7-3820 in the benchmark results. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the i7-3820 has 10 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4460 has only 6 MB. Both share the same L1 and L2 cache sizes per core (64 KB and 256 KB, respectively), but the larger L3 pool on the i7-3820 benefits multi-threaded workloads.

Memory controllers are another key split. The i7-3820 supports quad-channel DDR3 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i5-4460 uses a dual-channel memory bus, halving the bandwidth to 25.6 GB/s. Both support DDR3, but the i7-3820’s wider bus is a clear advantage for memory-intensive applications. PCIe support also differs: the i7-3820 provides 40 Gen 2 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-4460 offers 16 Gen 3 lanes. The newer Gen 3 standard on the i5-4460 provides higher per-lane bandwidth, but the i7-3820 has far more lanes available for expansion.

Clock speeds favor the i7-3820, which runs at a 3.60 GHz base clock and 3.80 GHz boost clock. The i5-4460 operates at 3.20 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. The i7-3820 also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking, while the i5-4460’s multiplier is locked. The i7-3820 uses the Intel Socket 2011 platform, whereas the i5-4460 fits the more mainstream Intel Socket 1150. The i7-3820 lacks integrated graphics entirely, while the i5-4460 includes Intel HD 4600.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are remarkably consistent across all six Cinebench tests, with the i7-3820 winning every one by a margin between 16.9% and 17.8%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3820 scores 496 against the i5-4460’s 421, a 17.8% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 69 versus 59, translating to a 16.9% advantage. These results indicate that the i7-3820’s higher clock speeds and Hyper-Threading provide a solid performance edge in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering tasks.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the i7-3820 again dominates with a multi-core score of 2067 compared to 1758 for the i5-4460, a 17.6% difference. In single-core R20, the gap is 291 versus 248, also a 17.3% lead. The consistency of these margins suggests that the performance difference is structural rather than workload-specific. The i7-3820’s 8 threads and higher clocks give it a persistent advantage that does not diminish as the benchmark engine evolves.

The most recent Cinebench R23 results continue the pattern. The i7-3820 scores 4923 in multi-core, while the i5-4460 manages 4188, a 17.6% gap. Single-core R23 shows 695 versus 591, again a 17.6% difference. These numbers place both processors in the same percentile band (37th percentile among all CPUs), but the i7-3820’s average benchmark score of 1424 slightly edges out the i5-4460’s 1415. The i7-3820’s nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Bronze 3106 and Intel Core i7-3720QM, with delta percentages under 0.3%. The i5-4460 sits alongside the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 and AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, also within 0.3% of its average score.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-3820 wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 496 in R15, 2067 in R20, and 4923 in R23, compared to the i5-4460’s 421, 1758, and 4188, respectively. The margins range from 17.6% to 17.8% in favor of the i7-3820.

Q: Does the i5-4460 win any benchmark?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmark data, the i7-3820 wins all six Cinebench tests. The i5-4460 has zero wins, though it does include integrated graphics, which the i7-3820 lacks entirely.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-core performance?

A: The i7-3820 leads in every single-core test. It scores 69 in R15, 291 in R20, and 695 in R23, versus 59, 248, and 591 for the i5-4460. The advantage is between 16.9% and 17.6%.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth differences?

A: The i7-3820 supports quad-channel DDR3 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i5-4460 uses dual-channel DDR3, providing only 25.6 GB/s. This means the i7-3820 has twice the theoretical memory bandwidth.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i5-4460 includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. The i7-3820 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a discrete graphics card for any display output.

Q: Which processor offers more PCIe lanes?

A: The i7-3820 provides 40 PCIe Gen 2 lanes from the CPU. The i5-4460 offers only 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. While the i5-4460 uses a newer standard, the i7-3820 supports more expansion options.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across every major specification field. The i7-3820 has 8 threads versus 4 threads on the i5-4460, despite both having 4 physical cores. Base clock speeds are 3.60 GHz for the i7-3820 and 3.20 GHz for the i5-4460, with boost clocks of 3.80 GHz and 3.40 GHz, respectively. The i7-3820 has a TDP of 130W, while the i5-4460 is rated at 84W.

The socket and architecture differ completely. The i7-3820 uses Intel Socket 2011 with the Sandy Bridge-E architecture, while the i5-4460 uses Intel Socket 1150 with Haswell. Process nodes are 32 nm for the i7-3820 and 22 nm for the i5-4460. The i7-3820 has a larger die (294 mm²) but fewer transistors (1,270 million) compared to the i5-4460’s 177 mm² die and 1,400 million transistors.

Cache configurations also differ: the i7-3820 has 10 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-4460 has 6 MB. L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core. Memory support is DDR3 for both, but the i7-3820 uses a quad-channel bus (51.2 GB/s) versus the i5-4460’s dual-channel bus (25.6 GB/s). PCIe support varies with 40 Gen 2 lanes on the i7-3820 and 16 Gen 3 lanes on the i5-4460. The i5-4460 includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, while the i7-3820 has none. The i7-3820 has an unlocked multiplier, the i5-4460 does not. Launch MSRP was $305 for the i7-3820 and $187 for the i5-4460.