Intel Core i7-5700HQ vs Intel Core i7-970 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-5700HQ and Intel Core i7-970 are two desktop processors from different generations, with the i7-5700HQ built on a 14nm Broadwell design and the i7-970 on a 32nm Westmere design. In the six Cinebench tests shared by both chips, the i7-970 wins every single one, posting a consistent lead of roughly 7.6% across both single-core and multi-core workloads. However, the i7-5700HQ counters with a dramatically lower TDP, integrated graphics, and a more modern feature set. The recorded data shows a clear performance gap, but the two chips serve different priorities.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-970 outperforms the Intel Core i7-5700HQ in every Cinebench test recorded in the database. The margin is nearly uniform, hovering around 7.6% in most cases, which suggests a consistent architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-970 scores 562 against the i7-5700HQ's 519, a 7.7% difference. The single-core test shows a similar gap: 79 versus 73, a 7.6% lead for the i7-970. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i7-970 again takes the multi-core test with 2342 points versus 2164, a 7.6% margin, and the single-core test with 330 versus 305, also 7.6%. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23: the i7-970 scores 5577 in multi-core against 5154, and 787 in single-core against 727, both representing a 7.6% advantage.

These numbers indicate that the i7-970 is not just faster in one specific benchmark; it is consistently ahead across the entire Cinebench suite. The multi-core advantage is expected given that the i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i7-5700HQ has 4 cores and 8 threads. The single-core lead is more notable, as the i7-5700HQ has a higher boost clock (3.50 GHz versus 3.47 GHz) but still trails by the same percentage. This points to a per-core efficiency difference that favors the older Westmere architecture in these tests.

It is importantly the i7-5700HQ has Geekbench scores in the database (3129 multi-core, 1085 single-core), but the i7-970 does not have corresponding Geekbench results, so those are not part of the head-to-head comparison. The average benchmark score for the i7-5700HQ is 1645, while the i7-970 sits at 1613, but that average includes different test sets, so it is not a direct apples-to-apples comparison. The percentile rankings are nearly identical: the i7-5700HQ sits at the 40th percentile of all CPUs, the i7-970 at the 39th.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-970 scores 5577, while the Intel Core i7-5700HQ scores 5154. That is a 7.6% advantage for the i7-970.

Q: Does the i7-5700HQ have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Intel HD 5600. The i7-970 has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i7-5700HQ has a TDP of 47W, while the i7-970 is rated at 130W. That is a substantial difference in power draw.

Q: Which processor supports more memory channels?

A: The i7-970 supports triple-channel DDR3, while the i7-5700HQ supports dual-channel DDR3. The i7-5700HQ has a listed memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s; the i7-970 does not have a bandwidth figure in the database.

Q: What are the process nodes?

A: The i7-5700HQ is built on a 14nm process, while the i7-970 uses a 32nm process. The i7-5700HQ also has a smaller die size at 182 mm² versus 239 mm² for the i7-970.

Q: Which has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-5700HQ boosts to 3.50 GHz, while the i7-970 boosts to 3.47 GHz. The i7-5700HQ is slightly higher, but the i7-970 still wins in single-core benchmarks.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance winner: the Intel Core i7-970 is faster in every shared benchmark, with a consistent 7.6% lead across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. For users who prioritize raw compute throughput in Cinebench-style workloads, the i7-970 is the obvious choice. Its 6-core, 12-thread configuration and higher scores make it the stronger processor for multi-threaded tasks, and its single-core advantage shows it is not merely a core-count win.

However, the i7-5700HQ brings significant countervailing advantages. Its TDP of 47W is less than half of the i7-970's 130W, making it far more power-efficient. It also includes integrated graphics, which the i7-970 lacks entirely, and it uses a newer 14nm process with a smaller die. The i7-5700HQ also has a higher boost clock, though that does not translate into a performance win in the recorded tests.

The percentile rankings are nearly identical (40th for the i7-5700HQ, 39th for the i7-970), and the average benchmark scores are close (1645 versus 1613), but those averages are not directly comparable because the i7-5700HQ includes Geekbench results that the i7-970 does not. In the end, the choice depends on the use case: the i7-970 for maximum performance in the measured workloads, the i7-5700HQ for efficiency, integrated graphics, and a more modern platform.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification. The i7-5700HQ has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i7-970 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 2.70 GHz for the i7-5700HQ and 3.20 GHz for the i7-970; boost clocks are 3.50 GHz and 3.47 GHz, respectively. TDP is 47W versus 130W. The i7-5700HQ uses an Intel BGA 1364 socket, while the i7-970 uses Intel Socket 1366. The i7-5700HQ is built on Broadwell (14nm), the i7-970 on Westmere (32nm). The i7-970 has 1,170 million transistors; the i7-5700HQ does not have a transistor count listed. Die size is 182 mm² for the i7-5700HQ and 239 mm² for the i7-970. L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i7-5700HQ versus 12 MB shared on the i7-970. Memory bus is dual-channel for the i7-5700HQ and triple-channel for the i7-970. The i7-5700HQ has a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s; the i7-970 has no listed bandwidth. PCIe support is Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only) for the i7-5700HQ, while the i7-970 uses Gen 2. The i7-5700HQ includes Intel HD 5600 integrated graphics; the i7-970 has none. Release dates are 2015-06-01 for the i7-5700HQ and 2010-07-18 for the i7-970. The i7-5700HQ has a launch MSRP of $378; the i7-970 has no launch MSRP listed. Part numbers are SR2BP for the i7-5700HQ and SLBVF for the i7-970.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is substantial. The i7-5700HQ is a Broadwell-H part, built on Intel's 14nm process, while the i7-970 is a Gulftown part on the 32nm Westmere architecture. The process node difference is a full generation apart, which explains the i7-5700HQ's much lower TDP (47W versus 130W) and smaller die size (182 mm² versus 239 mm²). The i7-970 does have a transistor count of 1,170 million, while the i7-5700HQ does not list one, but the smaller process allows the i7-5700HQ to pack a quad-core design into a more power-efficient package.

Cache hierarchy also differs. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the i7-5700HQ has 6 MB of shared L3, while the i7-970 has 12 MB. That doubling of L3 cache likely contributes to the i7-970's performance advantage in the Cinebench tests, as does its higher core count. The i7-970's triple-channel memory controller provides more memory bandwidth potential than the i7-5700HQ's dual-channel setup, though the i7-5700HQ has a listed bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s and the i7-970 does not have a comparable figure.

PCIe support is another differentiator: the i7-5700HQ offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-970 is limited to Gen 2. The i7-5700HQ also integrates Intel HD 5600 graphics, a feature entirely absent from the i7-970. These architectural differences explain the performance and efficiency trade-offs: the i7-970 leverages more cores, more cache, and a wider memory bus to win benchmarks, while the i7-5700HQ uses a modern process and integrated graphics to deliver a lower-power, more feature-rich package.