Intel Core i5-4440

The Intel Core i5-4440 is a desktop processor from the Haswell architecture, built for Intel Socket 1150. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, a 3.10 GHz base clock, a 3.30 GHz boost clock, and an 84 W TDP. Its average benchmark score is 1176, with a 33rd percentile placement among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals are tightly clustered around that average, which makes the i5-4440 a low-positioned chip rather than an outlier in either direction.

Who Should Consider It

The benchmark results show a CPU with equal core and thread counts. That means each core handles one thread; there is no multi-threading headroom to hide stalls. In multi-threaded Cinebench tests, the i5-4440 scores 409 in Cinebench R15, 1708 in Cinebench R20, and 4067 in Cinebench R23. These are not high enough to make heavy all-core rendering a strength. Users whose applications scale across many threads will hit a clear 4-thread ceiling.

Single-thread performance is modest as well. The Cinebench R15 single-core score is 57, the R20 score is 241, and the R23 score is 574. For office-style tasks, those scores can still translate to responsive day-to-day operation, especially because the chip includes Intel HD 4600 graphics. A basic desktop can run without a discrete GPU. The dual-channel DDR3 memory support is a standard configuration for that class of desktop platform, and it avoids the cost and complexity of high-bandwidth multi-channel memory setups.

For gaming, the single-thread scores are the most relevant CPU metric. The 3.30 GHz boost clock is the highest operating point, and the single-core Cinebench results indicate that this processor will not stand out in lightly threaded workloads. The integrated HD 4600 is the only graphics solution onboard, so a separate GPU is needed for more demanding gaming. The 4-core, 4-thread design will also limit very heavily threaded game scenarios.

For content creation, the multi-core Cinebench scores place the chip in a low-to-mid throughput range. A 4-core, 4-thread Haswell processor with a 33rd percentile overall placement will complete renders and exports, but slowly relative to higher-ranked CPUs. The 6 MB shared L3 cache and 256 KB L2 cache per core are modest by later standards, and the processor has no ECC memory support. The i5-4440 is therefore best suited to users who already have an Intel Socket 1150 platform and need a working desktop CPU for general-purpose tasks, light productivity, or older workloads that do not demand many cores.

Platform and Compatibility

Intel Socket 1150 is the mounting interface. The CPU is based on the Haswell architecture, fabricated on Intel’s 22 nm process. The die contains 1,400 million transistors and measures 177 mm². These physical parameters make it a mid-generation 22 nm desktop part with a 4-core block.

Memory support is DDR3, running through a dual-channel bus. ECC memory is not supported, which makes the chip unsuitable for setups that require error-correcting memory. The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. That shared L3 pool is the largest single cache block on the chip.

PCIe support is Gen 3, giving the platform a standard expansion bus for graphics cards and other add-in devices. The integrated graphics is Intel HD 4600. The CPU does not have an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking through the standard multiplier path is not possible; users must rely on the 3.10 GHz base clock and 3.30 GHz boost clock. The part number is SR14F, and the market segment is Desktop.

The release date is 2013-08-31, which makes this a legacy platform in the database. Because the socket is Intel Socket 1150, any processor replacement must also fit that socket. The memory support being dual-channel DDR3 limits the memory upgrade path to that standard. The lack of ECC support further narrows the compatibility to mainstream desktop memory rather than error-corrected server-style DIMMs.

How It Compares

Across the full benchmark suite, the Core i5-4440 records an average score of 1176. This places it at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, a low placement. Its nearest rivals are all within a very small range of that score, so the aggregate performance picture is one of near-ties rather than clear wins.

The Intel Celeron N5105 averages 1174, and the i5-4440 is 0.1% ahead. In aggregate, the two are effectively tied. Despite the core count and architecture differences implied by the product names, the benchmark data shows no meaningful separation between them.

The Intel Core i5-3550 averages 1173, with the i5-4440 leading by 0.2%. That is a razor-thin margin. The data does not distinguish the two processors in any practical way based on average benchmark score.

The AMD Athlon Gold 3150U averages 1181. The i5-4440 trails that chip by 0.4%. This is the only nearest rival on the list with a higher average score, and the gap is still very small.

The Intel Core i7-2960XM averages 1170, and the i5-4440 is 0.5% ahead. The i7-2960XM is the lowest-scoring entry in the nearest rival group, while the Athlon Gold 3150U is the highest. The total spread among all four nearest rivals is small, and the i5-4440 sits in the middle of that cluster.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core i5-4440 use?

A: Intel Socket 1150.

Q: What type of memory does it support?

A: It supports DDR3 memory, running through a dual-channel bus. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does the processor include integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 4600.

Q: Is the CPU multiplier unlocked?

A: No. The multiplier is not unlocked, so overclocking by changing the multiplier is not supported.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i5-4440 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the processor’s TDP?

A: The TDP is 84 W.

Power and Thermals

The Intel Core i5-4440 has a TDP of 84 W, which is the design power target for the processor. This TDP is moderate, reflecting the 22 nm Haswell process and the 4-core, 4-thread configuration. The die size is 177 mm², and the transistor count is 1,400 million. Those physical figures form the basis of the 84 W thermal envelope.

The 84 W rating implies that a capable air cooler is enough for the stock operating points of 3.10 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost. The multiplier is locked, so there is no easy path to push clocks higher through multiplier adjustment. Cooling needs are therefore centered on the default clocks rather than extreme overclocking headroom.

The integrated Intel HD 4600 GPU is part of the same package, and the 84 W TDP is the overall envelope for the processor. The 22 nm process node keeps the die relatively dense, with 1,400 million transistors in 177 mm². That density, combined with a 4-core design and no unlocked multiplier, points to a straightforward cooling solution rather than a high-end thermal requirement.

The absence of an unlocked multiplier also means the thermal solution does not need to account for user-adjusted voltage or clock increases. The chip will run at its listed base and boost frequencies, and the 84 W TDP is the number that a cooling solution should be designed around. This makes the i5-4440 a straightforward fit for a broad range of desktop air coolers.