Intel Core i5-4690T vs Intel Core i7-3612QM Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4690T and Intel Core i7-3612QM are remarkably close performers despite belonging to different generations and market segments, with identical average benchmark scores of 1129 and both landing in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs. The data shows a near-perfect statistical tie: the i7-3612QM edges ahead in five of the six head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the margins are so thin—never exceeding a 1% delta—that real-world differences would be imperceptible. The i5-4690T is a 45W desktop Haswell part with 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-3612QM is a 35W mobile Ivy Bridge chip with 4 cores and 8 threads, and those architectural trade-offs largely cancel out in the benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: They are exactly tied. Both the Intel Core i5-4690T and Intel Core i7-3612QM have an average benchmark score of 1129, and each sits in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How does the i7-3612QM's extra threading affect multi-core performance?

A: The i7-3612QM, with 8 threads versus the i5-4690T's 4 threads, wins every multi-core Cinebench test by a 1% margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3944 against 3905 for the i5-4690T.

Q: Is the i5-4690T better in single-core tests?

A: No. The i5-4690T wins only one single-core test (Cinebench R15, tied at 55), while the i7-3612QM wins the other three single-core tests: Cinebench R20 (233 vs 231), Cinebench R23 (556 vs 551), and Cinebench R15 is a draw.

Q: What are the process node and transistor counts?

A: Both CPUs are built on Intel's 22 nm process and contain 1,400 million transistors. The die sizes differ slightly: the i5-4690T measures 177 mm², while the i7-3612QM is 160 mm².

Q: How much L3 cache does each processor have?

A: Both have 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Each also has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core.

Q: Which processor has a higher TDP?

A: The i5-4690T has a 45W TDP, while the i7-3612QM is rated at 35W. This is notable because the i7-3612QM delivers slightly better performance at a lower power envelope.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent different Intel microarchitectures and market targets. The i5-4690T is a Haswell desktop part released on 2014-04-30, built for Intel Socket 1150. The i7-3612QM is an Ivy Bridge mobile processor released on 2012-04-28, using Intel Socket G2 (988B). Both use the same 22 nm process node and share the same 1,400 million transistor count, but the die size differs: the Haswell part measures 177 mm² versus 160 mm² for the Ivy Bridge chip.

The most significant architectural difference lies in threading. The i5-4690T provides 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no Hyper-Threading. The i7-3612QM also has 4 physical cores but doubles the thread count to 8 via Hyper-Threading. This explains why the i7-3612QM consistently wins multi-core workloads, albeit by a narrow margin. Both share identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3.

Clock speeds favor the i5-4690T, which has a 2.50 GHz base clock and 3.50 GHz boost clock, compared to the i7-3612QM's 2.10 GHz base and 3.10 GHz boost. However, the i7-3612QM's higher thread count compensates in multi-threaded tests. Memory support differs: the i5-4690T supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and a measured bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i7-3612QM's memory support and bandwidth are not specified in the data. The i5-4690T also has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), whereas the i7-3612QM's PCIe information is absent.

Integrated graphics diverge: the i5-4690T includes Intel HD 4600, while the i7-3612QM ships with Intel HD 4000. Neither CPU supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The production status for both is unspecified, and neither has a listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results paint a picture of extreme parity. Across six Cinebench tests, the i7-3612QM wins five and the i5-4690T wins one (a tie). The largest margin in either direction is just 1%, making these effectively equivalent processors in compute performance.

Starting with multi-core, the i7-3612QM leads by 1% in every test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 397 against 393 for the i5-4690T. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i7-3612QM posts 1656 versus 1640. The gap remains at 1% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, with 3944 against 3905. These consistent 1% margins reflect the benefit of 8 threads over 4 threads, though the i7-3612QM's lower clock speeds (2.10 GHz base, 3.10 GHz boost) keep the advantage modest.

Single-core results are even closer. In Cinebench R15, both CPUs score exactly 55, a perfect tie. The i7-3612QM then takes narrow wins in Cinebench R20 (233 vs 231, a 0.9% delta) and Cinebench R23 (556 vs 551, also 0.9%). This is counterintuitive given the i5-4690T's higher boost clock of 3.50 GHz versus 3.10 GHz for the i7-3612QM, but the data shows the Ivy Bridge part has a slight single-core edge in the newer tests.

The i7-3612QM also has two Geekbench results not present for the i5-4690T: a multi-core score of 1691 and a single-core score of 501. These are not head-to-head comparisons, but they reinforce the i7-3612QM's overall profile.

The win tally is decisive in name only: the i7-3612QM wins 5 tests, the i5-4690T wins 1, yet the largest delta is 1%. In practice, a 1% difference is within run-to-run noise, so neither CPU can be declared a clear performance winner.

The Verdict

For desktop users, the i5-4690T makes sense if the socket and desktop form factor matter. It offers a 45W TDP, DDR3 support with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Its 3.50 GHz boost clock is the highest among these two, and it matches the i7-3612QM in Cinebench R15 single-core.

For mobile users, the i7-3612QM is the better choice. It delivers superior multi-core performance in every Cinebench test, adds 4 extra threads, and does so at a lower 35W TDP. The 2012 release date means it is older, but the data does not show any performance penalty from that age.

The tie in average benchmark score (1129 for both) and identical percentile ranking (32nd) mean that neither CPU has a meaningful performance advantage. The deciding factors are platform and power. If you need a desktop processor with PCIe Gen 3 and a defined memory bandwidth, the i5-4690T is the only option. If you need a mobile processor with lower power consumption and better multi-threading, the i7-3612QM is the clear pick. The data does not support choosing one over the other for raw speed alone.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specification fields:

• Socket: i5-4690T uses Intel Socket 1150; i7-3612QM uses Intel Socket G2 (988B)
• Architecture: i5-4690T is Haswell; i7-3612QM is Ivy Bridge
• Codename: Haswell vs Ivy Bridge
• Generation: Core i5 (Haswell) vs Core i7 (Ivy Bridge)
• Threads: 4 vs 8
• Base Clock: 2.50 GHz vs 2.10 GHz
• Boost Clock: 3.50 GHz vs 3.10 GHz
• TDP: 45W vs 35W
• Die Size: 177 mm² vs 160 mm²
• Memory Support: DDR3 vs unspecified
• Memory Bandwidth: 25.6 GB/s vs unspecified
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) vs unspecified
• Integrated Graphics: Intel HD 4600 vs Intel HD 4000
• Market Segment: Desktop vs Mobile
• Release Date: 2014-04-30 vs 2012-04-28
• Part Number: SR1QT vs SR0MQ

Both share: 4 cores, 22 nm process, 1,400 million transistors, 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, 6 MB shared L3, dual-channel memory bus, no ECC support, locked multipliers, and no launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i5-4690T wins on:

• Single-core Cinebench R15 (tie at 55, but recorded as its win)
• Base clock speed, 2.50 GHz vs 2.10 GHz
• Boost clock speed, 3.50 GHz vs 3.10 GHz
• Memory bandwidth specification, 25.6 GB/s (the i7-3612QM has no listed bandwidth)
• PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, which the i7-3612QM lacks entirely
• Desktop platform support with DDR3 memory
• Newer release date (2014 vs 2012)

Intel Core i7-3612QM wins on:

• Multi-core performance in all three Cinebench versions (R15, R20, R23) by 1%
• Single-core performance in Cinebench R20 (233 vs 231) and R23 (556 vs 551)
• Thread count, 8 vs 4
• Lower TDP, 35W vs 45W
• Smaller die size, 160 mm² vs 177 mm²
• Mobile platform compatibility
• Additional Geekbench results (multi-core 1691, single-core 501) not available for the i5-4690T

The use-case split is clear: the i5-4690T serves desktop builds where PCIe connectivity and memory bandwidth specifications matter, while the i7-3612QM serves mobile systems where power efficiency and multi-threading are priorities. Given the 1% performance deltas, the choice should be dictated by platform requirements, not benchmark scores.