Intel Core i7-4770HQ vs Intel Core i7-970 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i7-970 across every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. The i7-970 wins all six Cinebench tests, with the i7-4770HQ trailing by margins between 8.4% and 8.9%. The most consistent gap is in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the i7-970 scores 5577 against the i7-4770HQ's 5106, a difference of 8.4%. The single-core R23 result follows the same pattern: 787 for the i7-970 versus 720 for the i7-4770HQ, a gap of 8.5%.

The Cinebench R15 multi-core run shows the i7-970 at 562 points, while the i7-4770HQ manages 514, a deficit of 8.5%. Single-core in R15 is nearly identical in relative terms: the i7-970 posts 79, the i7-4770HQ posts 72, and the delta is 8.9%, the largest margin in any test. Cinebench R20 repeats the multi-core story with 2342 for the i7-970 and 2144 for the i7-4770HQ, again 8.5% apart. The R20 single-core result is 330 versus 302, another 8.5% gap.

What stands out is the uniformity of the margins. Across six benchmarks, the smallest delta is 8.4% and the largest is 8.9%, meaning the performance relationship between these two processors is remarkably stable regardless of workload type. The i7-970's advantage does not shrink in multi-threaded tests, which is notable because the i7-4770HQ's architecture is newer by several years. The database's average benchmark score places the i7-4770HQ at 1660, slightly ahead of the i7-970's 1613, yet the direct head-to-head measurements consistently favor the older chip. This discrepancy highlights the importance of test-specific results over aggregate scores.

The i7-4770HQ does hold one edge in the broader database: its Geekbench results are recorded at 3407 multi-core and 1013 single-core, while the i7-970 has no Geekbench entries in the pack. However, in the six Cinebench comparisons that both processors share, the i7-970 is the winner every time. The percentile rankings are close, with the i7-4770HQ at the 40th percentile of all CPUs and the i7-970 at the 39th, but the head-to-head data leaves little room for interpretation.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-970 wins the entire shared benchmark suite. The six Cinebench tests cover both single-core and multi-core workloads, and the i7-970's advantage is consistent. For users prioritizing raw rendering throughput or CPU-bound calculations, the i7-970 is the stronger choice based on these measurements. Its multi-core R23 score of 5577 is 8.4% higher than the i7-4770HQ's 5106, and the R20 multi-core result (2342 versus 2144) reinforces the same conclusion.

The i7-4770HQ does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head set, but the database does show it has strengths outside that comparison. Its Geekbench scores, 3407 multi-core and 1013 single-core, are the only recorded results for that test family in the pack, so there is no direct rival data to compare against. The i7-4770HQ's average benchmark score of 1660 also exceeds the i7-970's 1613, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-4670K, sits just 0.3% behind at 1656. This suggests the i7-4770HQ holds its own against a broader field, even if it loses the direct matchup.

The i7-970's nearest rivals tell a similar story from the opposite direction. The Intel Core i7-10610U is just 0.2% behind at 1611, and the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v5 trails by 0.3% at 1609. The i7-970's 39th percentile ranking places it in the same performance tier as the i7-4770HQ, but the head-to-head results are unambiguous: for every Cinebench workload measured, the i7-970 delivers more performance. The i7-4770HQ's case rests on its Geekbench scores and its slightly higher average, but those do not offset the six direct losses.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-970 scores 5577, while the Intel Core i7-4770HQ scores 5106. The i7-970 leads by 8.4%.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two in any benchmark?

A: The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i7-970 scores 79 and the i7-4770HQ scores 72, a difference of 8.9%.

Q: Does the i7-4770HQ win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. The i7-970 wins all six shared Cinebench tests, with the i7-4770HQ trailing by 8.4% to 8.9% in every case.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-4770HQ has an average benchmark score of 1660, while the i7-970 has an average of 1613. The i7-4770HQ is ahead by roughly 2.9%.

Q: What are their percentile rankings among all CPUs?

A: The i7-4770HQ is at the 40th percentile, and the i7-970 is at the 39th percentile.

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core Cinebench R20 score?

A: The i7-970 scores 330, and the i7-4770HQ scores 302, giving the i7-970 an 8.5% advantage.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i7-4770HQ has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 2.20 GHz for the i7-4770HQ and 3.20 GHz for the i7-970, with boost clocks of 3.40 GHz and 3.47 GHz respectively. Thermal design power differs substantially: the i7-4770HQ is rated at 47 watts, the i7-970 at 130 watts. The i7-4770HQ uses the Intel BGA 1364 socket, while the i7-970 uses Intel Socket 1366.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both share 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i7-4770HQ versus 12 MB shared on the i7-970. Memory support is DDR3 for both, but the i7-4770HQ runs dual-channel with a measured bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the i7-970 runs triple-channel with no recorded bandwidth figure. PCIe support differs as well: the i7-4770HQ offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, whereas the i7-970 offers Gen 2 without a lane count in the database. The i7-4770HQ includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 5200), while the i7-970 has no integrated graphics listed.

Market segments separate the two clearly. The i7-4770HQ is a mobile part, and the i7-970 is a desktop part. Both are end-of-life products, and neither has a launch MSRP recorded. The i7-4770HQ shipped with part number SR1ZW, and the i7-970 with SLBVF. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The i7-4770HQ is built on Intel's Haswell architecture with the Crystalwell codename, fabricated on a 22 nm process node. The i7-970 uses the older Westmere architecture with the Gulftown codename, on a 32 nm process. Transistor counts reflect the process gap: the i7-4770HQ packs 1,400 million transistors on a 264 mm² die, while the i7-970 contains 1,170 million transistors on a 239 mm² die. The newer 22 nm process allows the i7-4770HQ to fit more transistors into a slightly larger die area, though the i7-970 still manages more physical cores.

The core count difference is the most significant architectural divergence. The i7-970's six cores and 12 threads give it a structural advantage in multi-threaded workloads, which the benchmark data confirms. The i7-4770HQ's four cores and 8 threads rely on the newer Haswell microarchitecture and a higher transistor density to close the gap, but the measurements show it cannot fully overcome the core deficit. The i7-970's larger 12 MB L3 cache doubles the i7-4770HQ's 6 MB, providing another advantage in data-heavy tasks.

The i7-4770HQ includes the Intel HD 5200 integrated GPU, making it a self-contained mobile solution, while the i7-970 requires a discrete graphics card. The i7-4770HQ's PCIe Gen 3 support with 16 lanes is a generation ahead of the i7-970's PCIe Gen 2. The i7-4770HQ's memory bandwidth is recorded at 25.6 GB/s over a dual-channel bus, while the i7-970's triple-channel configuration has no bandwidth figure in the database. The release dates reflect the architectural gap: the i7-4770HQ launched in mid-2014, the i7-970 in mid-2010. Despite the four-year gap in release timing, the i7-970's extra cores and higher clock speeds prove decisive in the recorded benchmarks.