Core i5-3570S vs Core i5-4430

Both the Core i5-3570S and Core i5-4430 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-3570S versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-4430 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-3570S (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-3570S uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-4430 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3570S scores 4,686 against the Core i5-4430's 4,653 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-3570S. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 663 vs 1,015, a 42% lead for the Core i5-4430 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 6 MB (total) of L3 cache.

The Core i5-3570S uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-4430 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H61,B75,H77,Z75,Z77 (Core i5-3570S) and H81,B85,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i5-4430).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 2500 (Core i5-3570S) and HD Graphics 4600 (Core i5-4430) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3570S targets Legacy Desktop, Core i5-4430 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-3570S rivals A10-5800K; Core i5-4430 rivals FX-6300.

The Core i5-3570S launched at $213 MSRP, while the Core i5-4430 debuted at $182. At current prices ($59 vs $60), the Core i5-3570S is $1 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-3570S delivers 79.4 pts/$ vs 77.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-4430 — making the Core i5-3570S the 2.4% better value option.