Intel Core i5-4690S vs Intel Core i7-8665U Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unusually one-sided. The Intel Core i7-8665U wins all six head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core i5-4690S, with no wins recorded for the desktop part. Despite the i5-4690S carrying a higher average benchmark score in the database (1551 versus 1513), the direct comparisons tell a different story. The i7-8665U leads by roughly 12% across every Cinebench test, whether single-core or multi-core. That consistency suggests the mobile chip has a genuine architectural edge, not a workload-specific quirk.

Who should pick which? From the recorded data, the i7-8665U is the stronger performer in every measured scenario. The i5-4690S, however, occupies a different percentile position (39th versus 38th for the i7-8665U), which indicates that the desktop chip holds its own against a broader set of CPUs. If the goal is maximum Cinebench output, the i7-8665U is the clear choice. If the goal is a desktop platform with a 65 W power envelope and a socketed design, the i5-4690S remains relevant, but the numbers show it trails the newer mobile part in raw compute.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from separate eras and design philosophies. The i5-4690S is a Haswell desktop chip built on a 22 nm process, while the i7-8665U is a Whiskey Lake-U mobile part on 14 nm. The process node difference alone explains part of the efficiency gap: the i7-8665U operates at a 15 W TDP, whereas the i5-4690S runs at 65 W. That is a fourfold power disparity, yet the lower-power chip wins every benchmark.

Core counts are equal at four, but threading diverges. The i5-4690S has four threads total, matching its four cores. The i7-8665U doubles that with eight threads, enabling better utilization of its cores in multi-threaded workloads. Cache also favors the newer chip: the i7-8665U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB on the i5-4690S. Both share the same per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (256 KB) configuration.

Memory support differs as well. The i5-4690S is limited to DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth. The i7-8665U supports both DDR3 and DDR4, still dual-channel, but with a higher 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics also changed: the i5-4690S uses Intel HD 4600, while the i7-8665U integrates UHD Graphics 620. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and neither supports ECC memory or an unlocked multiplier.

The i7-8665U carries a 1,400 MHz base clock and a 4.80 GHz boost clock, while the i5-4690S starts at 3.20 GHz and boosts to 3.90 GHz. The lower base clock on the mobile chip is typical for a 15 W part, but the higher boost clock gives it a peak frequency advantage that shows in single-threaded tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniform. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-8665U scores 527 against 464 for the i5-4690S, a 12% lead. Single-core in R15 shows 74 versus 65, again a 12.2% advantage for the i7-8665U. The pattern repeats in R20 multi-core: 2197 versus 1935, an 11.9% gap. R20 single-core: 309 versus 273, an 11.7% lead. R23 multi-core: 5232 versus 4609, 11.9% ahead. R23 single-core: 738 versus 650, 11.9% ahead.

The consistency is striking. Every delta falls between 11.7% and 12.2%, which suggests the i7-8665U's advantage is a fixed multiplier across all thread counts and rendering loads. The multi-threaded wins are not simply a product of eight threads versus four; the single-threaded tests show nearly the same margin. That points to higher per-core efficiency in the Whiskey Lake architecture, likely from the newer process node and higher boost clock.

The i5-4690S has no winning benchmark in this pair. Its average benchmark score of 1551 is higher than the i7-8665U's 1513, but that average includes Geekbench results that are not part of the head-to-head set. In the direct Cinebench comparisons, the desktop chip is consistently behind. The i7-8665U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-4670S with a delta of -0.9%, which is effectively a sibling to the i5-4690S, reinforcing that the older desktop parts cluster near each other in performance.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-8665U has eight threads, while the Intel Core i5-4690S has four. Both have four physical cores.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The i5-4690S is rated at 65 W, and the i7-8665U is rated at 15 W. The mobile chip draws far less power while delivering higher benchmark scores.

Q: Does the i7-8665U support faster memory?

A: Yes. The i7-8665U supports DDR3 and DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-4690S is limited to DDR3 at 25.6 GB/s. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: Which CPU has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i7-8665U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, compared to 6 MB on the i5-4690S. Per-core L1 and L2 caches are identical at 64 KB and 256 KB.

Q: What is the process node for each chip?

A: The i5-4690S is built on a 22 nm process, while the i7-8665U uses a 14 nm process. The smaller node contributes to the mobile chip's efficiency.

Q: How does the i5-4690S compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-4690S sits within 0.4% of its nearest rivals in the database, including the Intel Core i7-4760HQ (0.2% ahead), the Intel Core i3-9300 (0.2% behind), and the Intel Xeon E3-1268L v5 and AMD FX-8350 (both 0.4% behind).

Where Each One Wins

The i7-8665U wins every recorded benchmark, so the use-case split is not about raw performance. The i7-8665U wins in all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both multi-core and single-core. That makes it the better choice for rendering workloads, whether short or long duration, and for single-threaded tasks that rely on burst performance. Its 4.80 GHz boost clock is the highest frequency in this pairing, and its eight threads give it an edge in parallel rendering scenes.

The i5-4690S does not win a single head-to-head test, but its strengths lie elsewhere in the data. It has a 65 W TDP, which is higher than the mobile chip's 15 W, but it is a desktop part with a socketed Intel Socket 1150 design, allowing for easier platform integration and potentially different cooling options. Its 22 nm process and 1,400 million transistors are older, but its 177 mm² die size is documented, whereas the i7-8665U has no recorded die size or transistor count. The i5-4690S also has a higher average benchmark score (1551 versus 1513), which reflects its standing against a wider field of CPUs, even though it loses to the i7-8665U directly.

For users prioritizing power efficiency and raw Cinebench output, the i7-8665U is the only choice based on the data. For users who need a desktop processor with a 65 W envelope and a socketed upgrade path, the i5-4690S remains a viable option, but the measured performance gap is real and consistent.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every generation-defining spec. The i5-4690S is a Haswell desktop processor with 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-8665U is a Whiskey Lake-U mobile processor with 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-4690S has a 3.20 GHz base clock and a 3.90 GHz boost clock; the i7-8665U has a 1,900.00 MHz base clock and a 4.80 GHz boost clock. The TDP difference is stark: 65 W versus 15 W.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 1150 for the i5-4690S, Intel BGA 1528 for the i7-8665U. The process node moves from 22 nm to 14 nm. The i5-4690S has 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die size; the i7-8665U has no recorded transistor count or die size. L3 cache grows from 6 MB to 8 MB. Memory support expands from DDR3 only to DDR3 and DDR4, with bandwidth rising from 25.6 GB/s to 38.4 GB/s.

Integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 4600 on the i5-4690S versus UHD Graphics 620 on the i7-8665U. Market segments are Desktop versus Mobile, and the i7-8665U is marked as end-of-life while the i5-4690S has no recorded production status. Release dates are April 2014 for the i5-4690S and September 2018 for the i7-8665U. The launch MSRP for the i5-4690S is $224; for the i7-8665U it is $409. Both have PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, dual-channel memory, no ECC support, and locked multipliers.