Core i5-8260U vs Core i7-4950HQ
Core i5-8260U
Core i7-4950HQ
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 i5-8260U is positioned at rank 239 and the Core i7-4950HQ is on rank 236, so the Core i7-4950HQ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8260U
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4950HQ
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4950HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Crystalwell (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4950HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 i5-8260U and Core i7-4950HQ
Core i5-8260U
The Core i5-8260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,316 points. Launch price was $297.
Core i7-4950HQ
The Core i7-4950HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,405 points. Launch price was $657.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-8260U and Core i7-4950HQ share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i5-8260U versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4950HQ — a 8% clock advantage for the Core i5-8260U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-8260U uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-4950HQ uses Crystalwell (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8260U scores 7,316 against the Core i7-4950HQ's 7,405 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i7-4950HQ. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-8260U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4950HQ.
| Feature | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4950HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz+8% | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2.4 GHz+50% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 8 MB (total)+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) | Crystalwell (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 7,316 | 7,405+1% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 3,317 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 842 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 3,317 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-8260U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4950HQ uses BGA1364 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4950HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | BGA1364 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-8260U) / Yes (Core i7-4950HQ). The Core i7-4950HQ includes integrated graphics (Iris Pro Graphics 5200), while the Core i5-8260U requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i5-8260U | Core i7-4950HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Iris Pro Graphics 5200 |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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