Core i5-6440HQ
VS
Core i5-3570K

Core i5-6440HQ vs Core i5-3570K

Intel

Core i5-6440HQ

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2015
VS
Intel

Core i5-3570K

4 Cores4 Thrd77 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-6440HQ is positioned at rank 879 and the Core i5-3570K is on rank 749, so the Core i5-3570K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-6440HQ

#867
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1461%
#868
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1440%
#869
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1322%
#870
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1316%
#871
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1304%
#873
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1259%
#874
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1207%
#875
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1205%
#876
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1173%
#879
Core i5-6440HQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A
100%
#882
Celeron Dual-Core T1600
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
100%
#884
Athlon II N330
MSRP: $100|Avg: $50
100%
#889
Core i7-7820EQ
MSRP: $378|Avg: $378
98%
#890
Celeron 7305
MSRP: $128|Avg: $107
98%
#891
E-300
MSRP: $60|Avg: $20
98%
#892
Core i7-7820HK
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-3570K

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
14111%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
13334%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
9681%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
2917%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2310%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2021%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1158%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1142%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1040%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1040%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1028%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1001%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
987%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
983%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
974%
#749
Core i5-3570K
MSRP: $225|Avg: $35
100%
#750
Athlon II X3 455
MSRP: $88|Avg: $15
100%
#751
Core i5-3570S
MSRP: $213|Avg: $59
100%
#752
Core i7-3770
MSRP: $294|Avg: $60
99%
#753
Pentium G2120
MSRP: $86|Avg: $20
99%
#754
Core i5-3340S
MSRP: $182|Avg: $25
99%
#755
Celeron G1101
MSRP: $50|Avg: $20
98%
#756
FX-8150
MSRP: $245|Avg: $50
98%
#757
Pentium G3240
MSRP: $89|Avg: $126
98%
#758
Core i5-3550S
MSRP: $205|Avg: $100
98%
#759
FX-8140
MSRP: $225|Avg: $120
98%
#760
Athlon X2 450
MSRP: $60|Avg: $15
98%
#761
Athlon II X3 450
MSRP: $87|Avg: $15
97%
#762
Core i7-4790
MSRP: $339|Avg: $60
97%
#763
Pentium G640
MSRP: $64|Avg: $5
97%
#764
Pentium G840
MSRP: $64|Avg: $15
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-3570K leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-6440HQ is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($250)
More affordable ($35)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i5-3570K stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 86% cheaper ($35 vs $250) while identifying as the stronger performer.
InsightCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+607%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($250)
More affordable ($35)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-6440HQ and Core i5-3570K

Intel

Core i5-6440HQ

The Core i5-6440HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,021 points. Launch price was $250.

Intel

Core i5-3570K

The Core i5-3570K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 77 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,971 points. Launch price was $235.

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-6440HQ and Core i5-3570K share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-6440HQ versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-3570K — a 8.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-3570K (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-6440HQ uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-3570K uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-6440HQ scores 5,021 against the Core i5-3570K's 4,971 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-6440HQ. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-6440HQ vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-3570K.

FeatureCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
3.5 GHz
3.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.6 GHz
3.4 GHz+31%
L3 Cache
6 MB
6 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB+300%
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm-36%
22 nm
Architecture
Skylake (2015−2016)
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark
5,021+1%
4,971
Geekbench 6 Single
1,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-6440HQ uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-3570K uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-6440HQ versus DDR3-1600 on the Core i5-3570K — the Core i5-6440HQ supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-6440HQ 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.

FeatureCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
Socket
BGA1440
LGA1155
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2133+33%
DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB+100%
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-3570K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-6440HQ) vs VT-x, EPT (Core i5-3570K). Both include integrated graphics HD Graphics 530 (Core i5-6440HQ) and HD Graphics 4000 (Core i5-3570K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6440HQ targets Mobile, Core i5-3570K targets Legacy Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-3570K rivals FX-8350.

FeatureCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 530
HD Graphics 4000
Unlocked
No
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, EPT
Target Use
Mobile
Legacy Gaming Desktop
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-6440HQ launched at $250 MSRP, while the Core i5-3570K debuted at $225.

FeatureCore i5-6440HQCore i5-3570K
MSRP
$250
$225-10%
Avg Price (30d)
$35
Release Date
2015
2012