Core i7-4500U vs Phenom II X4 N950
Core i7-4500U
Phenom II X4 N950
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 i7-4500U is positioned at rank 1183 and the Phenom II X4 N950 is on rank 180, so the Phenom II X4 N950 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4500U
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 N950
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-4500U | Phenom II X4 N950 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($398) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-ULT (2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-4500U | Phenom II X4 N950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($398) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 i7-4500U and Phenom II X4 N950
Core i7-4500U
The Core i7-4500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-ULT (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,490 points. Launch price was $69.
Phenom II X4 N950
The Phenom II X4 N950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,485 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i7-4500U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N950 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N950 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Core i7-4500U versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N950 — a 35.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-4500U. The Core i7-4500U uses the Haswell-ULT (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4500U scores 2,490 against the Phenom II X4 N950's 2,485 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-4500U.
| Feature | Core i7-4500U | Phenom II X4 N950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz+43% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.8 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell-ULT (2013) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,490 | 2,485 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-4500U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 N950 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-4500U | Phenom II X4 N950 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Core i7-4500U) / not specified (Phenom II X4 N950). The Core i7-4500U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Phenom II X4 N950 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-4500U targets Mobile.
| Feature | Core i7-4500U | Phenom II X4 N950 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4400 | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
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