Intel Core i5-4590T vs Intel Core i7-3770T Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4590T and Intel Core i7-3770T are two low-power desktop parts separated by a platform generation, and the recorded data paints an unusual split: the older Core i7 wins five of seven head-to-head benchmarks, yet the newer Core i5 posts decisive victories in Geekbench, including a single-core lead of more than half. Both chips sit nearly identically in the database's overall rankings, with the i5-4590T at the 36th percentile and the i7-3770T at the 35th, and average benchmark scores of 1340 versus 1314. That near-parity in aggregate hides a genuinely lopsided per-test story, which is what makes this pairing worth examining closely.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results belong entirely to the Core i7-3770T. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3770T scores 464 against the i5-4590T's 347, a gap the database records at 25.2 percent. The pattern repeats with remarkable consistency across every other Cinebench test: R20 multi-core goes to the i7 by 1936 to 1446 (a 25.3 percent margin), R20 single-core by 273 to 204 (25.3 percent), R23 multi-core by 4611 to 3445 (25.3 percent), and R23 single-core by 651 to 486 (25.3 percent). When five different tests produce essentially the same delta, that is not measurement noise; the i7-3770T is simply the stronger rendering chip across the board.

Geekbench flips the script completely. In Geekbench multi-core, the i5-4590T scores 2540 against the i7-3770T's 1916, a 32.6 percent advantage for the newer Haswell part. Geekbench single-core is even more dramatic: 911 for the i5 versus 592 for the i7, a 53.9 percent lead. That is the largest gap anywhere in this comparison, and it runs directly counter to what Cinebench single-core suggests.

The single most likely explanation sits in the spec sheet. The i7-3770T carries 4 cores and 8 threads with a boost clock of 3.70, while the i5-4590T has 4 cores and 4 threads with a boost of 3.00. Yet the i5's higher Geekbench scores indicate the Haswell architecture extracts substantially more work per clock than Ivy Bridge does, and Geekbench's shorter, burstier workloads reward exactly that. Cinebench's longer sustained rendering loads, meanwhile, let the i7's extra threads and higher boost ceiling carry the day. The data shows two chips that are architecturally close in aggregate but behave very differently depending on the workload's character.

Where Each One Wins

The Core i7-3770T is the clear pick for sustained multi-threaded rendering and heavy computational workloads. Its clean sweep of all five Cinebench tests, each by roughly a quarter, means any workflow built around rendering, encoding-style sustained loads, or software that scales across many threads will favor it. The 8-thread capability is the driver: with double the threads of the i5, the i7 converts its higher 3.70 boost clock into the 4611 R23 multi-core score that the i5's 3445 cannot match.

The Core i5-4590T owns responsiveness-oriented and mixed workloads. Its 911 Geekbench single-core score, 53.9 percent ahead of the i7's 592, is the headline number for anyone whose daily use is snappy application launches, browsing, and bursty general computing. Its 2540 Geekbench multi-core score also beats the i7's 1916 by 32.6 percent, so the newer architecture delivers real throughput gains in those shorter mixed workloads too. For a general-purpose low-power desktop where "feels fast" matters more than render times, the recorded data favors the i5.

There is also a thermal dimension worth noting: the i5-4590T carries a 35 W TDP against the i7-3770T's 45 W. The Haswell part does its work inside a tighter envelope, which matters in compact or quiet builds where every watt counts.

Architecture Differences

Both chips come from Intel on the same 22 nm process node, and both share a transistor count of 1,400 million. The differences start with the architecture itself: the i5-4590T is Haswell, while the i7-3770T is the older Ivy Bridge design. Die size differs, at 177 mm² for the i5 versus 160 mm² for the i7.

The thread configuration is the biggest functional divide: 4 cores with 4 threads on the i5, against 4 cores with 8 threads on the i7, the latter enabled by hyper-threading. Cache is another differentiator. L1 and L2 are identical (64 KB and 256 KB per core on both), but the i7 carries 8 MB of shared L3 versus 6 MB on the i5. That extra last-level cache supports the i7's 8-thread operation in heavily loaded scenarios.

Clock behavior differs in the i7's favor on paper: a base of 2.50 versus 2.00 for the i5, and a boost of 3.70 versus 3.00. Yet as the Geekbench results demonstrate, Haswell's per-clock efficiency lets the slower-clocked i5 outperform in burst workloads anyway. Memory support is the same DDR3 on a dual-channel bus, but the i5's data lists 25.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth while the i7's record does not specify a figure. Both offer PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes and lack ECC support.

Platform integration differs in two practical ways. The i5-4590T uses Intel Socket 1150 and pairs with Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics; the i7-3770T uses the older Socket 1155 with Intel HD 4000 graphics. These sockets are not cross-compatible, so motherboard choice is dictated by the chip. Neither part has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-4590T launched at $192 MSRP, according to its database record; the i7-3770T's record carries no launch MSRP figure. Both are desktop-segment parts, with the i5's status marked end-of-life and the i7 released earlier, in 2012 versus 2014.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster overall?

A: They are nearly tied in aggregate. The i5-4590T has an average benchmark score of 1340 against the i7-3770T's 1314, and their percentile rankings are 36 versus 35. But the i7 wins 5 of 7 individual head-to-head tests, so "faster" depends heavily on the workload.

Q: Which one is better for single-threaded performance?

A: It depends on the test. The i5-4590T scores 911 in Geekbench single-core versus 592 for the i7, a 53.9 percent lead. In Cinebench single-core, the i7 wins instead: 651 versus 486 in R23, and 273 versus 204 in R20.

Q: Why does the older i7 beat the newer i5 in Cinebench?

A: Threads and clocks. The i7-3770T has 8 threads versus 4 on the i5, plus a 3.70 boost clock versus 3.00 and 8 MB of L3 versus 6 MB. That combination carries sustained rendering loads, where the i7 wins every Cinebench test by about 25 percent.

Q: Are these two chips socket-compatible?

A: No. The i5-4590T requires Intel Socket 1150 and the i7-3770T requires Intel Socket 1155. A build must be planned around one or the other.

Q: Which chip runs cooler?

A: The i5-4590T, on paper. Its TDP is 35 W versus 45 W for the i7-3770T, making it the better fit for tighter thermal envelopes.

Q: Do either of these support overclocking or ECC memory?

A: Neither. Both have locked multipliers and both lack ECC memory support.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-4590T | Intel Core i7-3770T |

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

| Architecture | Haswell | Ivy Bridge |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2000.00 | 2.50 |

| Boost Clock | 3.00 | 3.70 |

| TDP | 35 W | 45 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | Intel Socket 1155 |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | 160 mm² |

| Memory Bandwidth | 25.6 GB/s | not specified |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4600 | Intel HD 4000 |

| Release Date | 2014 | 2012 |

| Launch MSRP | $192 | not recorded |

Everything else is shared ground: 4 cores, Intel foundry, 22 nm process, 1,400 million transistors, 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, DDR3 on a dual-channel bus, PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, no ECC, no unlocked multiplier, and desktop market segment.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clean split. Choose the Core i7-3770T if the machine's job is sustained multi-threaded work: it wins every Cinebench test by approximately 25 percent, and its 8 threads, larger 8 MB L3 cache, and higher 3.70 boost clock explain exactly why. Rendering-focused and thread-heavy builds on Socket 1155 land here, accepting the higher 45 W TDP.

Choose the Core i5-4590T if the priority is general responsiveness and efficiency. Its 53.9 percent Geekbench single-core lead and 32.6 percent Geekbench multi-core lead show Haswell's per-clock strength in bursty, mixed workloads, and it does all of this within a lower 35 W envelope. For a compact, quiet, general-purpose desktop on Socket 1150, the numbers point to the newer chip.

For buyers comparing against the wider market, both parts sit in nearly the same band: the i5-4590T's average score of 1340 lands within a fraction of a percent of rivals like the Intel Core i5-4670 (1347), the Intel Core i5-7400T (1348), and the Intel Xeon W-2104 (1350), while the i7-3770T's 1314 sits similarly close to the Intel Core i5-4570R (1318) and the Intel Celeron G6900E and G6900T (both 1321). Neither chip pulls away from its class, so the decision genuinely comes down to workload profile and platform, not raw class ranking. Match the chip to the workload, and both deliver what their numbers promise.