Intel Core i5-4590 vs Intel Core i5-7500 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear overall picture: the Intel Core i5-7500 wins 16 of the 19 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i5-4590 takes only 3. The margin of victory for the i5-7500 is consistent and often substantial. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-7500 scores 517 against 460 for the i5-4590, a delta of -11% from the perspective of the older chip. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 72 versus 64, a delta of -11.1%. These early results establish a pattern that repeats across nearly every workload.

The Cinebench R20 and R23 suites reinforce the trend. In R20 multi-core, the i5-7500 posts 2155 versus 1920, a -10.9% delta. R20 single-core shows 304 versus 270, a -11.2% delta. R23 multi-core follows with 5133 versus 4573, again -10.9%, and R23 single-core lands at 724 versus 645, a -10.9% delta. The consistency of these deltas, hovering near -11%, suggests a uniform architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The i5-7500 simply executes instructions faster across the board.

Geekbench results widen the gap further. In multi-core, the i5-7500 scores 3619 against 3156, a -12.8% delta. The single-core test shows an even larger difference: 1277 versus 1077, a -15.7% delta. This single-core margin is the largest percentage gap in the entire comparison, indicating that the i5-7500's clock speed and microarchitecture improvements deliver outsized benefits in latency-sensitive, lightly threaded tasks.

PassMark results tell a more nuanced story. The i5-7500 wins the majority of these tests, but the margins vary. Data compression shows 83250 versus 76800, a -7.7% delta. Data encryption is a decisive win for the i5-7500: 1817 versus 1353, a -25.5% delta, the largest margin anywhere in the dataset. Extended instructions follow with 6971 versus 6133, a -12% delta. Floating point math favors the i5-7500 at 13174 versus 12057, a -8.5% delta. Multi-threaded performance shows 6028 versus 5373, a -10.9% delta, and physics simulation lands at 471 versus 402, a -14.6% delta. Single-thread performance is also in the i5-7500's favor: 2253 versus 2081, a -7.6% delta.

The i5-4590's three wins are worth examining closely. In the prime number finding test, the i5-4590 scores 32 versus 28, a +14.3% delta in its favor. This is the largest percentage win for the older chip. Integer math is a narrow victory: 15862 versus 15768, a +0.6% delta. Random string sorting also goes to the i5-4590: 10238 versus 10134, a +1% delta. These wins are isolated and small in magnitude, with the exception of prime number generation, which may reflect a specific instruction path where the older Haswell design retains an edge.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i5-7500 is the faster processor in nearly every measured category. Its average benchmark score of 8208 places it in the 64th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the i5-4590 averages 7609 and sits in the 63rd percentile. The 599-point gap in average score is meaningful, and the head-to-head results show the i5-7500 leading by double-digit percentages in most tests.

For users running multi-threaded workloads such as video rendering, the i5-7500 offers roughly 11% better performance in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests. For single-threaded tasks like web browsing or office applications, the i5-7500 leads by 7.6% in PassMark single-thread and by 15.7% in Geekbench single-core. The i5-4590's only clear advantage is in prime number generation, a niche workload that is unlikely to dominate typical usage patterns.

The i5-7500 also operates within a lower power envelope, with a TDP of 65 watts compared to 84 watts for the i5-4590. This efficiency advantage, combined with superior performance across the benchmark suite, makes the i5-7500 the rational choice for nearly any buyer. The i5-4590 remains a functional quad-core processor, but the recorded data shows no scenario, outside of prime number searching, where it outperforms its newer counterpart by a meaningful margin. Users already on an i5-4590 platform may find the upgrade path to the i5-7500 requires a new motherboard due to the socket change, but from a pure performance standpoint, the i5-7500 is the clear winner.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different generations of Intel's desktop lineup. The i5-4590 uses the Haswell architecture, built on a 22 nm process node. The i5-7500 uses the Kaby Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process node. This process shrink allows for higher clock speeds and improved power efficiency, which is reflected in the TDP figures: 84 watts for Haswell versus 65 watts for Kaby Lake.

Both chips feature 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with a dual-channel memory bus. The cache hierarchy is identical in capacity: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The base clock rises from 3.30 GHz on the i5-4590 to 3.40 GHz on the i5-7500, and the boost clock rises from 3.70 GHz to 3.80 GHz. These modest clock increases, combined with the architectural improvements of Kaby Lake, explain the consistent performance advantage.

Memory support differs significantly. The i5-4590 supports DDR3, while the i5-7500 supports DDR4. The i5-7500 also has a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, a figure not listed for the i5-4590. This memory interface change is a fundamental platform shift. The socket also changes: the i5-4590 uses Intel Socket 1150, while the i5-7500 uses Intel Socket 1151. This means the two processors are not interchangeable in the same motherboard.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-4590 includes Intel HD 4600, while the i5-7500 includes HD 630. PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, but the i5-7500 explicitly lists "16 Lanes (CPU only)" in its PCIe description, while the i5-4590 simply lists "Gen 3." The i5-7500 is marked as Active in production status, while the i5-4590 has no production status recorded. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not officially supported on either.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-7500 has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-4590 boosts to 3.70 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: No. The i5-4590 supports DDR3, while the i5-7500 supports DDR4. The i5-7500 also has a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption between the two?

A: The i5-4590 has a TDP of 84 watts, while the i5-7500 has a TDP of 65 watts. The newer chip draws less power.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench single-core performance?

A: The i5-7500 wins with a score of 1277 versus 1077 for the i5-4590, a delta of -15.7% from the older chip's perspective.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard socket?

A: No. The i5-4590 uses Intel Socket 1150, and the i5-7500 uses Intel Socket 1151. They require different motherboards.

Q: In which benchmark does the i5-4590 show its largest advantage?

A: The i5-4590 wins the PassMark prime number finding test with a score of 32 versus 28, a +14.3% delta in its favor.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-7500 is the dominant performer in the vast majority of use cases. For content creation, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 5133 versus 4573 indicates a roughly 11% advantage in rendering workloads. Video editing, 3D modeling, and batch photo processing would all benefit from this margin. The PassMark multi-thread score of 6028 versus 5373 reinforces this conclusion. For everyday desktop tasks, the Geekbench single-core score of 1277 versus 1077, a 15.7% advantage, suggests snappier application launches and more responsive interface interactions.

The i5-7500 also excels in encryption-heavy workloads. The PassMark data encryption test shows a 25.5% advantage, which is the largest gap in the entire comparison. This could matter for users who frequently compress or encrypt files, or who run virtual private networks. The floating point math score of 13174 versus 12057 also favors the i5-7500, which is relevant for scientific computing and financial modeling.

The i5-4590 has a narrow domain of superiority. The prime number finding test, where it scores 32 versus 28, is its most decisive win. This workload involves repeated integer operations and modular arithmetic. The i5-4590 also edges out the i5-7500 in integer math (15862 versus 15768) and random string sorting (10238 versus 10134), but these margins are 0.6% and 1% respectively, which are within the range of run-to-run variance. For a user whose workflow is dominated by prime number searches, the i5-4590 is technically the better chip, but this is an extremely specialized scenario.

For all other workloads, the i5-7500 is the recommended processor. Its wins span compression, encryption, extended instructions, floating point math, multithreaded tasks, physics simulation, and single-thread performance. The only question a buyer might ask is whether the platform upgrade cost, moving from Socket 1150 to Socket 1151 and from DDR3 to DDR4, is justified. The performance data alone says yes, with double-digit gains in most tests and a lower power draw.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-4590 | Intel Core i5-7500 |

|---|---|---|

| Base Clock | 3.30 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 84 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Kaby Lake |

| Codename | Haswell | Kaby Lake |

| Generation | Core i5 (Haswell) | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 14 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | Not recorded |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4600 | HD 630 |

| Production Status | Not recorded | Active |

| Release Date | 2014-04-30 | 2017-01-02 |

| Part Number | Not recorded | SR335 |

The two processors share identical core and thread counts, L1 and L2 cache sizes, L3 cache capacity, memory bus width, ECC support (none), market segment (Desktop), and multiplier status (locked). The differences listed above represent the full set of specification changes between the two generations. The shift from 22 nm to 14 nm is the most significant architectural change, enabling the higher clocks and lower TDP. The memory and socket changes are platform-level alterations that dictate motherboard compatibility. The i5-7500's recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s is a concrete advantage over the i5-4590, which has no such figure recorded in the database.