Core i5-4570R vs Core i7-2600S

The Core i5-4570R packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-2600S's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-4570R versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-2600S — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-2600S (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-4570R uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-2600S uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4570R scores 4,578 against the Core i7-2600S's 4,637 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i7-2600S. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 955 vs 630, a 41% lead for the Core i5-4570R that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-4570R vs 8192 kB (total) on the Core i7-2600S.

The Core i5-4570R uses the BGA1364 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: B85,Q87,H87,Z87,H97,Z97 (Core i5-4570R) and H61,H67,Z68,B75 (Core i7-2600S).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — Iris Pro Graphics 5200 (Core i5-4570R) and HD Graphics 2000 (Core i7-2600S) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4570R targets Small Form Factor Desktop, Core i7-2600S targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-4570R rivals A10-7850K; Core i7-2600S rivals Phenom II X4 910e.

The Core i5-4570R launched at $250 MSRP, while the Core i7-2600S debuted at $297. At current prices ($20 vs $99), the Core i5-4570R is $79 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-4570R delivers 228.9 pts/$ vs 46.8 pts/$ for the Core i7-2600S — making the Core i5-4570R the 132.1% better value option.