Intel Core i5-4670S vs Intel Core i5-7440HQ Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-7440HQ and Intel Core i5-4670S are statistical twins in aggregate performance, with average benchmark scores of 1527 and 1526 respectively — a delta of essentially zero. Both sit at the 38th percentile of all CPUs, meaning the data places them in the same performance tier. The i5-7440HQ takes seven of eight head-to-head wins, but the margins are remarkably narrow: every Cinebench victory falls between 3.2% and 3.4%. The single meaningful exception is Geekbench multicore, where the i5-4670S wins by 7.8% (3300 vs 3043).

The i5-7440HQ is the pick for Cinebench-style rendering workloads and for anyone needing a modern mobile platform, as it pairs Kaby Lake architecture with DDR3 and DDR4 memory support. The i5-4670S is the pick for Geekbench multicore scenarios, where its 3.10 GHz base clock (vs 2.80 GHz) gives it a measurable edge. Neither chip is a clear winner for single-threaded work: Geekbench singlecore is exactly tied at 1184, and Cinebench singlecore differences are just 3.2–3.4%. For a desktop builder with a Socket 1150 board, the i5-4670S is the natural fit; for a laptop chassis with BGA 1440, the i5-7440HQ is the only option. The data does not justify upgrading from one to the other — the aggregate delta is 0.1% at best.

Architecture Differences

The i5-7440HQ is built on Intel's 14 nm Kaby Lake-H process, while the i5-4670S uses the older 22 nm Haswell node. This process gap explains the transistor and die size disparity: the i5-4670S contains 1,400 million transistors across a 177 mm² die, whereas the i5-7440HQ's die is just 126 mm². Both chips have four cores and four threads, with identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Clock behavior differs critically. The i5-4670S has a 3.10 GHz base clock versus 2.80 GHz on the i5-7440HQ, but both boost to exactly 3.80 GHz. This means the desktop chip runs faster at full load on all cores, while the mobile chip relies on its newer architecture to close the gap. The thermal design power reflects their different segments: the i5-7440HQ is rated at 45 W, the i5-4670S at 65 W.

Platform support diverges sharply. The i5-7440HQ uses Intel BGA 1440 (soldered, mobile-only) and supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus, plus PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The i5-4670S uses Intel Socket 1150 (desktop, replaceable), supports only DDR3, and lists PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count. Integrated graphics differ: the i5-7440HQ carries Intel HD Graphics 630, the i5-4670S has Intel HD 4600. The i5-7440HQ launched in January 2017 at a launch MSRP of $250; the i5-4670S launched in June 2013 with no MSRP listed. The i5-7440HQ is marked end-of-life, while the i5-4670S has no production status recorded. Both are locked, non-ECC parts.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-7440HQ wins every Cinebench test across all three versions (R15, R20, R23), in both single-core and multi-core. The margins are consistent: 3.3% in R15 multicore (463 vs 448), 3.2% in R15 singlecore (65 vs 63), 3.4% in R20 multicore (1933 vs 1870), 3.4% in R20 singlecore (272 vs 263), 3.3% in R23 multicore (4603 vs 4454), and 3.3% in R23 singlecore (649 vs 628). This pattern suggests the Kaby Lake architecture's IPC advantage manifests uniformly across rendering and single-threaded compute tasks. For users running Cinebench or similar render workloads, the i5-7440HQ is consistently ahead, even with its lower base clock.

The i5-4670S wins only one benchmark, but it wins big: Geekbench multicore shows a 7.8% advantage (3300 vs 3043). This is the largest delta in the entire comparison, nearly double the i5-7440HQ's largest win. The Geekbench suite appears to reward the i5-4670S's higher base clock and desktop-class sustained power delivery. In Geekbench singlecore, the two are perfectly tied at 1184, further confirming that the i5-4670S's advantage is specifically a multicore phenomenon — likely the 3.10 GHz base clock sustaining all four cores, versus the i5-7440HQ's 2.80 GHz base.

The practical split: rendering and general single-threaded tasks favor the i5-7440HQ by a narrow but consistent margin; Geekbench multicore workloads favor the i5-4670S by a more substantial margin. The i5-4670S's Geekbench win is the only benchmark where the delta exceeds 3.4%, making it the single most decisive result in the comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-7440HQ scores 1527, and the Intel Core i5-4670S scores 1526. The difference is 0.1%, which is statistically negligible.

Q: Are these CPUs similar in single-threaded performance?

A: Yes, almost exactly. In Geekbench singlecore, both score 1184 — a complete tie. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, the i5-7440HQ scores 649 versus 628 for the i5-4670S, a 3.3% difference.

Q: Which processor is better for Geekbench multicore?

A: The i5-4670S wins decisively, scoring 3300 versus 3043 for the i5-7440HQ, a 7.8% advantage. This is the largest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory types?

A: No. The i5-7440HQ supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the i5-4670S supports only DDR3. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: What are the socket requirements for each chip?

A: The i5-7440HQ uses Intel BGA 1440, which is a soldered mobile socket. The i5-4670S uses Intel Socket 1150, a desktop socket that allows CPU replacement.

Q: Which chip has the higher base clock speed?

A: The i5-4670S has a 3.10 GHz base clock, while the i5-7440HQ has a 2.80 GHz base clock. Both boost to 3.80 GHz.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear pattern: the i5-7440HQ dominates Cinebench across the board, while the i5-4670S owns Geekbench multicore. The Cinebench series is remarkably consistent. In R15 multicore, the i5-7440HQ scores 463 against 448, a 3.3% lead. R15 singlecore shows 65 versus 63, a 3.2% lead. R20 multicore widens slightly to 3.4% (1933 vs 1870), and R20 singlecore matches that 3.4% (272 vs 263). R23 multicore delivers 4603 versus 4454 (3.3%), and R23 singlecore delivers 649 versus 628 (3.3%). The uniformity of these margins — all between 3.2% and 3.4% — suggests a fixed architectural advantage rather than workload-specific behavior.

The Geekbench results break the pattern. Multicore shows the i5-4670S winning with 3300 against 3043, a 7.8% swing in the opposite direction. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison, and it is more than double the i5-7440HQ's best Cinebench margin. The singlecore Geekbench test is a perfect tie at 1184, reinforcing that the i5-4670S's advantage is purely a multicore phenomenon. The i5-7440HQ's lower base clock (2.80 GHz vs 3.10 GHz) likely explains this: Geekbench multicore scales with sustained all-core frequency, where the i5-4670S has a 0.30 GHz advantage. Cinebench, by contrast, may be more sensitive to the i5-7440HQ's newer Kaby Lake pipeline and its 14 nm process efficiency.

The aggregate numbers tell the same story. The i5-7440HQ's average benchmark score is 1527, and the i5-4670S is 1526 — a 0.1% difference. The nearest rival data confirms both chips sit in a dense cluster: the Pentium Gold G7400E scores 1524 (0.2% below the i5-7440HQ), the Xeon E5-1428L v2 scores 1537 (0.7% above), and the Core i7-8665U scores 1513 (0.9% below). Neither chip has a meaningful performance advantage over the other; the i5-7440HQ wins more tests, but the i5-4670S wins the one test that matters most for Geekbench users. The 7.8% Geekbench multicore deficit for the i5-7440HQ is the only result that exceeds typical run-to-run variance, and it is the only benchmark where the winner is not the i5-7440HQ.

For a buyer deciding between these two, the data says: pick the i5-7440HQ for Cinebench rendering and consistent single-thread wins, pick the i5-4670S for Geekbench multicore, and understand that the overall performance difference is effectively zero. The platform decision — mobile BGA 1440 versus desktop Socket 1150 — is likely to be the deciding factor, not benchmark scores.