Intel Core i5-4460S vs Intel Core i5-4570R Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4460S and Intel Core i5-4570R are both 65W Haswell-era desktop processors, but they are built for different corners of the market. The 4460S is a socketed, mainstream part, while the 4570R is a BGA-packaged chip with a more powerful integrated GPU. Benchmark results show a clear split: the 4460S dominates CPU-bound tests, while the 4570R posts a surprising win in Geekbench multi-core. This analysis breaks down exactly where each chip excels, the architectural reasons behind the results, and what the data implies for real-world use.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is decisive in one direction. Across seven of the eight benchmark comparisons, the Intel Core i5-4460S takes the win. The margins are consistent and small, but they are present in every Cinebench iteration. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 4460S scores 398 against the 4570R’s 390, a 2.1% lead. Single-core in the same test shows a larger gap: 56 vs 54, which translates to a 3.7% advantage for the 4460S.

The pattern holds in newer Cinebench versions. In R20 multi-core, the 4460S scores 1661 versus 1629, a 2% edge. The R20 single-core result is 234 vs 229, again a 2.2% lead for the 4460S. Cinebench R23 shows the same story: the 4460S posts 3955 multi-core and 558 single-core, while the 4570R manages 3879 and 547 respectively — both results are 2% ahead for the 4460S. These are not transformative differences, but they are consistent across every rendering workload.

The Geekbench results introduce a wrinkle. In Geekbench single-core, the 4460S wins decisively with a score of 1026 compared to 943 for the 4570R. That is an 8.8% margin, the largest single gap in the entire comparison. However, the Geekbench multi-core test flips the script. Here, the 4570R scores 2872 against the 4460S’s 2750, giving the 4570R a 4.2% advantage. This is the only benchmark where the 4570R comes out ahead, and it is a notable outlier given the Cinebench results.

Looking at the broader picture, the 4460S wins 7 out of 8 head-to-head comparisons. The average benchmark score for the 4460S is 1330, while the 4570R sits at 1318. Both chips land in the 35th percentile of all CPUs, meaning they are statistically equivalent in overall performance. The 4460S’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-2500K (avg score 1329, delta 0.1%) and the Intel Core i5-760 (avg score 1337, delta -0.5%). The 4570R’s closest competitors are the Intel Celeron G6900E (avg score 1321, delta -0.2%) and the Intel Core i7-3770T (avg score 1314, delta 0.3%). In essence, these two chips occupy the same performance tier, with the 4460S holding a slight but measurable edge in most workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The data suggests a clear division of labor. The Intel Core i5-4460S is the stronger choice for CPU-heavy tasks that rely on sustained multi-threaded and single-threaded execution. Every Cinebench test — R15, R20, and R23 — in both multi-core and single-core modes falls to the 4460S. This makes it the better option for rendering, video encoding, and any application that scales across cores. The consistent 2% to 3.7% lead in these tests indicates that the 4460S extracts slightly more performance from its four cores.

The single-core win in Geekbench is even more pronounced. The 8.8% margin in Geekbench single-core (1026 vs 943) suggests that the 4460S has a meaningful advantage in lightly-threaded workloads like older games, spreadsheet calculations, or general desktop responsiveness. For users who prioritize snappy single-thread performance, the 4460S is clearly the better part.

The Intel Core i5-4570R has a narrower claim to fame. Its only head-to-head win is in Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 2872 versus 2750, a 4.2% advantage. This is an interesting result because it contradicts the Cinebench multi-core trends. The Geekbench workload likely emphasizes memory bandwidth or cache behavior differently than Cinebench. The 4570R also carries a larger die (260 mm² vs 177 mm²) and more transistors (1,700 million vs 1,400 million), which could contribute to its multi-core Geekbench performance. However, this single win does not overturn the overall picture. The 4570R’s primary differentiator is not raw CPU speed but its integrated graphics, which is the Intel Iris Pro 5200 — a significantly more capable GPU than the HD 4600 found in the 4460S. For users who need decent graphical performance without a discrete card, the 4570R is the more practical choice, even if its CPU scores are slightly lower.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 22 nm process and share the Haswell architecture. However, they diverge significantly in their physical design and feature sets. The 4460S uses the codename Haswell and is designed for the Intel Socket 1150, making it a drop-in replacement for compatible motherboards. The 4570R uses the codename Crystal Well and is soldered to the Intel BGA 1364 package, meaning it is not user-upgradable. This packaging difference alone dictates their target markets: the 4460S for DIY builders, the 4570R for pre-built systems.

The transistor counts and die sizes tell a story of different priorities. The 4460S packs 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die. The 4570R is a larger chip, with 1,700 million transistors on a 260 mm² die. The extra silicon in the 4570R is not for CPU cores — both chips have 4 cores and 4 threads — but rather for the integrated GPU and additional cache logic. The 4570R’s Iris Pro 5200 graphics require substantial die area, which explains the larger physical footprint.

Cache configurations also differ. Both chips have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is where they diverge: the 4460S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 4570R has only 4 MB. This 2 MB difference in L3 cache likely contributes to the 4460S’s stronger performance in Cinebench, which is sensitive to cache capacity. Interestingly, the 4570R’s larger die and higher transistor count do not translate into a cache advantage; instead, the resources are allocated to the integrated GPU.

Clock speeds reinforce the 4460S’s CPU advantage. The 4460S runs at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosts to 3.40 GHz. The 4570R is slower on both counts, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost of 3.20 GHz. This 200 MHz deficit at boost explains why the 4460S consistently wins single-threaded tests. Both chips have a 65W TDP, a dual-channel DDR3 memory bus, and 25.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth, so memory performance is identical. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have a Gen 3 PCIe interface with 16 lanes from the CPU.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-4460S is faster in all Cinebench multi-core tests. It scores 398 vs 390 in R15, 1661 vs 1629 in R20, and 3955 vs 3879 in R23. Each result is a 2% to 2.1% lead for the 4460S.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-4570R win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the 4570R wins the Geekbench multi-core test with a score of 2872 compared to the 4460S’s 2750, a 4.2% margin. This is its only head-to-head victory out of eight comparisons.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in Geekbench single-core, where the 4460S scores 1026 against the 4570R’s 943, an 8.8% advantage for the 4460S.

Q: Why does the 4570R have a larger die size?

A: The 4570R has a 260 mm² die with 1,700 million transistors, compared to the 4460S’s 177 mm² die with 1,400 million transistors. The extra silicon is allocated to the Intel Iris Pro 5200 integrated graphics, which is more powerful than the HD 4600 in the 4460S.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboards?

A: No. The 4460S uses the Intel Socket 1150, while the 4570R uses the Intel BGA 1364 package, which is soldered to the board. The 4460S is socketed and replaceable, while the 4570R is not.

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

A: The 4460S has an average benchmark score of 1330, putting it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-2500K (1329) and 0.5% behind the Intel Core i5-760 (1337). The 4570R has an average score of 1318, which is 0.2% behind the Intel Celeron G6900E (1321) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i7-3770T (1314).

Specification Differences

The two processors share many core specifications, but several key fields differ. The most obvious difference is the socket: the 4460S uses the Intel Socket 1150, while the 4570R uses the Intel BGA 1364. The 4460S has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, whereas the 4570R runs at 2.70 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. The L3 cache is 6 MB on the 4460S versus 4 MB on the 4570R. The transistor count is 1,400 million for the 4460S and 1,700 million for the 4570R, with corresponding die sizes of 177 mm² and 260 mm². The integrated graphics differ: the 4460S features Intel HD 4600, while the 4570R features the more powerful Intel Iris Pro 5200. The codenames also differ, with the 4460S using Haswell and the 4570R using Crystal Well. The 4460S has a launch MSRP of $182, while the 4570R has no listed launch price. The release dates are also different, with the 4460S launching in May 2014 and the 4570R in June 2013.