Intel Core i7-4870HQ

The Intel Core i7-4870HQ is a mobile Haswell processor that benchmark results place in the middle of the database: it has an average benchmark score of 1768 and sits at the 43rd percentile of all CPUs. It pairs 4 cores with 8 threads, uses a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 3.70 GHz boost clock, and all four of its nearest rivals sit within 0.6% of its average score.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data shows a processor with a clear multi-thread bias. In Cinebench R23, the i7-4870HQ scores 5359 multi-core and 756 single-core. In Cinebench R20, it scores 2250 multi-core and 317 single-core. In Cinebench R15, it scores 540 multi-core and 76 single-core. Geekbench reports 3701 multi-core and 1143 single-core. The multi-core scores are consistently far above the single-core scores, which is the expected pattern for a 4-core, 8-thread chip that needs software to use its logical threads.

The aggregate position is defined by the nearest-rival table. The Intel Core i3-9300 has an average benchmark score of 1768, which is identical to the i7-4870HQ; the delta is 0%. The AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE averages 1766, meaning the i7-4870HQ sits 0.1% higher. The Intel Xeon E5-4610 v3 averages 1777, and the delta of -0.5% means the i7-4870HQ trails it by 0.5%. The Intel Xeon E3-1241 v3 averages 1758, so the i7-4870HQ leads that rival by 0.6%. These are extremely narrow aggregate margins; the data show the i7-4870HQ performing in the same band as a desktop Core i3, a desktop-class Ryzen APU, and two Xeon server processors.

The 43rd percentile placement reinforces that this is not a top-tier part in the full database. A majority of the CPUs in the benchmark set score higher in aggregate, but the i7-4870HQ is not far from its nearest listed rivals. The single-thread scores are the weaker component: 756 in Cinebench R23, 317 in Cinebench R20, 76 in Cinebench R15, and 1143 in Geekbench. Those numbers limit how well the chip will do in lightly threaded workloads. Meanwhile, the multi-thread scores show that the chip can be competitive when all 8 threads are active.

Platform and Compatibility

The platform is built around the Intel BGA 1364 package, and the market segment is Mobile. The architecture is Haswell, with the codename Crystalwell and the generation listed as Core i7 (Crystal Well). Intel is the foundry, and the process node is 22 nm. The die contains 1,400 million transistors on a 264 mm² die. 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.

Memory support is DDR3 only. The memory bus is dual-channel, and the rated memory bandwidth is 25.6 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported, which makes the platform more suited to consumer mobile use than to error-correcting workstation deployments. For expansion, the CPU provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. Integrated graphics is handled by the Intel HD 5200. The part number is SR1ZX, production status is end-of-life, and the release date is 2014-06-30.

The compatibility picture is clear: this is a mobile BGA processor with DDR3 memory support and no ECC. It is not a socketed desktop part, and the BGA package ties it to the original mobile platform. The PCIe Gen 3 16 lanes are available for a discrete GPU, while the Intel HD 5200 provides a built-in display and graphics solution. Because the production status is end-of-life, the platform is a mature, fixed design rather than an ongoing upgrade target.

Power and Thermals

The thermal envelope is a 47 W TDP. That is a mobile-class power level, and it means the cooling solution in the host laptop must be able to dissipate 47 W of heat under sustained load. The chip is a 4-core, 8-thread Haswell design with a 2.50 GHz base clock and a 3.70 GHz boost clock, and it also includes the Intel HD 5200 integrated GPU inside the same package envelope. A 47 W-class system cooling implementation has to handle both the CPU cores and the integrated graphics.

The multiplier is not unlocked; the multiplierUnlocked field is false. That removes any user-controlled overclocking path. The thermal design will therefore be judged on stock operation only. The multi-thread benchmark scores represent the more thermally demanding workloads, especially the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 5359 and the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 2250. The 47 W TDP places this part above the ultra-low-power mobile segment but still well within standard laptop-class cooling, not a desktop-class thermal solution.

Who Should Consider It

This processor is best suited to workloads that can use 4 cores and 8 threads. The multi-thread scores are the strongest part of the benchmark profile: 5359 in Cinebench R23, 2250 in Cinebench R20, 540 in Cinebench R15, and 3701 in Geekbench multi-core. Rendering and content-creation tasks that scale across threads will see the most benefit from this chip. The data show a multi-core capability that is meaningfully higher than the chip’s single-core results, so applications with thread-level parallelism are the right fit.

For office and productivity use, the 4-core, 8-thread layout is serviceable, and the single-thread scores are adequate for ordinary desktop responsiveness. However, users who need the highest possible single-thread performance will not find it here. For gaming, the important data points are the modest single-thread scores and the presence of the Intel HD 5200 integrated GPU. The PCIe Gen 3 16 lanes allow a discrete GPU to be attached, but the CPU’s single-thread performance will still be a limiting factor in lightly threaded game logic. The aggregate 43rd percentile position also suggests that this is not a processor for users chasing top performance in the broader benchmark database.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The split between single-thread and multi-thread performance is consistent across every benchmark generation. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 5359 against a single-core score of 756. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 2250 against 317. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 540 against 76. Geekbench follows the same pattern with 3701 multi-core and 1143 single-core.

This is the signature of a 4-core, 8-thread processor. The multi-thread scores reflect the extra logical threads, while the single-thread scores reflect the core microarchitecture and clock behavior. The 2.50 GHz base clock and 3.70 GHz boost clock are the two operating points listed in the data; single-thread performance will be tied to the boost state, while all-core loads will settle lower. The practical takeaway is that the i7-4870HQ is much better suited to multi-threaded rendering, encoding, and compute workloads than to single-thread-bound applications. Its single-thread numbers are not high enough to place the chip near the top of the database, and the 43rd percentile aggregate score is dragged down by that weaker single-thread side.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Core i7-4870HQ use?

A: It uses the Intel BGA 1364 package.

Q: What memory support does it have?

A: It supports DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does the Core i7-4870HQ have an unlocked multiplier?

A: No; the multiplierUnlocked field is false.

Q: What integrated graphics does it include?

A: It includes the Intel HD 5200.

Q: How does its average benchmark score compare with the Intel Core i3-9300?

A: Both have an average benchmark score of 1768, so the delta is 0%.

Q: What is the production status of this processor?

A: It is end-of-life; the release date is 2014-06-30 and the part number is SR1ZX.

How It Compares

Intel Core i3-9300: This is a perfect aggregate tie. The i7-4870HQ and the i3-9300 both have an average benchmark score of 1768, and the delta is 0%. The data show no measurable winner between the two in average benchmark performance.

AMD Ryzen 5 2400GE: The Ryzen 5 2400GE averages 1766, and the delta of 0.1% places the i7-4870HQ just ahead. This is a negligible margin; the two processors should be treated as effectively equivalent in aggregate performance.

Intel Xeon E5-4610 v3: The Xeon E5-4610 v3 averages 1777, the highest average score in the nearest-rival group. The delta of -0.5% means the i7-4870HQ trails it by 0.5%. The margin is small, but this rival has the edge in average performance.

Intel Xeon E3-1241 v3: The Xeon E3-1241 v3 averages 1758, and the delta of 0.6% gives the i7-4870HQ its largest lead within the nearest-rival set. The i7-4870HQ is 0.6% ahead of this rival, so it wins the aggregate comparison by a narrow but defined margin.