Intel Core i5-4690K vs Intel Core i7-6700TE Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4690K and Intel Core i7-6700TE occupy similar overall performance tiers, but their benchmark results reveal starkly different strengths. The i5-4690K posts an average benchmark score of 1682, while the i7-6700TE scores 1666, a difference of less than one percent that places both processors at the 40th percentile among all CPUs. Despite this near-identical aggregate standing, the head-to-head data shows a clear split: the i7-6700TE wins six of eight benchmarks, all in Cinebench, while the i5-4690K dominates the two Geekbench tests by wide margins. The i7-6700TE leads Cinebench R15 multi-core with 531 points versus 486, a delta of -8.5 percent from the i5's perspective, and repeats that pattern across every Cinebench iteration—R20 multi-core (2214 vs 2027, -8.4 percent), R23 multi-core (5273 vs 4828, -8.4 percent), and all three single-core variants (R15: 74 vs 68, -8.1 percent; R20: 312 vs 286, -8.3 percent; R23: 744 vs 681, -8.5 percent). The i5-4690K counters decisively in Geekbench, scoring 3789 multi-core against 3154 (a 20.1 percent advantage) and 1292 single-core against 1028 (25.7 percent ahead). This divergence suggests the two processors respond very differently to benchmark workloads, a point worth examining through their architectural makeup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench sweep by the i7-6700TE is consistent and uniform. Every Cinebench test, from R15 through R23, shows the i7-6700TE ahead by roughly 8 percent, whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded. The R15 multi-core score of 531 against 486 represents the largest raw margin, while the R23 single-core test shows the closest relative gap at 681 versus 744, a -8.5 percent delta. This uniformity across different Cinebench versions indicates that the i7-6700TE's advantage is not workload-specific but rather a fundamental throughput edge in this rendering engine. The i7-6700TE also wins the single-core Cinebench tests by margins between 8.1 and 8.5 percent, which is notable because single-core performance typically correlates with clock speed, and the i5-4690K has a higher base clock (3.50 GHz vs 2.40 GHz) and boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.40 GHz). The data therefore shows the i7-6700TE extracting more work per clock cycle in Cinebench, despite lower frequencies.

The Geekbench results invert the picture completely. The i5-4690K scores 3789 multi-core, a full 20.1 percent above the i7-6700TE's 3154. The single-core gap is even larger at 25.7 percent, with 1292 versus 1028. These are not marginal differences; they represent a substantial performance advantage for the older Haswell chip in this particular benchmark suite. The fact that the i5-4690K wins Geekbench multi-core by 20 percent despite having only four threads (versus the i7-6700TE's eight) suggests that Geekbench's multi-core test scales more with raw clock speed and per-core efficiency than with thread count, at least in this comparison. The i5-4690K's higher boost clock of 3.90 GHz likely drives much of this gap, but the magnitude of the difference—over a quarter in single-core—points to architectural factors beyond frequency alone.

Across all eight head-to-head tests, the i7-6700TE claims six wins and the i5-4690K two. The average benchmark scores nearly cancel out: 1682 for the i5-4690K and 1666 for the i7-6700TE, a 0.3 percent difference that places the i5-4690K slightly ahead in the aggregate. The i5-4690K's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon D-1528 (1677, +0.3 percent) and the Intel Core i7-3770K (1688, -0.3 percent), while the i7-6700TE sits near the Intel Core i5-7600T (1664, +0.1 percent) and the Intel Core i5-4670K (1656, +0.6 percent). These rival deltas are all within one percent, confirming that both chips occupy essentially the same performance neighborhood.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and manufacturing nodes. The i5-4690K uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors and a die size of 177 mm², while the i7-6700TE uses Skylake on a 14 nm process, with transistor count and die size not listed in the data. The newer Skylake node allows the i7-6700TE to achieve a much lower 35 W TDP compared to the i5-4690K's 88 W, a significant efficiency gap. Both chips feature four physical cores, but the i7-6700TE adds Hyper-Threading, bringing its thread count to eight versus the i5-4690K's four. This thread advantage does not translate into Cinebench multi-core dominance proportional to the 2x thread increase, as the i7-6700TE leads by only about 8 percent, suggesting clock speed and IPC differences play a larger role in that benchmark.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both have 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the i7-6700TE has 8 MB of shared L3 versus the i5-4690K's 6 MB. Memory support also diverges: the i5-4690K uses DDR3 with dual-channel support and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-6700TE uses DDR4 with dual-channel support and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. The i5-4690K connects via Intel Socket 1150, the i7-6700TE via Intel Socket 1151, and both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ: the i5-4690K carries Intel HD 4600, while the i7-6700TE has HD Graphics 530. The i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier and a launch MSRP of $243, while the i7-6700TE's multiplier is locked and no launch MSRP is listed. The i5-4690K was released on 2014-06-01 and is end-of-life, while the i7-6700TE, released on 2015-08-31, remains active in production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-4690K has an average benchmark score of 1682, compared to 1666 for the Intel Core i7-6700TE, a 0.3 percent difference that slightly favors the i5-4690K.

Q: Why does the i7-6700TE win all Cinebench tests despite lower clock speeds?

A: The i7-6700TE wins every Cinebench test by roughly 8 percent, with deltas ranging from -8.1 to -8.5 percent. Its lower base clock (2.40 GHz vs 3.50 GHz) and boost clock (3.40 GHz vs 3.90 GHz) are offset by the Skylake architecture's higher IPC and eight threads versus four, which together produce consistent Cinebench advantages.

Q: How large is the i5-4690K's Geekbench advantage?

A: The i5-4690K leads Geekbench multi-core by 20.1 percent (3789 vs 3154) and single-core by 25.7 percent (1292 vs 1028), making Geekbench its strongest benchmark by a wide margin.

Q: Do the two processors use the same memory technology?

A: No. The i5-4690K supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the i7-6700TE supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these CPUs?

A: The i5-4690K has a TDP of 88 W, while the i7-6700TE has a TDP of 35 W, a difference of 53 W that reflects the i7-6700TE's 14 nm process versus the i5-4690K's 22 nm process.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7-6700TE's multiplier is locked, meaning only the i5-4690K supports user overclocking.

The Verdict

The data presents a choice between two processors with nearly identical average scores but opposite benchmark profiles. The i7-6700TE is the stronger Cinebench performer across the board, winning all six Cinebench tests by margins of 8.1 to 8.5 percent, and it does so with a 35 W TDP and eight threads. The i5-4690K, however, wins Geekbench by 20.1 percent multi-core and 25.7 percent single-core, and it carries an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. For workloads resembling Cinebench—rendering and content creation that scale with threads and IPC—the i7-6700TE is the better choice. For workloads resembling Geekbench, which in this comparison favor higher clock speeds and per-core performance, the i5-4690K holds a decisive edge. The i5-4690K also has a launch MSRP of $243, though no price data exists for the i7-6700TE. The i7-6700TE's active production status contrasts with the i5-4690K's end-of-life status, which may matter for long-term availability. Neither chip ranks highly overall, with both at the 40th percentile, so the decision hinges on which benchmark suite matches the intended use case.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i5-4690K has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-6700TE has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 3.50 GHz for the i5-4690K and 2.40 GHz for the i7-6700TE, with boost clocks of 3.90 GHz and 3.40 GHz respectively. TDP differs substantially: 88 W for the i5-4690K versus 35 W for the i7-6700TE. The i5-4690K uses Intel Socket 1150 and the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die size. The i7-6700TE uses Intel Socket 1151 and the Skylake architecture on a 14 nm process, with no transistor or die size data available. L3 cache is 6 MB for the i5-4690K and 8 MB for the i7-6700TE, while L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core. Memory support differs: DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth for the i5-4690K, DDR4 with 34.1 GB/s for the i7-6700TE. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 4600 for the i5-4690K and HD Graphics 530 for the i7-6700TE. The i5-4690K has an unlocked multiplier and a launch MSRP of $243, while the i7-6700TE has a locked multiplier and no launch MSRP. Release dates are 2014-06-01 for the i5-4690K and 2015-08-31 for the i7-6700TE, with production status end-of-life versus active. Both support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes and lack ECC memory support.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-6700TE wins in Cinebench workloads, taking all six tests from R15 to R23 by margins of 8.1 to 8.5 percent. This makes it the better choice for rendering tasks that follow Cinebench's pattern, where its eight threads and Skylake IPC overcome its lower clock speeds. The i7-6700TE also wins on efficiency, with a 35 W TDP that is less than half the i5-4690K's 88 W, and it remains in active production. The i5-4690K wins decisively in Geekbench, with a 20.1 percent multi-core and 25.7 percent single-core advantage, indicating superior performance in workloads that favor high clock speeds and per-core throughput. Its unlocked multiplier provides overclocking headroom that the i7-6700TE lacks, and its 3.90 GHz boost clock is 0.50 GHz higher. The i5-4690K also has the higher average benchmark score overall (1682 vs 1666) and a listed launch MSRP of $243. For users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering and lower power draw, the i7-6700TE is the data-supported pick. For Geekbench-style tasks and overclocking flexibility, the i5-4690K offers clear advantages.