Core i5-4430 vs Core i7-2600S

The Core i5-4430 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-2600S's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-4430 versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-2600S — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-2600S (base: 3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-4430 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-2600S uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4430 scores 4,653 against the Core i7-2600S's 4,637 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-4430. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,015 vs 630, a 46.8% lead for the Core i5-4430 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-4430 vs 8192 kB (total) on the Core i7-2600S.

The Core i5-4430 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-2600S uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — 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: H81,B85,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i5-4430) and H61,H67,Z68,B75 (Core i7-2600S).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4600 (Core i5-4430) and HD Graphics 2000 (Core i7-2600S) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4430 targets Desktop, Core i7-2600S targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-4430 rivals FX-6300; Core i7-2600S rivals Phenom II X4 910e.

The Core i5-4430 launched at $182 MSRP, while the Core i7-2600S debuted at $297. At current prices ($60 vs $99), the Core i5-4430 is $39 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4430 delivers 77.5 pts/$ vs 46.8 pts/$ for the Core i7-2600S — making the Core i5-4430 the 49.4% better value option.