CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-3470T vs Intel Core i5-3475S
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-3470T is a low-power dual-core desktop processor from the Ivy Bridge family, featuring Hyper-Threading and a 35W TDP designed for compact and thermally constrained desktop systems.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Handles basic office applications and web browsing but struggles with heavy multitasking or large datasets.
Same CPU performance as the i5-3470S — adequate for basic office work but limited by today's standards.
Gaming
The HD 2500 integrated graphics and dual-core design make it completely unsuitable for modern gaming.
HD 4000 provides noticeably better gaming capability than HD 2500 but is still insufficient for modern titles.
Virtualization
Dual-core with limited cache severely restricts virtualization capabilities.
Four cores without Hyper-Threading provide basic virtualization capability.
Efficiency
The 35W TDP was impressive for 2012, though modern low-power chips deliver far more performance per watt.
The 65W TDP balances power efficiency with the additional GPU capability, reasonable for 2012.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Dual-core design insufficient for AI inference
- Not applicable for this era of processor
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Not applicable for this processor generation
- Insufficient compute for AI workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- HD 2500 graphics with only 6 Execution Units
- No capability for modern titles even at 720p low
- Dual-core bottleneck limits even paired discrete GPUs
- Outdated video decoding for modern codecs
- HD 4000 with 16 EUs is the best integrated GPU in the Ivy Bridge i5 desktop lineup
- Can handle older games like Minecraft and Team Fortress 2 at low settings
- GPU shares system memory bandwidth, limiting performance
- Modern gaming still requires a discrete GPU
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Very low 35W TDP for quiet or compact desktop builds
- Hyper-Threading provides 4 threads from 2 cores
- 3.6 GHz turbo boost offers good single-thread burst performance
- PCIe 3.0 support for full-bandwidth GPU connectivity
- LGA 1155 platform offers wide compatibility with budget motherboards
Cons
- Only 2 physical cores severely limit multi-threaded performance
- HD 2500 integrated graphics are very weak
- 3MB L3 cache is half of standard quad-core i5 models
- No Windows 11 support
- End-of-life platform with no upgrade path beyond Ivy Bridge
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Pros
- HD 4000 graphics — best IGP in the Ivy Bridge i5 desktop lineup
- 65W TDP for power-efficient operation
- 16 Execution Units provide double the GPU compute of HD 2500
- Same 3.6 GHz turbo boost as other i5-3470 variants
- Full 6MB L3 cache
Cons
- HD 4000 still weak by modern standards
- No Hyper-Threading limits CPU multi-threading
- End-of-life LGA 1155 platform
- No Windows 11 support
- Rare and hard to find on the used market
- DDR3 memory is obsolete
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-3470T
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Intel Core i3-3220Rival
Desktop Mainstream
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3470SRival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A6-5400KRival
Desktop Budget
Haswell successor with slightly better performance and improved integrated graphics.
Compare head-to-headModern 4-thread processor with dramatically better single-thread performance and platform features.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 3200GEAlt
Low-power quad-core with Vega graphics for modern compact builds.
6-core low-power Coffee Lake processor for modern SFF desktops.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GEAlt
Efficient 6-core processor with strong integrated graphics for small form factor builds.
Intel Core i5-3475S
- AMD A10-5700Rival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A10-5800KRival
Desktop Mainstream
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3470SRival
Desktop Low Power
- Intel Core i7-3770SRival
Desktop Low Power
- AMD A8-5500Rival
Desktop Budget
Haswell successor with Iris Pro 5200 graphics in a 65W BGA package.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GAlt
Modern 6-core APU with Vega 7 graphics for systems without discrete GPUs.
Modern processor with UHD 770 graphics and dramatically better CPU performance.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 4300GEAlt
Low-power quad-core with modern Vega integrated graphics.
Modern budget processor with UHD 730 graphics and much better IPC.
Compare head-to-head
Our Verdict on Each
The i5-3470T was an efficient choice for compact desktops in 2012, but its dual-core design and outdated platform make it unsuitable for modern workloads.
Best for: Maintaining an existing legacy system for basic tasks
Read the full reviewThe i5-3475S stands out as the only 65W quad-core Ivy Bridge i5 with HD 4000 graphics, but its outdated platform still makes it unsuitable for modern builds.
Best for: Maintaining an existing system that relies on integrated graphics without a discrete GPU
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-3470T or Intel Core i5-3475S?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-3475S comes out ahead with a score of 5.2/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-3470T or Intel Core i5-3475S?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-3475S leads with a gaming performance score of 19/100 among Intel Core i5-3470T and Intel Core i5-3475S.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-3470T has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-3470T (35 W), Intel Core i5-3475S (65 W).
Do Intel Core i5-3470T and Intel Core i5-3475S use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1155 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-3475S has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-3470T (2 cores), Intel Core i5-3475S (4 cores).
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-3475S posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-3470T (3,500), Intel Core i5-3475S (6,800). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.