Intel Core i7-10510Y vs Intel Core i7-4600M Comparison

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-10510Y wins every single head-to-head benchmark in this comparison, taking all five tests against the Intel Core i7-4600M. If you are choosing between these two mobile processors strictly on performance, the i7-10510Y is the pick. Its lead is consistent and substantial, ranging from 13.8% to 13.9% across both multi-core and single-core workloads in Cinebench. The i7-4600M, despite being an older Haswell design with a higher 37W TDP, cannot match the newer Comet Lake-Y part's efficiency or outright speed.

However, the context matters. Both processors sit at the 30th percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database, meaning neither is a performance powerhouse by modern standards. They are close in average benchmark score — the i7-4600M averages 1093, while the i7-10510Y averages 1092, a negligible 0.1% difference in aggregate. The i7-10510Y's wins are consistent, but they are not transformative. If you already own a system with the i7-4600M and are considering an upgrade, the data shows you would gain roughly 14% in threaded and single-threaded Cinebench scores, which is noticeable but not a generational leap. For a new purchase, the i7-10510Y is the clear recommendation, especially given its active production status versus the i7-4600M's end-of-life designation.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510Y wins all multi-core tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3173 versus the i7-4600M's 2732, a 13.9% advantage. The same margin appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1332 vs 1147) and R15 multi-core (319 vs 275).

Q: Is the single-core performance gap the same as multi-core?

A: Yes, the delta is nearly identical. The i7-10510Y leads by 13.9% in both Cinebench R23 single-core (447 vs 385) and Cinebench R20 single-core (187 vs 161). This consistency suggests a clock-speed or architectural advantage that scales across all workload types.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The aggregate scores are essentially tied. The i7-4600M has an average benchmark score of 1093, while the i7-10510Y sits at 1092, a difference of just 0.1% in favor of the older chip. This is surprising given the i7-10510Y's clean sweep in head-to-head Cinebench tests, but it reflects the limited test set available for the i7-10510Y.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The i7-10510Y has a dramatically lower TDP of 9W compared to the i7-4600M's 37W. This means the newer chip achieves higher performance while drawing a fraction of the power, making it the better choice for thin-and-light laptops where thermals and battery life are critical.

Q: Are these processors still in production?

A: No for the i7-4600M and yes for the i7-10510Y. The i7-4600M is marked as end-of-life, while the i7-10510Y is listed as active. This affects long-term availability and driver support.

Q: What is the release timing difference?

A: The i7-4600M was released in August 2013, while the i7-10510Y arrived in August 2019, a gap of six years. The newer part benefits from a more modern architecture and process improvements.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the head-to-head data, the Intel Core i7-10510Y wins every single category. There are no benchmark tests where the i7-4600M comes out ahead. This means for any workload you can measure with Cinebench — whether it is multi-threaded rendering, single-threaded responsiveness, or anything in between — the i7-10510Y is the faster chip.

The i7-4600M's only "win" is in the average benchmark score calculation, where it edges out the i7-10510Y by a single point (1093 vs 1092). This is within the margin of error and likely reflects the fact that the i7-4600M has Geekbench scores in its benchmark set (multicore 1930, singlecore 1018) while the i7-10510Y does not have those specific tests listed. If you prioritize the specific Cinebench tests that both chips share, the i7-10510Y is the clear winner. If you look at the broader average across all available data, they are statistically indistinguishable.

For practical use cases, the i7-10510Y is the better choice for any modern laptop task — web browsing, office work, light content creation — because it is faster and uses far less power. The i7-4600M is a legacy part that might still be found in older business laptops, but the data gives no reason to choose it for a new build.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-10510Y scores 319 against the i7-4600M's 275, a 13.8% lead. That margin grows to 13.9% in every other test. In Cinebench R20 multicore, the scores are 1332 versus 1147. In R20 singlecore, it is 187 versus 161. In R23 multicore, 3173 versus 2732. In R23 singlecore, 447 versus 385.

The uniformity of the 13.9% delta across both single-core and multi-core tests is telling. It suggests the i7-10510Y's advantage comes from a higher sustained clock speed or better IPC per clock, rather than from its additional cores. If the advantage were purely due to core count, you would expect a larger gap in multi-core tests and a smaller one in single-core tests. Instead, the gap is identical, pointing to a fundamental per-thread speed advantage.

The i7-10510Y's boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus the i7-4600M's 3.60 GHz partially explains this. Even though the i7-4600M has a much higher base clock (2.90 GHz vs 1.20 GHz), the newer chip's ability to turbo higher on demand gives it the edge in bursty workloads. The i7-10510Y also has twice the L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB), which helps with data-heavy tasks.

In terms of raw core count, the i7-10510Y has 4 cores and 8 threads, versus the i7-4600M's 2 cores and 4 threads. Yet the multi-core benchmark gap is the same as single-core, which is surprising — you would expect the extra cores to show a larger multi-core delta. This suggests the i7-4600M's Haswell architecture is more efficient per core at lower clock speeds, or the i7-10510Y's 9W TDP limits its multi-core sustained performance.

Architecture Differences

The i7-4600M is built on the Haswell architecture, using a 22 nm process node with 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die. The i7-10510Y uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process. The newer process is not smaller, but it is more refined, allowing for higher clock speeds at lower power. The i7-10510Y has no listed transistor count or die size, but its 9W TDP versus the i7-4600M's 37W TDP shows a massive efficiency improvement.

The i7-10510Y has 4 cores and 8 threads, double the i7-4600M's 2 cores and 4 threads. It also has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, doubling the i7-4600M's 4 MB. Both have 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, so the per-core cache structure is identical. The extra L3 cache gives the newer chip more room to hold working sets, which helps in multi-threaded workloads.

The integrated graphics differ: the i7-4600M uses Intel HD 4600, while the i7-10510Y uses UHD Graphics. The newer UHD Graphics part is not benchmarked in the provided data, so a direct comparison is not possible. Both are integrated solutions suited for basic display output rather than gaming.

The i7-4600M supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-10510Y has no PCIe information listed. The i7-4600M uses the Intel Socket G3 form factor, while the i7-10510Y is BGA 1440, meaning it is soldered to the motherboard and not upgradeable.

Specification Differences

The most striking difference is TDP: the i7-10510Y draws only 9W, compared to the i7-4600M's 37W. This is a 4x reduction in power draw, which makes the newer chip far better suited for fanless or passively cooled designs.

Clock speeds tell a nuanced story. The i7-4600M has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost of 3.60 GHz. The i7-10510Y has a base clock of 1.20 GHz and a boost of 4.50 GHz. The newer chip has a much lower base frequency but a significantly higher turbo frequency. In practice, this means the i7-10510Y can hit higher peak performance when needed but will downclock more aggressively under sustained load to manage its 9W power envelope.

Core and thread counts differ: 2 cores/4 threads for the i7-4600M versus 4 cores/8 threads for the i7-10510Y. L3 cache doubles from 4 MB to 8 MB. Both support DDR3 memory, but only the i7-4600M has specified memory bandwidth (25.6 GB/s) and dual-channel support; the i7-10510Y's memory bus and bandwidth are not listed.

The i7-4600M has a launch MSRP of $346, while the i7-10510Y has no listed launch price. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-4600M is end-of-life, while the i7-10510Y is active. The i7-4600M has a part number (SR1H7), while the i7-10510Y does not list one. Both have ECC memory disabled, meaning error-correcting RAM is not supported.