Core i5-4430S vs Core i5-4440S

Both the Core i5-4430S and Core i5-4440S share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-4430S versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4440S — a 3.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-4440S (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). Both are built on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture using a 22 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-4430S scores 4,376 against the Core i5-4440S's 4,370 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-4430S. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 877 vs 808, a 8.2% lead for the Core i5-4430S that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-4430S vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-4440S.

Both processors use the LGA1150 socket with PCIe 3.0. 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 i5-4430S) and H81,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i5-4440S).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4600 (Core i5-4430S) and HD Graphics 4600 (Core i5-4440S) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4430S targets Budget, Core i5-4440S targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-4430S rivals Ryzen 3 1200; Core i5-4440S rivals A10-6800K.

The Core i5-4430S launched at $182 MSRP, while the Core i5-4440S debuted at $182. At current prices ($90 vs $30), the Core i5-4440S is $60 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4430S delivers 48.6 pts/$ vs 145.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-4440S — making the Core i5-4440S the 99.9% better value option.