CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4570 and Intel Core i9-7980XE represent two vastly different eras and tiers of desktop computing. The i5-4570 is a locked, quad-core Haswell part from 2013, while the i9-7980XE is an unlocked, 18-core Skylake-X behemoth from 2017. The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Core i9-7980XE wins every single head-to-head test, with the smallest margin being a 27.5% lead in Geekbench single-core. However, the i5-4570 is not without its own merits, particularly in the context of its much lower power envelope and platform simplicity. This analysis breaks down where each processor excels, the architectural chasm between them, and the specific numbers that define their performance gap.

Where Each One Wins

The performance landscape is entirely dominated by the Core i9-7980XE, which secures wins in all eight head-to-head comparisons. Its most decisive victories come in multi-threaded workloads, where its massive core and thread count (18 cores, 36 threads) simply overwhelms the i5-4570's 4 cores and 4 threads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9-7980XE scores 25,072 versus the i5-4570's 4,442, an 82.3% advantage. This pattern repeats across all Cinebench versions and Geekbench multi-core, making the i9-7980XE the clear choice for rendering, video encoding, scientific simulation, and any other workload that scales with parallel processing.

The i5-4570, conversely, finds its niche not in winning benchmarks but in efficiency and platform economy. With a TDP of 84 watts versus the i9-7980XE's 165 watts, the i5-4570 draws significantly less power. It also uses the older Intel Socket 1150 platform with dual-channel DDR3 memory, which is far less expensive to build around than the i9-7980XE's Intel Socket 2066 platform with quad-channel DDR4. For users with workloads that are lightly threaded or single-threaded, the i5-4570's lower power draw and simpler cooling requirements make it a viable, if dated, option. Its Passmark single-thread score of 2,033 is respectable for its generation, and in the broader context of all CPUs, it holds a 63rd percentile ranking, exactly matching the i9-7980XE's percentile.

The i9-7980XE's single-core lead is less dramatic but still substantial. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 1,435 against the i5-4570's 1,041, a 27.5% advantage. This is the narrowest gap between the two, indicating that while the i9-7980XE is faster per-core, the i5-4570's Haswell architecture is not embarrassingly far behind in this specific metric. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap widens to 82.3% (3,539 vs 627), showing that the i9-7980XE's higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus the i5-4570's 3.60 GHz pays off significantly in some workloads.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two chips is generational and fundamental. The i5-4570 is built on Intel's 22 nm Haswell process, featuring a die size of 177 mm² and containing 1,400 million transistors. It uses the Intel Socket 1150 and supports only dual-channel DDR3 memory. The Core i9-7980XE, in contrast, is fabricated on the newer 14 nm Skylake-X process with a substantially larger die size of 484 mm², and its transistor count is not listed in the data. It uses the Intel Socket 2066 and supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s, a figure the i5-4570 does not have listed.

Cache hierarchies also differ sharply. Both chips share a per-core L1 cache of 64 KB, but the L2 cache is dramatically different: the i5-4570 has 256 KB per core, while the i9-7980XE has 1 MB per core. Shared L3 cache is also lopsided, with the i5-4570 offering 6 MB shared versus the i9-7980XE's 24.75 MB shared. This larger cache pool is critical for feeding the i9-7980XE's 18 cores with data, reducing memory latency and improving throughput in cache-sensitive workloads.

Other architectural features diverge as well. The i5-4570 includes integrated graphics in the form of Intel HD 4600, while the i9-7980XE has no integrated graphics listed, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output. The i5-4570's multiplier is locked, preventing overclocking, while the i9-7980XE has an unlocked multiplier, allowing enthusiasts to push clock speeds higher. PCIe support is Gen 3 on both, but the i9-7980XE offers 44 lanes (CPU only) versus the i5-4570's unspecified lane count, giving the high-end part more headroom for multiple GPUs and NVMe drives.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is a one-sided affair, with the i9-7980XE winning all eight comparisons. The most lopsided victories occur in Cinebench multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-7980XE scores 2,527 against the i5-4570's 447, an 82.3% delta. The same percentage gap appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core (10,530 vs 1,865) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (25,072 vs 4,442). This consistent 82.3% delta across all Cinebench versions strongly suggests a fixed performance ratio that is independent of the specific workload version.

Single-core Cinebench results tell a slightly different story. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the i9-7980XE scores 356 versus the i5-4570's 63, again an 82.3% delta. This pattern holds for Cinebench R20 single-core (1,486 vs 263) and Cinebench R23 single-core (3,539 vs 627). The uniformity of this 82.3% delta across both multi-core and single-core Cinebench tests is striking, indicating that the i9-7980XE's per-core performance is proportionally identical to its multi-core advantage in this benchmark suite.

Geekbench results show a different scaling. In Geekbench multi-core, the i9-7980XE scores 11,198 versus the i5-4570's 3,118, a 72.2% delta. This is slightly less severe than the Cinebench gap, suggesting that Geekbench's multi-core test does not scale as perfectly with core count. In Geekbench single-core, the gap narrows dramatically to 27.5%, with scores of 1,435 and 1,041, respectively. This is the only benchmark where the i5-4570 comes within a reasonable distance, showing that its Haswell cores are not completely outclassed in lightly threaded integer and floating-point tasks.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals a generational leap in core count and memory support. The i5-4570 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i9-7980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads, a 14-core and 32-thread difference. Base clocks favor the i5-4570 at 3.20 GHz versus the i9-7980XE's 2.60 GHz, but boost clocks reverse this, with the i9-7980XE hitting 4.40 GHz versus the i5-4570's 3.60 GHz. TDP is a major divider: 84 watts for the i5-4570 versus 165 watts for the i9-7980XE, reflecting the latter's much higher power draw and cooling requirements.

Process node and die size differ substantially, with the i5-4570 at 22 nm and 177 mm² versus the i9-7980XE at 14 nm and 484 mm². The i5-4570 lists 1,400 million transistors, while the i9-7980XE does not provide a figure. Cache configurations are starkly different: L2 cache is 256 KB per core on the i5-4570 versus 1 MB per core on the i9-7980XE, and L3 cache is 6 MB shared versus 24.75 MB shared. Memory support moves from dual-channel DDR3 on the i5-4570 to quad-channel DDR4 on the i9-7980XE, with the latter also listing a memory bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s that the former lacks.

Socket compatibility is entirely separate, with the i5-4570 using Intel Socket 1150 and the i9-7980XE using Intel Socket 2066. The i5-4570 includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, while the i9-7980XE lists no integrated graphics. Multiplier unlocking is another differentiator, with the i5-4570 locked and the i9-7980XE unlocked. Release dates are also far apart, with the i5-4570 launching in June 2013 and the i9-7980XE in August 2017, and the i9-7980XE is marked as end-of-life production status while the i5-4570's status is not listed.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i9-7980XE is overwhelmingly faster. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 25,072 versus the i5-4570's 4,442, an 82.3% advantage. The same 82.3% delta appears in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core tests, and Geekbench multi-core shows a 72.2% lead (11,198 vs 3,118).

Q: Is the Core i5-4570 competitive in single-core performance?

A: It is closer but still loses decisively. In Geekbench single-core, the i9-7980XE leads by 27.5% (1,435 vs 1,041), which is the smallest gap in the head-to-head data. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i9-7980XE leads by 82.3% (3,539 vs 627), showing that the advantage varies significantly by benchmark.

Q: What are the memory support differences?

A: The i5-4570 supports dual-channel DDR3 memory, while the i9-7980XE supports quad-channel DDR4 memory with a listed bandwidth of 85.3 GB/s. The i5-4570 does not have a memory bandwidth figure listed.

Q: Do these processors have integrated graphics?

A: The i5-4570 includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, while the i9-7980XE has no integrated graphics listed, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for video output.

Q: How do their cache sizes compare?

A: Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, but the L2 cache differs: the i5-4570 has 256 KB per core, while the i9-7980XE has 1 MB per core. Shared L3 cache is 6 MB on the i5-4570 versus 24.75 MB on the i9-7980XE.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The i5-4570 has a TDP of 84 watts, while the i9-7980XE has a TDP of 165 watts. The i5-4570 draws significantly less power, making it more efficient per watt, though the i9-7980XE delivers far higher absolute performance.