Core i3-7350K vs Core i5-4460

The Core i3-7350K packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4460 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-4460 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-7350K versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-4460 — a 21.1% clock advantage for the Core i3-7350K (base: 4.2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i3-7350K uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-4460 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7350K scores 4,886 against the Core i5-4460's 4,915 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i5-4460. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 3,100 vs 512 (143.3% advantage for the Core i3-7350K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,298 vs 1,104, a 16.2% lead for the Core i3-7350K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 2,740 vs 2,901 (5.7% advantage for the Core i5-4460). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-7350K vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-4460.

The Core i3-7350K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-4460 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-7350K versus DDR3-1600 on the Core i5-4460 — the Core i3-7350K supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-7350K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel Z270,Intel Z170,Intel H270,Intel B250,Intel Q270,Intel Q250 (Core i3-7350K) and H81,B85,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i5-4460).

Virtualization support: true (Core i3-7350K) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4460). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7350K) and HD 4600 (Core i5-4460) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4460 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4460 rivals Core i5-4440.

The Core i3-7350K launched at $179 MSRP, while the Core i5-4460 debuted at $182. At current prices ($45 vs $40), the Core i5-4460 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-7350K delivers 108.6 pts/$ vs 122.9 pts/$ for the Core i5-4460 — making the Core i5-4460 the 12.4% better value option.