Intel Core i7-3770 vs Intel Core i5-4690

The Intel Core i7-3770 (Ivy Bridge S architecture, 22 nm) was introduced in the second quarter of 2012 and offered 4 cores with 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, as well as 8 MB of Level 3 cache.

It featured the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics unit and a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 77 Watts. The Intel Core i5-4690 (Haswell S architecture, 22 nm), released in the second quarter of 2014, offered 4 cores and 4 threads (without Hyper-Threading), 6 MB of Level 3 cache, and the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4600 with a TDP of 84 Watts.

Both processors utilize PCIe 3.0 and offer a maximum memory bandwidth of 26 GB/s. In terms of performance, the Intel Core i5-4690 offers significantly superior single-core performance, making it the better choice for gaming and applications that benefit from strong per-core performance.

For multi-core performance, the picture is mixed: The Intel Core i7-3770 achieves good performance in certain highly parallelized applications thanks to its eight threads, while the Intel Core i5-4690 also delivers high performance in other multi-core tests due to its more efficient Haswell architecture.

The Intel Core i7-3770 has a lower TDP (77W vs. 84W), which suggests potentially lower power consumption. In the used market, prices vary widely. For gaming and general PC use, the Intel Core i5-4690 is often the better option due to its stronger single-core performance and newer architecture.

The Intel Core i7-3770 remains a solid choice for productive multi-threaded applications if the price advantage justifies it.