Intel Core i5-7440HQ

The Intel Core i5-7440HQ is a Kaby Lake-H mobile processor from Intel, released on 2017-01-02 with a launch MSRP of $250. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, a 2.80 base clock and a 3.80 boost clock, a 45 W TDP, and Intel HD Graphics 630 on the Intel BGA 1440 socket. The cache layout is 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Built on Intel's 14 nm process with a 126 mm² die, it supports DDR3 and DDR4 through a dual-channel memory bus and provides Gen 3 PCIe with 16 CPU-attached lanes. Its aggregate benchmark score is 1538, placing it at the 40th percentile of all CPUs.

Benchmark Performance

The data set includes eight raw benchmark results. In Cinebench R15, the chip scores 469 multi-core and 66 single-core. In Cinebench R20 it scores 1955 multi-core and 275 single-core. In Cinebench R23 the scores are 4656 multi-core and 657 single-core. Geekbench reports 3043 multi-core and 1184 single-core. The aggregate benchmark average is 1538, and the processor sits at the 40th percentile of all CPUs. That means it lands below the majority of the CPU field in overall standing, but close to a cluster of established rivals.

The nearest-rival data confirms how tight that cluster is. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 also averages 1538, for a deltaPct of 0. The Intel Xeon E5-1428L v2 averages 1537, 0.1% behind. The Intel Core i7-4710HQ averages 1534, 0.3% behind. The Intel Core i5-4670S averages 1528, 0.7% behind. None of these gaps is large enough to matter in real-world use; the i5-7440HQ is effectively in the same aggregate performance class as all four.

The Cinebench R15 result of 469 multi-core and 66 single-core is a particularly telling baseline because it appears at the low end of the modern benchmark scale. The R20 result of 1955 multi-core and 275 single-core, and the R23 result of 4656 multi-core and 657 single-core, both point to a processor built around four physical cores with no extra logical threads. The Geekbench scores, 3043 multi-core and 1184 single-core, follow the same pattern. Overall, the individual test scores are consistent: this is a mid-ranking mobile part with a narrow gap between itself and its nearest competitors.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

Four cores and four threads define the execution context. Because there are no extra threads beyond physical cores, multi-core scaling comes directly from the four cores. The single-core results are lower in absolute terms than the multi-core results, as expected, but they still show meaningful responsiveness: Cinebench R23 single-core 657, R20 single-core 275, R15 single-core 66, and Geekbench single-core 1184.

The clock behavior explains the split. The base clock is 2.80, and the boost clock is 3.80. Lightly threaded tasks can draw on the 3.80 boost ceiling, which helps everyday applications and games that do not scale across many cores. Fully loaded workloads spread across all four physical threads, so the multi-core scores are substantially higher than the single-core scores: Cinebench R23 4656 versus 657, and Geekbench 3043 versus 1184. That split indicates a processor that is more comfortable with moderately threaded work than with heavy all-core rendering.

The ratio between single-core and multi-core scores is not extreme, which is typical for a 4-core/4-thread design without simultaneous multithreading. In a real workload, the i5-7440HQ should feel snappy for single-threaded operations, but it will eventually run into the hard ceiling of four threads when the application can use more.

Power and Thermals

Power is defined by a 45 W TDP. This is a mobile-class thermal envelope, not an ultra-low-power design. The chip is built on Intel's 14 nm process and the die measures 126 mm², so the heat density is concentrated in a compact area. The socket is Intel BGA 1440, which points to an integrated mobile platform rather than a socketed desktop board.

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 sits on the same package, adding to the thermal load during GPU-heavy tasks. In practical terms, the cooling tier needed is a solid laptop cooling solution capable of keeping four loaded cores within limits. The 45 W TDP figure does not support a fanless or passively cooled chassis for sustained work; a machine with this processor needs real airflow and a heat pipe solution. The production status is end-of-life, so platform support is limited to existing laptops and replacement boards rather than new system designs.

How It Compares

AMD Ryzen 3 1200: The i5-7440HQ and the Ryzen 3 1200 both average 1538, with a deltaPct of 0. The aggregate benchmark score is identical. In the data, the two parts are performance twins, and any real-world difference would come from workload-specific behavior rather than overall throughput.

Intel Xeon E5-1428L v2: The i5-7440HQ averages 1538 against 1537 for the Xeon, a deltaPct of 0.1%. This is nearly immeasurable. The two processors sit in the same aggregate performance tier, with the i5-7440HQ holding only a rounding-level advantage.

Intel Core i7-4710HQ: The i5-7440HQ leads by 0.3%, with average scores of 1538 and 1534. Despite the i7 branding on the rival, the data shows no aggregate advantage for the Core i7-4710HQ. The i5-7440HQ is slightly ahead in the benchmark database.

Intel Core i5-4670S: The largest gap among the nearest rivals is 0.7%, with the i5-7440HQ ahead 1538 to 1528. It is still a narrow margin, but it is the cleanest win in this rival group. The two chips remain close enough that a specific application could easily flip the ordering.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core i5-7440HQ use?

A: It uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket.

Q: What integrated graphics does it include?

A: It includes Intel HD Graphics 630.

Q: What memory types does it support?

A: It supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory over a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory support is not included.

Q: Is the CPU multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplier is locked; the multiplierUnlocked field is false.

Q: What is its production status?

A: It is end-of-life.

Who Should Consider It

The i5-7440HQ is a 4-core/4-thread mobile processor with a 45 W TDP, so it fits laptops that need more sustained throughput than low-power parts. Its single-core scores, including Geekbench 1184 and Cinebench R23 657, are adequate for responsive everyday desktop work, and the 3.80 boost clock helps lightly threaded applications.

For gaming, the 40th-percentile overall ranking and the 4-thread ceiling mean CPU-bound games will see solid but not top-tier performance. The multi-core numbers, such as Cinebench R23 4656 and Geekbench 3043, show enough headroom for occasional content creation, but long all-core rendering jobs will push the 45 W thermal envelope. Office users and students running a typical productivity stack will find the single-thread performance and DDR3/DDR4 memory support sufficient.

Because the production status is end-of-life, this is not a component for brand-new system plans. It remains relevant as a benchmark reference point in the dense cluster of CPUs around the 1538 aggregate score. Anyone looking at a laptop with this processor should treat it as a balanced four-core workhorse: capable in everyday use, modest in heavy multi-threaded tasks, and essentially tied with its nearest rivals in overall performance.