Intel Core i5-4460S vs Intel Core i7-3770T Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4460S and Intel Core i7-3770T present a fascinating clash of generations and design philosophies. One is a Haswell-era quad-core with a modest 65W envelope, while the other is an Ivy Bridge part with Hyper-Threading that sips power at 45W. The benchmark data reveals a split personality: the i7 dominates in Cinebench, while the i5 crushes it in Geekbench. This divergence is the core mystery, hinting at deep architectural and workload-specific differences that go beyond simple core counts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern is the complete reversal of fortunes between the two benchmark suites. In the Cinebench family of tests, the Intel Core i7-3770T is the clear winner across every single iteration. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7 scores 464 against the i5-4460S’s 398, a 14.2% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 65 versus 56, a 13.8% lead. This trend persists and even tightens in the newer R20 and R23 versions, where the i7’s lead oscillates between 14.2% and 14.3% in both multi-core and single-core runs. For instance, in R23 multi-core, the i7 posts 4611 against 3955, and in R23 single-core it’s 651 versus 558. The consistency of this ~14% delta across four different Cinebench versions suggests a fundamental performance ceiling that the i5 cannot overcome in this workload, regardless of the specific test iteration.

However, the Geekbench results flip the script entirely. The Intel Core i5-4460S wins the Geekbench multi-core test with a score of 2750, a massive 43.5% improvement over the i7-3770T’s 1916. The single-core Geekbench test is even more lopsided: the i5 scores 1026, which is 73.3% higher than the i7’s 592. This is not a marginal victory; it is a complete rout. The data implies that the two CPUs are optimized for entirely different types of instructions. Cinebench appears to reward the i7’s higher boost clock and Hyper-Threading, while Geekbench seems to favor the newer Haswell architecture’s IPC improvements and possibly its memory bandwidth advantages. The i7’s lower base clock of 2.50 GHz versus 2.90 GHz might be a liability in short, bursty Geekbench tasks that don't allow the boost to fully engage, but the i5’s architecture appears to be fundamentally more efficient in this specific suite.

The win/loss tally is heavily skewed: the i7-3770T takes 6 wins, while the i5-4460S only manages 2. Yet, the magnitude of those 2 wins is far more dramatic than the i7’s consistent, smaller margins. The average benchmark scores for both CPUs are nearly identical (1330 for the i5, 1314 for the i7), which places them both in the 35th percentile of all CPUs. This suggests that despite their internal differences, they occupy the same overall performance tier, making the choice between them highly dependent on which software stack is more important to the user.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-3770T is faster, scoring 4611 compared to the Intel Core i5-4460S’s 3955. This represents a 14.2% performance advantage for the i7.

Q: How much faster is the Intel Core i5-4460S in Geekbench single-core?

A: The i5-4460S is dramatically faster, scoring 1026 versus the i7-3770T’s 592. This is a 73.3% difference in favor of the i5.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same number of physical cores?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-4460S and the Intel Core i7-3770T have 4 physical cores. However, the i7-3770T supports 8 threads, while the i5-4460S only supports 4.

Q: What is the difference in their average benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-4460S has an average benchmark score of 1330, while the Intel Core i7-3770T has an average score of 1314. The difference is less than 2%, and both CPUs sit in the 35th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which processor has a larger shared L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-3770T has a larger shared L3 cache at 8 MB, compared to the Intel Core i5-4460S’s 6 MB.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for these two chips?

A: The Intel Core i7-3770T has a lower TDP of 45 watts, while the Intel Core i5-4460S has a higher TDP of 65 watts.

Architecture Differences

The core architectural gap is the primary driver of the benchmark split. The Intel Core i5-4460S is built on the Haswell architecture, while the Intel Core i7-3770T uses the earlier Ivy Bridge architecture. Both are manufactured on the same 22 nm process node by Intel and contain the same transistor count of 1,400 million. However, the die size differs: Haswell’s die is larger at 177 mm², while Ivy Bridge’s is 160 mm². This suggests the newer architecture packs more functionality into the same transistor budget, likely contributing to its IPC advantages seen in Geekbench.

The most significant functional difference is thread support. The i7-3770T supports Hyper-Threading, providing 8 threads from its 4 cores, whereas the i5-4460S is a pure quad-core with 4 threads. This directly explains the i7’s consistent lead in Cinebench multi-core tests, which are known to scale well with additional threads. The shared L3 cache also differs, with the i7 sporting 8 MB versus the i5’s 6 MB, which could help in certain data-heavy workloads. The integrated graphics are also different generations: the i5 uses Intel HD 4600, while the i7 uses the older Intel HD 4000. Finally, the memory bandwidth is specified for the i5 at 25.6 GB/s, while the i7’s bandwidth is not listed in the data.

Specification Differences

Beyond the architecture, the two CPUs diverge on several key specifications. The most obvious is the socket: the i5-4460S uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i7-3770T uses Intel Socket 1155. This alone makes them incompatible with the same motherboards. Clock speeds also differ: the i5 has a higher base clock of 2.90 GHz but a lower boost clock of 3.40 GHz; the i7 has a lower base of 2.50 GHz but a higher boost of 3.70 GHz. This means the i7 can reach higher peak speeds during short bursts, while the i5 starts from a higher baseline.

The thermal design power (TDP) is a critical differentiator. The i7-3770T is a low-power part with a 45W TDP, making it significantly more power-efficient than the i5-4460S’s 65W TDP. This likely explains the i7’s placement in the data and could be a major factor for users in small form factor or silent builds. The i5 has a specified memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, a figure absent for the i7. The release dates also show a generational gap: the i7 launched in April 2012, while the i5 launched in May 2014. The i5 has a launch MSRP of $182, while no MSRP is listed for the i7. Both are locked (multiplier not unlocked) and use DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear but nuanced picture. For applications that are heavily threaded and resemble Cinebench’s rendering workloads, the Intel Core i7-3770T is the superior choice. Its Hyper-Threading and higher boost clock deliver a consistent 14% advantage across all Cinebench versions. Users prioritizing multi-threaded productivity, such as video encoding or 3D rendering, would see tangible benefits from the i7’s extra threads and larger L3 cache.

Conversely, the Intel Core i5-4460S is the winner in Geekbench, which often reflects more general-purpose and single-threaded tasks. The 43.5% multi-core and 73.3% single-core leads are enormous, suggesting that for everyday desktop use, web browsing, and office applications, the i5-4460S would feel significantly snappier. Its newer Haswell architecture appears to offer superior instruction-level efficiency that the older Ivy Bridge design simply cannot match.

The low TDP of the i7-3770T (45W) is another point in its favor for builders prioritizing power efficiency or using compact cooling solutions. However, the i5-4460S’s higher base clock and newer architecture make it the better pick for general responsiveness. There is no universal winner; the choice hinges entirely on the user’s primary software. If the workload is threaded and sustained, the i7 wins. If it is varied and latency-sensitive, the i5 wins.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i5-4460S:

• General Desktop and Office Use: The massive Geekbench single-core lead (73.3%) strongly indicates superior performance in everyday applications like web browsers, word processors, and spreadsheets, which rely on quick, single-threaded reactions.
• Latency-Sensitive Tasks: The higher base clock of 2.90 GHz and newer architecture contribute to a 43.5% lead in Geekbench multi-core, implying better responsiveness in applications that don’t perfectly scale with thread count.
• Users on Socket 1150: The i5 is the only choice for anyone with a motherboard on the newer Socket 1150 platform, offering an upgrade path within that ecosystem.
• Standard Power Budgets: With a 65W TDP, it is still a moderately efficient part, suitable for typical desktop builds without extreme power constraints.

Intel Core i7-3770T:

• Multi-Threaded Rendering: The consistent ~14.2% lead in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests shows a clear advantage in CPU-bound rendering tasks like those in Blender or Cinebench itself.
• Thread-Scalable Workloads: The presence of 8 threads via Hyper-Threading is a direct advantage for video transcoding, compiling code, or running multiple virtual machines concurrently, where the 8 MB L3 cache also helps.
• Power-Sensitive Builds: The 45W TDP is a major feature for small form factor PCs or silent HTPCs, where lower heat output and power draw are paramount.
• High-Boost Scenarios: The i7’s higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz allows it to hit peak performance in short, intense bursts, which can benefit certain productivity applications even if the architecture is older.