Intel Core i5-7600T vs Intel Core i7-5700HQ Comparison

The Intel Core i5-7600T and Intel Core i7-5700HQ are two 14nm quad-core processors from different Intel generations and market segments. The i5-7600T is a Kaby Lake desktop part, while the i7-5700HQ is a Broadwell-H mobile part. Benchmark data reveals a split decision: the i7-5700HQ takes the Cinebench suite, while the i5-7600T takes the Geekbench suite. Neither holds a commanding lead across the board, and both land at the 40th percentile among all CPUs, with near-identical average benchmark scores.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results show a clean split based on the test suite. In all Cinebench workloads, the Intel Core i7-5700HQ comes out ahead. This includes Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. The i7-5700HQ wins six of the eight head-to-head benchmarks, making it the stronger choice for sustained rendering tasks that rely on this specific workload.

The Intel Core i5-7600T, however, wins both Geekbench tests. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 3447 beats the i7-5700HQ’s 3129 by 10.2%, and its Geekbench single-core score of 1246 beats 1085 by a substantial 14.8%. This suggests the i5-7600T has an advantage in workloads that resemble Geekbench’s mixed integer, floating-point, and memory tests. For general-purpose computing tasks that align with Geekbench’s synthetic load, the i5-7600T is the faster part.

The pattern is consistent: Cinebench favors the i7-5700HQ, Geekbench favors the i5-7600T. A user choosing between these two should consider which benchmark better reflects their typical workload. The i7-5700HQ’s edge in Cinebench is modest, with deltas of -3.6% to -4.1% in its favor, while the i5-7600T’s lead in Geekbench is much larger, at 10.2% and 14.8%.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 14nm process node, but they come from different architectural families. The i5-7600T uses Kaby Lake, while the i7-5700HQ uses Broadwell-H. Kaby Lake is a later refinement of Intel’s 14nm process, whereas Broadwell-H is an earlier implementation. This generational gap likely explains some of the performance differences observed in the benchmarks.

The i5-7600T has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-5700HQ has 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. This is a key architectural difference: the i7-5700HQ can process twice as many threads simultaneously. Despite this, the i5-7600T still wins Geekbench multi-core, which suggests that its higher clock speeds and newer architecture compensate for the lack of Hyper-Threading in that test.

Cache configurations are identical: both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The memory support differs, with the i5-7600T using DDR4 and the i7-5700HQ using DDR3. The i5-7600T also has a higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s versus 29.9 GB/s for the i7-5700HQ. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the i5-7600T featuring HD 630 and the i7-5700HQ featuring Intel HD 5600.

The i5-7600T has a die size that is not listed, while the i7-5700HQ’s die size is 182 mm². Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The socket types are incompatible: the i5-7600T uses Intel Socket 1151, while the i7-5700HQ uses Intel BGA 1364.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the i7-5700HQ comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 73 versus the i5-7600T’s 70, a 4.1% advantage. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-5700HQ scores 519 versus 500, a 3.7% lead. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20: the i7-5700HQ wins single-core 305 to 294 (3.6%) and multi-core 2164 to 2086 (3.6%). In Cinebench R23, the i7-5700HQ again wins single-core 727 to 701 and multi-core 5154 to 4968, both by 3.6%.

The i5-7600T’s wins are more decisive. In Geekbench multi-core, it scores 3447 versus 3129, a 10.2% advantage. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 1246 versus 1085, a 14.8% lead. These are much larger deltas than any of the i7-5700HQ’s Cinebench wins. The data shows that while the i7-5700HQ is consistently ahead in Cinebench, its margins are narrow. The i5-7600T, by contrast, wins by a wide margin in Geekbench.

The overall win count is 6-2 in favor of the i7-5700HQ, but the magnitude of the i5-7600T’s wins makes the comparison less one-sided than the raw count suggests. A user running mostly Cinebench-style rendering would prefer the i7-5700HQ, while a user running Geekbench-style workloads would see a clear benefit from the i5-7600T.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i5-7600T has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, while the i7-5700HQ has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The i5-7600T is therefore clocked higher in both states.

The i5-7600T has a TDP of 35 watts, while the i7-5700HQ has a TDP of 47 watts. The i5-7600T is more power-efficient on paper. The i5-7600T uses DDR4 memory, while the i7-5700HQ uses DDR3. Memory bandwidth differs accordingly: 38.4 GB/s for the i5-7600T versus 29.9 GB/s for the i7-5700HQ.

The i5-7600T is a desktop part with an active production status, while the i7-5700HQ is also listed as a desktop part but has an end-of-life production status. The i5-7600T was released on 2017-01-02, while the i7-5700HQ was released on 2015-06-01. The i7-5700HQ has a launch MSRP of $378, which can be stated once.

The i5-7600T has 4 threads, while the i7-5700HQ has 8 threads. The integrated graphics differ: HD 630 for the i5-7600T versus Intel HD 5600 for the i7-5700HQ. The socket types are different as noted above. Both have ECC memory support set to false and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-5700HQ wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks, including all Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests. The Intel Core i5-7600T wins the remaining 2, both Geekbench tests.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in Geekbench single-core, where the Intel Core i5-7600T scores 1246 versus the i7-5700HQ’s 1085, a 14.8% advantage. The largest Cinebench gap is only 4.1% in favor of the i7-5700HQ.

Q: How do their multi-threaded capabilities compare?

A: The i7-5700HQ has 8 threads versus the i5-7600T’s 4 threads. However, the i5-7600T wins Geekbench multi-core by 10.2%, scoring 3447 versus 3129. The i7-5700HQ wins Cinebench multi-core by about 3.6%.

Q: Are they on the same socket?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-7600T uses Intel Socket 1151, while the Intel Core i7-5700HQ uses Intel BGA 1364.

Q: What is the difference in memory support?

A: The i5-7600T supports DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i7-5700HQ supports DDR3 with a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-7600T is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-5700HQ is listed as End-of-life.

The Verdict

The choice between these two processors depends entirely on the workload. The Intel Core i7-5700HQ is the winner for Cinebench-based rendering tasks, taking all six Cinebench tests with margins of 3.6% to 4.1%. Its 8 threads provide a consistent edge in these multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering workloads. It also has the advantage of a higher thread count and a larger die size of 182 mm².

The Intel Core i5-7600T is the winner for Geekbench-style workloads, with a 10.2% lead in multi-core and a 14.8% lead in single-core. Its higher clock speeds, newer Kaby Lake architecture, and faster DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth contribute to this decisive advantage. It also has a lower TDP of 35 watts versus 47 watts, making it more power-efficient.

Both processors sit at the 40th percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 1664 for the i5-7600T and 1645 for the i7-5700HQ. The i5-7600T’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-6700TE with a deltaPct of -0.1, while the i7-5700HQ’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-5675R with a deltaPct of -0.2.

For users prioritizing Geekbench-style general performance, the i5-7600T offers a clear, large advantage. For users prioritizing Cinebench rendering, the i7-5700HQ offers a smaller but consistent advantage. The i5-7600T is also the newer part with active production status and lower power consumption. The i7-5700HQ, while end-of-life, provides the thread-count benefit that wins it the majority of benchmarks. The data does not declare a universal winner; it declares a workload-specific one.