Intel Core i7-3770K vs Intel Core i7-4770HQ Comparison

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split: the Intel Core i7-3770K wins the majority of benchmark comparisons, taking 6 of the 8 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core i7-4770HQ claims the remaining 2. For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded rendering performance in Cinebench workloads, the i7-3770K is the stronger choice, leading by margins between 8.3% and 8.6% across all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests. However, the i7-4770HQ counters with decisive wins in Geekbench, both single-core and multi-core, where it leads by 15.1% and 11.2% respectively. The average benchmark scores reflect this near-parity: the i7-3770K averages 1688 points, while the i7-4770HQ averages 1660 points, a difference of roughly 1.7%. Both processors sit at the 40th percentile among all CPUs in the database, placing them in the same performance tier overall.

The i7-3770K suits desktop users who need maximum Cinebench throughput, particularly for multi-core rendering tasks, while the i7-4770HQ, despite being a mobile part with a locked multiplier, demonstrates superior Geekbench performance that may indicate better responsiveness in that specific workload family. The i7-3770K also holds the advantage of an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, whereas the i7-4770HQ does not offer this flexibility. The i7-3770K carries a launch MSRP of $313, while the i7-4770HQ has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-3770K dominates all six Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 558 versus 514 for the i7-4770HQ, an 8.6% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap: 78 versus 72, an 8.3% lead. Moving to R20, the i7-3770K posts 2327 multi-core and 328 single-core, against 2144 and 302 for the i7-4770HQ, representing leads of 8.5% and 8.6%. In R23, the i7-3770K reaches 5542 multi-core and 782 single-core, while the i7-4770HQ manages 5106 and 720, again an 8.5% and 8.6% margin. These consistent margins across all three Cinebench generations suggest a stable architectural advantage for the i7-3770K in rendering workloads, likely stemming from its higher base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz, compared to the i7-4770HQ's 2.20 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost.

The i7-4770HQ wins in Geekbench instead. Its multi-core score of 3407 outpaces the i7-3770K's 3027, an 11.2% margin, and its single-core score of 1013 beats 860, a 15.1% margin. These are the largest individual deltas in the entire comparison, meaning the i7-4770HQ's wins are more lopsided than the i7-3770K's Cinebench victories. This suggests that in Geekbench-style workloads, the i7-4770HQ's Haswell architecture and larger die size of 264 mm², which includes the Crystalwell codename features, deliver measurable benefits despite its lower clock speeds. The i7-3770K's smaller 160 mm² die and Ivy Bridge architecture do not translate to Geekbench superiority.

Users should choose the i7-3770K for Cinebench-heavy workloads, where it wins every recorded test. Users should choose the i7-4770HQ for Geekbench-heavy workloads, where it wins by double-digit margins. The i7-3770K also offers the overclocking headroom of an unlocked multiplier, which could widen its lead further in practice, though no overclocked benchmark data is recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors belong to different Intel generations and market segments. The i7-3770K uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process node, and targets the desktop segment with an Intel Socket 1155. The i7-4770HQ uses the Haswell architecture under the Crystalwell codename, also on a 22 nm process node, but targets the mobile segment with an Intel BGA 1364 socket. Both processors share the same transistor count of 1,400 million and the same foundry, Intel. However, the die sizes differ substantially: the i7-3770K measures 160 mm², while the i7-4770HQ measures 264 mm², a difference of 104 mm² that reflects the mobile part's integrated graphics and additional on-die components.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs: the i7-3770K has 8 MB shared, while the i7-4770HQ has 6 MB shared. This 2 MB difference favors the i7-3770K and likely contributes to its Cinebench dominance. The integrated graphics differ as well: the i7-3770K includes Intel HD 4000, while the i7-4770HQ includes Intel HD 5200, a more advanced integrated GPU that benefits from the larger die. Memory support is identical: both support DDR3 with a dual-channel bus and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, and neither supports ECC memory. Both provide PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Clock speeds favor the i7-3770K substantially. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz outpace the i7-4770HQ's 2.20 GHz and 3.40 GHz. The power envelope tells a different story: the i7-3770K has a TDP of 77 watts, while the i7-4770HQ draws only 47 watts, reflecting the mobile part's efficiency focus. The i7-3770K has an unlocked multiplier, the i7-4770HQ does not. The i7-3770K's part number is SR0PL, the i7-4770HQ's is SR1ZW. The i7-3770K released on 2012-04-28, while the i7-4770HQ released on 2014-06-30, a gap of over two years. Both are end-of-life in production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-3770K has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-4770HQ has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The i7-3770K scores 5542 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i7-4770HQ scores 5106, giving the i7-3770K an 8.5% lead.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench, and by how much?

A: The i7-4770HQ wins both Geekbench tests. It scores 1013 single-core versus 860 for the i7-3770K, a 15.1% margin, and 3407 multi-core versus 3027, an 11.2% margin.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The i7-3770K has a TDP of 77 watts, while the i7-4770HQ has a TDP of 47 watts, making the i7-4770HQ the more power-efficient part.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 8 threads, and both use a dual-channel DDR3 memory bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Is the i7-3770K overclockable?

A: Yes, the i7-3770K has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-4770HQ does not, so it cannot be overclocked in the same way.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern across Cinebench and a sharp reversal in Geekbench. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-3770K scores 558 against 514 for the i7-4770HQ, an 8.6% win. In R15 single-core, the i7-3770K scores 78 against 72, an 8.3% win. The R20 tests follow the same trend: multi-core 2327 versus 2144, an 8.5% win, and single-core 328 versus 302, an 8.6% win. The R23 tests repeat this: multi-core 5542 versus 5106, an 8.5% win, and single-core 782 versus 720, an 8.6% win. Every Cinebench result lands within a narrow band of 8.3% to 8.6%, indicating a stable performance differential that does not vary significantly with workload type or Cinebench version.

The Geekbench results invert the picture. In Geekbench single-core, the i7-4770HQ scores 1013, beating the i7-3770K's 860 by 15.1%, the largest margin in the entire comparison. In Geekbench multi-core, the i7-4770HQ scores 3407, beating 3027 by 11.2%. These wins are larger than any of the i7-3770K's victories, which means the i7-4770HQ's strengths are more pronounced in Geekbench than the i7-3770K's strengths in Cinebench. The overall win count favors the i7-3770K at 6 wins to 2, but the magnitude of the i7-4770HQ's wins means the average benchmark scores remain close: 1688 versus 1660. A user who values Geekbench performance above all else would see the i7-4770HQ as the better choice, while a user who values Cinebench would prefer the i7-3770K.

The i7-3770K's nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i7-5850HQ at an identical average score of 1688, the AMD Ryzen 7 3750H at 1690 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i7-980 at 1693 (0.3% lower), and the Intel Core i5-4690K at 1682 (0.3% higher). The i7-4770HQ's nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon E-2124 at 1658 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i5-7600T at 1664 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i5-4670K at 1656 (0.3% lower), and the Intel Core i7-6700TE at 1666 (0.4% higher). These rival comparisons place both processors in a similar competitive band, with no rival exceeding a 0.4% delta in either direction.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The socket types are different: the i7-3770K uses Intel Socket 1155 for desktop, while the i7-4770HQ uses Intel BGA 1364 for mobile. The architectures differ: Ivy Bridge versus Haswell, with the i7-4770HQ carrying the Crystalwell codename. The process node is identical at 22 nm, and the transistor count is identical at 1,400 million, but the die size differs: 160 mm² for the i7-3770K versus 264 mm² for the i7-4770HQ. The L3 cache differs: 8 MB shared for the i7-3770K versus 6 MB shared for the i7-4770HQ. The base clocks differ: 3.50 GHz versus 2.20 GHz. The boost clocks differ: 3.90 GHz versus 3.40 GHz. The TDP differs: 77 watts versus 47 watts. The integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 4000 versus Intel HD 5200. The market segments differ: Desktop versus Mobile. The multiplier lock status differs: unlocked for the i7-3770K, locked for the i7-4770HQ. The part numbers differ: SR0PL versus SR1ZW. The release dates differ: 2012-04-28 versus 2014-06-30. The launch MSRP is recorded only for the i7-3770K at $313, while the i7-4770HQ has no recorded launch MSRP.

The specifications that remain identical are the core count at 4, the thread count at 8, the L1 cache at 64 KB per core, the L2 cache at 256 KB per core, the memory support at DDR3, the memory bus at dual-channel, the memory bandwidth at 25.6 GB/s, the ECC memory support at false, the PCIe configuration at Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, the foundry at Intel, the production status at end-of-life, and the percentile ranking at 40. These shared traits explain why the two processors land in the same performance tier despite their architectural and market differences. The i7-3770K's higher clocks and larger L3 cache drive its Cinebench wins, while the i7-4770HQ's newer Haswell architecture and larger die drive its Geekbench wins.