Intel Core i5-4670S vs Intel Core i7-4760HQ Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear, consistent picture: the Intel Core i7-4760HQ wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, taking all 6 recorded victories against 0 for the Intel Core i5-4670S. This is not a marginal or workload-dependent outcome; the i7-4760HQ leads by a uniform margin of roughly 20% across all Cinebench tests, whether single-core or multi-core. The i5-4670S never closes the gap in any measured scenario.

Given this data, the choice is straightforward for users who prioritize raw compute performance. The i7-4760HQ is the superior part for rendering, encoding, and any threaded workload where the database shows a 20% advantage. However, the i5-4670S is not without its own rationale. It is a desktop part on the Intel Socket 1150 platform, whereas the i7-4760HQ is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1364. The i5-4670S also has a higher base clock of 3.10 GHz and boost clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the i7-4760HQ’s 2.10 GHz and 3.30 GHz. The data indicates the i7-4760HQ compensates for its lower clock speeds through its 8 threads (versus 4) and higher thermal design power of 47 watts versus 65 watts, but the i5-4670S may be the only viable option for a desktop socket 1150 build.

In short: pick the i7-4760HQ if maximum benchmark performance is the sole criterion and you can accommodate a mobile BGA package. Pick the i5-4670S if you need a socketed desktop processor with a higher base clock, accepting the 20% lower benchmark scores across the board.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-4760HQ wins in every category tested. The database records 6 wins for the i7-4760HQ and 0 for the i5-4670S. This includes both single-core and multi-core variants of Cinebench R15, R20, and R23.

Breaking down the wins by workload type:

• Multi-core rendering: The i7-4760HQ leads by 20.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (539 vs 448), 20.3% in R20 multi-core (2249 vs 1870), and 20.2% in R23 multi-core (5355 vs 4454). The 8 threads of the i7-4760HQ provide a substantial advantage in fully threaded scenes.
• Single-core rendering: The i7-4760HQ also leads, with a 20.6% advantage in R15 single-core (76 vs 63), 20.5% in R20 single-core (317 vs 263), and 20.4% in R23 single-core (756 vs 628). This is notable because the i5-4670S has a higher boost clock (3.80 GHz vs 3.30 GHz), yet the i7-4760HQ still wins every single-threaded test.

The i5-4670S has no recorded wins in this comparison. Its only additional benchmark entries are Geekbench results (3300 multi-core, 1184 single-core), which have no corresponding i7-4760HQ data in the pack, so they cannot be used to claim a victory. The data suggests that the i5-4670S is strictly outclassed in the measured Cinebench suite, with no workload where it pulls ahead.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same Haswell architecture and are manufactured on Intel’s 22 nm process node, with 1,400 million transistors. The core counts are identical at 4 physical cores. Beyond that, the two parts diverge significantly.

The i7-4760HQ is a mobile processor from the Crystalwell codename, part of the Core i7 (Crystal Well) generation. It integrates 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, doubling the thread count of the i5-4670S, which has 4 threads. The i7-4760HQ uses the Intel BGA 1364 socket and has a die size of 264 mm², while the i5-4670S uses the desktop Intel Socket 1150 and has a smaller 177 mm² die. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus 6 MB shared L3 cache.

The integrated graphics differ: the i7-4760HQ carries Intel HD 5200, while the i5-4670S carries Intel HD 4600. The i7-4760HQ also has a lower thermal design power of 47 watts, despite being a mobile part, whereas the i5-4670S is rated at 65 watts. The memory support is DDR3 dual-channel for both, but the i7-4760HQ lists a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5-4670S does not have a recorded bandwidth figure. PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, with the i7-4760HQ specifying 16 lanes (CPU only) and the i5-4670S simply listing Gen 3. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

The release dates differ: the i5-4670S launched on 2013-06-01, while the i7-4760HQ launched on 2014-01-31. The i7-4760HQ is marked as end-of-life production status, while the i5-4670S has no recorded production status. The part numbers are SR1BM for the i7-4760HQ and SR14K for the i5-4670S.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-4760HQ is faster in all multi-core tests. It scores 539 vs 448 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 2249 vs 1870 in R20, and 5355 vs 4454 in R23, representing a consistent 20.2% to 20.3% lead.

Q: Does the i5-4670S win in single-core tests due to its higher boost clock?

A: No. Despite a 3.80 GHz boost clock versus 3.30 GHz for the i7-4760HQ, the i5-4670S loses every single-core test. The i7-4760HQ leads by 20.6% in R15 single-core (76 vs 63), 20.5% in R20 (317 vs 263), and 20.4% in R23 (756 vs 628).

Q: What are the main differences in threads and sockets?

A: The i7-4760HQ has 8 threads (4 cores with Hyper-Threading) and uses the mobile Intel BGA 1364 socket. The i5-4670S has 4 threads (4 cores, no Hyper-Threading) and uses the desktop Intel Socket 1150.

Q: Are both processors based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both are Haswell architecture parts on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors. They differ in codename: the i7-4760HQ is Crystalwell, while the i5-4670S is Haswell proper.

Q: Which processor has a higher thermal design power?

A: The i5-4670S has a higher TDP of 65 watts, while the i7-4760HQ is rated at 47 watts, despite the i7 being a mobile part.

Q: Do these processors support ECC memory or unlocked multipliers?

A: Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. They both support DDR3 dual-channel memory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a perfectly uniform performance gap. Across all six Cinebench tests, the i7-4760HQ wins by a margin that never deviates far from 20%. This consistency suggests a fundamental architectural advantage, likely the 8 threads versus 4, rather than clock speed differences.

Starting with multi-core: in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-4760HQ scores 539 against 448 for the i5-4670S, a delta of 20.3%. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the scores are 2249 and 1870, again a 20.3% delta. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the scores are 5355 and 4454, a 20.2% delta. The multi-core advantage is nearly identical across all three generations of the Cinebench benchmark, indicating that the threading advantage scales linearly with the workload.

The single-core results are even more telling. The i7-4760HQ scores 76 vs 63 in R15 single-core (20.6% delta), 317 vs 263 in R20 single-core (20.5% delta), and 756 vs 628 in R23 single-core (20.4% delta). The fact that the i7-4760HQ wins single-core tests by roughly the same margin as multi-core tests, despite having a lower boost clock, is a strong signal that the i7-4760HQ’s architecture is more efficient per clock in these workloads, or that the i5-4670S’s higher clocks do not translate into real-world wins.

The largest single recorded delta is 20.6% (R15 single-core), and the smallest is 20.2% (R23 multi-core). The spread is only 0.4 percentage points, so there is no scenario where the i5-4670S offers a competitive alternative. The database also lists an average benchmark score of 1549 for the i7-4760HQ and 1526 for the i5-4670S, a 1.5% difference in aggregate, but that aggregate includes non-overlapping tests. The head-to-head data is the definitive comparison, and it is entirely in favor of the i7-4760HQ.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the Intel Core i7-4760HQ and the Intel Core i5-4670S, based solely on the recorded data:

• Threads: 8 (i7-4760HQ) vs 4 (i5-4670S)
• Base Clock: 2.10 GHz (i7-4760HQ) vs 3.10 GHz (i5-4670S)
• Boost Clock: 3.30 GHz (i7-4760HQ) vs 3.80 GHz (i5-4670S)
• TDP: 47 W (i7-4760HQ) vs 65 W (i5-4670S)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1364 (i7-4760HQ) vs Intel Socket 1150 (i5-4670S)
• Codename: Crystalwell (i7-4760HQ) vs Haswell (i5-4670S)
• Generation: Core i7 (Crystal Well) vs Core i5 (Haswell)
• Die Size: 264 mm² (i7-4760HQ) vs 177 mm² (i5-4670S)
• Integrated Graphics: Intel HD 5200 (i7-4760HQ) vs Intel HD 4600 (i5-4670S)
• Market Segment: Mobile (i7-4760HQ) vs Desktop (i5-4670S)
• Memory Bandwidth: 25.6 GB/s (i7-4760HQ) vs not recorded (i5-4670S)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) (i7-4760HQ) vs Gen 3 (i5-4670S)
• Release Date: 2014-01-31 (i7-4760HQ) vs 2013-06-01 (i5-4670S)
• Production Status: End-of-life (i7-4760HQ) vs not recorded (i5-4670S)
• Part Number: SR1BM (i7-4760HQ) vs SR14K (i5-4670S)

Fields that are identical include: manufacturer (Intel), cores (4), process node (22 nm), foundry (Intel), transistors (1,400 million), L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (256 KB per core), L3 cache (6 MB shared), memory support (DDR3), memory bus (Dual-channel), ECC memory (false), architecture (Haswell), and multiplier unlocked (false). No launch MSRP is recorded for either part.