Intel Core i5-4670T vs Intel Core i7-3630QM Comparison

The benchmark data presents a clear split decision. The Intel Core i7-3630QM is the decisive winner in every Cinebench test, leveraging its 8 threads to deliver a lead of roughly 14% in both multi-core and single-core workloads. However, the Intel Core i5-4670T dominates the Geekbench suite, taking a commanding 35.2% lead in single-core and a 17.6% lead in multi-core. This is not a case of one chip being universally superior; instead, the data shows two processors optimized for different software environments, with the i7's older architecture excelling in Cinebench's rendering engine while the i5's newer Haswell design proves significantly faster in Geekbench's broader workload mix.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core i7-3630QM if your priority is Cinebench performance—the data shows it wins all six Cinebench tests against the i5-4670T, with margins of 13% to 14.3%. Its 8 threads provide a substantial advantage in this rendering workload, as evidenced by the 439 vs 384 score in Cinebench R15 multi-core and the 4364 vs 3820 score in Cinebench R23 multi-core. This processor is the clear pick for users whose applications behave like Cinebench—heavily multi-threaded and responsive to thread count.

Choose the Intel Core i5-4670T if your workload resembles Geekbench. The data is unambiguous: it wins both Geekbench tests by massive margins, posting a 977 single-core score versus the i7's 633 (a 35.2% advantage) and a 2563 multi-core score versus 2111 (a 17.6% advantage). This indicates the i5's newer Haswell microarchitecture delivers significantly higher instructions-per-clock, making it the stronger choice for lightly-threaded and mixed workloads that Geekbench represents.

For a balanced assessment, note that both processors sit at the 35th percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical (1289 for the i7 vs 1271 for the i5). The i7 is the better rendering chip; the i5 is the better general-purpose chip according to Geekbench. The i7-3630QM wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head tests, but the i5 wins the two most divergent ones.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different generations of Intel design. The i7-3630QM is built on Ivy Bridge architecture, while the i5-4670T uses the newer Haswell architecture. Both use a 22 nm process node, but the transistor counts differ: the i7 packs 1,480 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, while the i5 has 1,400 million transistors on a larger 177 mm² die.

The core configs are fundamentally different. Both have 4 physical cores, but the i7-3630QM supports 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, while the i5-4670T is limited to 4 threads. Clock speeds are similar: the i7 has a 2.40 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost, while the i5 has a slightly lower 2.30 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost. Both have a 45 W TDP, but the i7 is a mobile part on Intel Socket G2 (988B), whereas the i5 is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1150.

Cache configurations are identical in capacity: both have 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Integrated graphics differ, with the i7 featuring Intel HD 4000 and the i5 featuring the newer Intel HD 4600. Memory support is DDR3 dual-channel for both, but the i7 has a specified memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5's memory bandwidth is not listed. PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, though the i7 specifies 16 lanes (CPU-only), while the i5 lists only "Gen 3."

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3630QM wins in all Cinebench tests—R15, R20, and R23—in both multi-core and single-core variants. The multi-core wins are expected given the 8 vs 4 thread advantage, but the single-core wins are more surprising. The i7 leads by 13% in Cinebench R15 single-core (61 vs 54) and 14.3% in R23 single-core (616 vs 539). This suggests that for the specific workload Cinebench uses, the i7's higher boost clock (3.40 GHz vs 3.30 GHz) and Ivy Bridge architecture perform better per-thread than Haswell.

The i5-4670T wins decisively in both Geekbench tests. The single-core score of 977 vs 633 represents a 35.2% advantage, which is a massive gap. The multi-core score of 2563 vs 2111 (a 17.6% advantage) is notable because it means the i5's 4 threads outperform the i7's 8 threads in this test. This indicates that Geekbench's workload is more sensitive to architectural efficiency (Haswell's improved execution units) than to raw thread count.

In practical terms, the i7 is the better choice for video rendering and 3D modeling that scales with threads. The i5 is better for general productivity, web browsing, and applications that favor single-thread speed. The i7's wins are consistent across all Cinebench versions, while the i5's wins are consistent across both Geekbench versions, so the split is not a fluke of a single test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads, and does it matter?

A: The i7-3630QM has 8 threads versus the i5-4670T's 4 threads. This matters in Cinebench, where the i7 wins all multi-core tests by 14.2-14.3%. However, it does not help in Geekbench, where the i5-4670T wins multi-core by 17.6% despite having half the threads.

Q: Is the i5-4670T faster in single-core performance?

A: No. The data shows the i7-3630QM wins all Cinebench single-core tests by 13-14.3%. However, the i5-4670T wins the Geekbench single-core test by 35.2% (977 vs 633), so the answer depends entirely on the benchmark.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The i7-3630QM has an average benchmark score of 1289, and the i5-4670T has an average of 1271. Both are at the 35th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals have very similar average scores (e.g., the i5's rival Intel Core i5-4430S scores 1274).

Q: Do both processors support the same memory?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 memory in dual-channel mode. The i7-3630QM has a specified memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i5-4670T's memory bandwidth is not listed in the data.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, so both are locked.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The i5-4670T was released on 2013-06-01, while the i7-3630QM was released on 2012-09-29. The i5 is roughly 8 months newer and uses the Haswell architecture, while the i7 uses Ivy Bridge.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-3630QM wins all six Cinebench tests. The largest margin is a 14.3% win in Cinebench R15 multi-core (439 vs 384) and Cinebench R23 single-core (616 vs 539). The multi-core wins are consistent at 14.2% in both R20 (1832 vs 1604) and R23 (4364 vs 3820). The single-core wins are nearly identical in margin: 13% in R15 (61 vs 54) and 14.2% in R20 (258 vs 226). These results show a uniform performance advantage for the i7 across all Cinebench workloads, regardless of core count.

The i5-4670T wins both Geekbench tests by even larger margins. The single-core win is the most dramatic: 977 vs 633, a 35.2% difference. The multi-core win is 2563 vs 2111, a 17.6% difference. These are the only two tests where the i5 wins, but the margins are so large that they reshape the overall comparison. The i5's Geekbench multi-core score is higher than the i7's despite having half the threads, which is a strong indicator of architectural superiority in this workload.

The overall tally favors the i7 (6 wins vs 2), but the average benchmark scores tell a different story: the i7's 1289 is only 1.4% higher than the i5's 1271. This suggests that the Cinebench wins are numerous but moderate in size, while the Geekbench wins are fewer but massive in magnitude.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The socket is the most fundamental difference: the i7-3630QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B) for mobile systems, while the i5-4670T uses Intel Socket 1150 for desktop systems. The architecture differs: Ivy Bridge for the i7 vs Haswell for the i5. The generation label differs: Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) vs Core i5 (Haswell).

The threads differ: 8 for the i7 vs 4 for the i5. The base clock is 2.40 GHz for the i7 vs 2.30 GHz for the i5, and the boost clock is 3.40 GHz vs 3.30 GHz. The transistor count differs: 1,480 million for the i7 vs 1,400 million for the i5. The die size differs: 160 mm² for the i7 vs 177 mm² for the i5. The integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 4000 for the i7 vs Intel HD 4600 for the i5.

The market segment differs: Mobile for the i7 vs Desktop for the i5. The release date differs: 2012-09-29 for the i7 vs 2013-06-01 for the i5. The production status is "End-of-life" for the i7, while the i5's status is not listed. The launch MSRP is $378 for the i7, while the i5 has no launch MSRP listed. The part number differs: SR0UX for the i7 vs SR14P for the i5. The memory bandwidth is 25.6 GB/s for the i7, while the i5's is not listed. The PCIe specification is "Gen 3, 16 Lanes(CPU only)" for the i7 vs "Gen 3" for the i5.