Intel Core i5-4690T vs Intel Core i7-2720QM Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4690T and the Intel Core i7-2720QM are two very different processors that nonetheless land at nearly the same overall performance level. The data shows a clear and consistent winner in the i5-4690T, which takes all five head-to-head benchmark victories. However, the i7-2720QM offers a key structural advantage with its 8 threads versus the i5-4690T’s 4 threads, making the choice less about raw speed and more about workload characteristics and platform. The benchmark results indicate that the i5-4690T is the superior performer in every measured test, despite the i7-2720QM’s more recent predecessor status in the mobile segment.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i5-4690T is the clear winner for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance. It outperforms the i7-2720QM by a consistent margin of roughly 14% across every Cinebench test, from single-core to multi-core workloads. The i5-4690T achieves a total of 5 wins out of 5 head-to-head benchmarks, leaving the i7-2720QM without a single victory. This makes the i5-4690T the obvious choice for tasks that are sensitive to clock speed and per-core efficiency, such as legacy single-threaded applications or lightly-threaded games.

However, the i7-2720QM is not without merit. Its 8 threads, double that of the i5-4690T, suggest it could handle heavily multi-threaded workloads with more grace, even if its raw scores are lower. The i5-4690T’s lead in the multi-core Cinebench R23 test (3905 vs 3417) shows that its architectural efficiency overcomes the thread disadvantage, but the i7-2720QM’s thread count could still prove useful in specific scenarios where parallel scaling is imperfect. The data suggests the i5-4690T is the better all-around performer, but the i7-2720QM should not be dismissed outright for users who value thread count over peak speed.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-4690T wins in every single benchmark category measured. In single-core performance, its advantage is pronounced: it scores 551 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 482 for the i7-2720QM, a 14.3% delta. This translates to a real-world edge in applications that rely on a single processing thread, such as older software, certain scripting languages, or the primary thread of many game engines. The i5-4690T’s higher base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.50 GHz, compared to 2.20 GHz and 3.30 GHz for the i7-2720QM, directly contribute to this superiority.

In multi-core workloads, the i5-4690T also prevails, despite having half the threads. Its score of 3905 in Cinebench R23 multi-core is 14.3% higher than the i7-2720QM’s 3417. This is a surprising result given the i7-2720QM’s 8 threads, but it points to the i5-4690T’s superior per-core throughput, likely stemming from its newer Haswell architecture and higher clock speeds. The i7-2720QM’s only potential area of advantage, based on the data, is its thread count, which could theoretically help in highly parallel, perfectly-scaled workloads, but the benchmark results show that this theoretical advantage does not translate into actual score improvements in the tested Cinebench suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different generations of Intel design. The i5-4690T is built on the Haswell architecture using a 22 nm process node, while the i7-2720QM is based on the older Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32 nm node. This generational gap is significant. The i5-4690T features a smaller die size of 177 mm² but packs more transistors at 1,400 million, compared to the i7-2720QM’s 216 mm² die and 1,160 million transistors. This density advantage is a key reason for the i5-4690T’s higher efficiency and performance per clock.

Both processors share the same L1 and L2 cache sizes at 64 KB and 256 KB per core respectively, and both have 6 MB of shared L3 cache. However, the i5-4690T supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while no PCIe information is listed for the i7-2720QM. The integrated graphics also differ, with the i5-4690T featuring Intel HD 4600 and the i7-2720QM using the older Intel HD 3000. The i5-4690T is a desktop part on Socket 1150, while the i7-2720QM is a mobile processor on BGA 1224, and the i7-2720QM is marked as end-of-life, whereas the i5-4690T has no production status listed.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-4690T is faster. It scores 3905 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 14.3% higher than the i7-2720QM’s 3417.

Q: Does the i7-2720QM’s 8 threads give it an advantage?

A: Despite having 8 threads versus the i5-4690T’s 4 threads, the i7-2720QM still loses in all multi-core benchmarks. The i5-4690T’s architectural efficiency and higher clocks overcome the thread count deficit.

Q: What is the difference in single-core performance?

A: The i5-4690T leads by 14.4% in Cinebench R20 single-core, scoring 231 versus 202. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it leads by 14.3% with 551 versus 482.

Q: Are these processors from the same generation?

A: No. The i5-4690T is from the Haswell generation on a 22 nm process, while the i7-2720QM is from the Sandy Bridge generation on a 32 nm process.

Q: Do they have the same amount of cache?

A: Yes, both have 6 MB of shared L3 cache, along with the same per-core L1 and L2 cache sizes.

Q: Which processor is for desktop and which is for mobile?

A: The i5-4690T is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1150, while the i7-2720QM is a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1224.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive result comes from the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where the i5-4690T scores 231 against the i7-2720QM’s 202, a delta of 14.4%. This is the largest percentage win for the i5-4690T in any test. The same pattern repeats in the multi-core tests, with the i5-4690T winning by 14.2% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (393 vs 344) and 14.3% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1640 vs 1435). The consistency of the margin across all tests is striking, suggesting a fundamental per-clock advantage for the Haswell design.

In Cinebench R23, the i5-4690T continues its dominance. It scores 551 in single-core versus 482, and 3905 in multi-core versus 3417, both showing a 14.3% lead. The i7-2720QM’s best performance relative to the i5-4690T comes in the multi-core tests, where its extra threads narrow the gap slightly, but it still loses by a significant margin. The data shows a clear pattern: the i5-4690T is uniformly faster, and the i7-2720QM cannot match it in any measured metric.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i5-4690T has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-2720QM has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-4690T has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, compared to 2.20 GHz and 3.30 GHz for the i7-2720QM. Both have a TDP of 45 watts. The i5-4690T uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process with 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die, while the i7-2720QM uses Sandy Bridge on a 32 nm process with 1,160 million transistors and a 216 mm² die.

The i5-4690T supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i7-2720QM’s memory support is listed as null, though it does have a dual-channel memory bus. The i5-4690T features PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while no PCIe information is available for the i7-2720QM. Integrated graphics differ, with the i5-4690T using Intel HD 4600 and the i7-2720QM using Intel HD 3000. The i5-4690T is a desktop part on Socket 1150, while the i7-2720QM is a mobile part on BGA 1224. The i7-2720QM is marked as end-of-life, while the i5-4690T has no production status listed.