Intel Core i7-5650U vs Intel Pentium G4560 Comparison

The Intel Pentium G4560 and Intel Core i7-5650U are both 2-core, 4-thread processors built on Intel's 14 nm node, but they serve very different market segments. The G4560 is an active desktop part with a 3.50 GHz base clock, while the i7-5650U is an end-of-life mobile chip with a 2.20 GHz base clock and a 3.20 GHz boost. Benchmark results show a consistent performance advantage for the desktop Pentium across every tested workload, though the i7-5650U counters with a larger L3 cache and a more advanced integrated graphics solution.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The G4560 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with margins ranging from 17.6% to 18.2%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Pentium scores 301 against the i7-5650U's 256, a 17.6% lead. The pattern holds in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the G4560 posts 1258 versus 1067, a 17.9% advantage. Single-core performance tells a similar story: in R20 single-core, the G4560's 177 beats the i7-5650U's 150 by 18%, and in R23 single-core, the gap widens slightly to 18.2% (423 vs 358).

The most decisive win comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the G4560 scores 2996 against 2542, a 17.9% margin. This translates to roughly 454 points of raw performance difference, which is substantial for two chips with identical core and thread counts. The consistency of the margins across all five tests suggests a clock-speed-driven advantage rather than an architecture-specific one, since the G4560's 3.50 GHz base clock significantly exceeds the i7-5650U's 2.20 GHz base and even its 3.20 GHz boost.

Notably, the i7-5650U does have additional Geekbench scores in its benchmark profile, but these are not part of the head-to-head comparison. The data available for direct comparison shows the G4560 ahead in every single test, with no exceptions. The i7-5650U's higher boost clock of 3.20 GHz cannot compensate for the G4560's higher sustained base clock, and the mobile chip's lower TDP of 15 W suggests performance is thermally constrained compared to the desktop part's 51 W envelope.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, both CPUs sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they are entry-level performers. The G4560's average benchmark score is 1031, while the i7-5650U's is 1027, a difference of only 0.4%. This near-identical average score means that outside the Cinebench suite, the two chips may be much closer in real-world tasks, especially those that favor the i7-5650U's larger cache or different memory support.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the Intel Pentium G4560 is the clear performance winner. It leads in every Cinebench test by roughly 18%, which is a decisive margin for two chips with the same core and thread configuration. The G4560 is an active, in-production desktop part, while the i7-5650U is end-of-life and mobile-only. If raw compute performance is the sole criterion, the G4560 wins without qualification.

However, the i7-5650U is not without merit. Its 15 W TDP is dramatically lower than the G4560's 51 W, making it suitable for fanless or ultra-portable designs where power draw and heat are primary concerns. It also has 4 MB of shared L3 cache versus the G4560's 3 MB, and its Intel HD 6000 graphics are a step up from the G4560's Intel HD 610. For a compact, low-power system that prioritizes efficiency over compute throughput, the i7-5650U could be the better fit despite its slower Cinebench results.

The i7-5650U also carries a launch MSRP of $426, though the G4560 has no listed launch MSRP in the data. The i7-5650U's higher price reflects its historical positioning as a premium ultrabook processor, but its end-of-life status means it is no longer in active production. The G4560, by contrast, remains active, suggesting ongoing availability for desktop builds. For most builders, the G4560's consistent 18% performance lead makes it the rational choice, provided the platform (Socket 1151, DDR4) is acceptable.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel microarchitectures. The Pentium G4560 is based on Kaby Lake, while the Core i7-5650U is based on Broadwell (specifically Broadwell-U). Both use a 14 nm process node from Intel's own foundry, so the manufacturing process is identical. The G4560 belongs to the Pentium (Kaby Lake) generation, while the i7-5650U is part of the Core i7 (Broadwell-U) family.

The cache hierarchy differs in a key way: both share 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the G4560 has 3 MB of shared L3 cache while the i7-5650U has 4 MB. This extra megabyte of L3 cache on the i7-5650U could help in workloads that thrash the cache, though the benchmark data suggests it does not overcome the G4560's clock speed advantage.

Memory support is another fundamental split. The G4560 uses DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7-5650U uses DDR3 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. The G4560's memory bandwidth is roughly 28% higher, which aligns with its faster compute performance. The G4560 also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, whereas the i7-5650U is limited to PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the G4560 ships with Intel HD 610, while the i7-5650U has Intel HD 6000. The i7-5650U's newer (within its generation) graphics tier suggests better media or display capabilities, though the data does not provide specific graphics benchmarks to quantify this.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Pentium G4560 wins every single-core Cinebench test. In R20 single-core, it scores 177 versus the i7-5650U's 150, an 18% lead. In R23 single-core, it scores 423 versus 358, an 18.2% lead.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 2 cores and 4 threads. Despite this, the G4560 outperforms the i7-5650U by roughly 18% in all Cinebench multi-core tests.

Q: Which CPU is more power-efficient?

A: The i7-5650U has a 15 W TDP, while the G4560 has a 51 W TDP. The i7-5650U draws significantly less power, making it better suited for thermally constrained environments.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The G4560 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i7-5650U supports DDR3 memory with a bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Is one CPU still in production?

A: The G4560 is listed as active in production, while the i7-5650U is end-of-life. The i7-5650U was released in February 2015, and the G4560 in January 2017.

Q: Which CPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The G4560 has an average benchmark score of 1031, and the i7-5650U has 1027. The difference is only 0.4%, putting them in the same performance class overall.

Where Each One Wins

The G4560 wins in all compute-heavy scenarios. Its 18% lead across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests makes it the clear choice for CPU-bound tasks like video encoding, 3D rendering, or batch photo processing. The single-core wins in R20 and R23 also give it an edge in everyday responsiveness and lightly threaded applications. Its DDR4 support and higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s further reinforce its suitability for modern desktop workloads. The G4560's active production status means it can be purchased new for current Socket 1151 motherboards.

The i7-5650U wins in power-sensitive and integrated-graphics scenarios. Its 15 W TDP is one-third of the G4560's 51 W, making it the only reasonable choice for fanless laptops, ultrabooks, or compact industrial PCs where heat dissipation is limited. The larger 4 MB L3 cache could provide a hidden benefit in cache-sensitive workloads, and the Intel HD 6000 graphics are a higher tier than the G4560's HD 610, potentially offering better video playback or light gaming performance. Its end-of-life status and mobile BGA 1168 socket limit it to pre-built or embedded systems, but for those platforms, its efficiency is unmatched in this comparison.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in almost every specification except for core count, thread count, L1/L2 cache sizes, ECC support, and multiplier unlock status (both are locked). The G4560 has a 3.50 GHz base clock with no boost clock, while the i7-5650U has a 2.20 GHz base clock and a 3.20 GHz boost clock. The G4560's TDP is 51 W, versus 15 W for the i7-5650U. The G4560 uses Socket 1151, while the i7-5650U uses BGA 1168. The G4560 is Kaby Lake, the i7-5650U is Broadwell. The i7-5650U has 4 MB of L3 cache, 1 MB more than the G4560's 3 MB. Memory support splits between DDR4 (G4560) and DDR3 (i7-5650U), with bandwidths of 38.4 GB/s and 29.9 GB/s, respectively. PCIe support differs: Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the G4560, Gen 2 with 12 lanes for the i7-5650U. Integrated graphics are HD 610 on the G4560 and HD 6000 on the i7-5650U. The i7-5650U has a listed launch MSRP of $426 and includes transistor count (1,900 million) and die size (133 mm²) details, while the G4560 has none of these. The G4560 is active and released in January 2017; the i7-5650U is end-of-life and released in February 2015.