CPU Comparison
Intel Core i7-4500U vs Core i7-5500U
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i7-4500U is an ultra-low power mobile processor launched in June 2013 as part of the 4th Generation Haswell-ULT family. Designed for thin-and-light laptops, it features 2 cores and 4 threads, a downgrade from the quad-core designs of previous mobile i7s, but optimized for a 15-watt TDP. Built on the 22nm process, it operates at a base clock of 1.8 GHz and can boost up to 3.0 GHz. The processor includes 4MB of L3 cache and integrates Intel HD Graphics 4400. The 'U' suffix denotes its ultra-low power nature, prioritizing battery life over raw performance. While its dual-core design limits multi-threaded performance, its aggressive turbo boost ensures snappy responsiveness for everyday productivity. The i7-4500U became a popular choice for ultrabooks of its era, bringing good single-core performance to the portable form factor.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Slow for modern office tasks and multitasking.
Handles basic office tasks but struggles with heavy multitasking.
Gaming
Cannot run modern games; struggles with basic 3D.
Only capable of running very old or lightweight 2D games.
Virtualization
Not recommended due to 2 cores.
Not recommended for VMs due to dual-core limitation.
Efficiency
15W TDP was efficient in 2013, but outdated now.
Good efficiency for 2015, but poor compared to modern chips.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI hardware
- No AI hardware
- Dual-core limits any CPU-based AI inference
Content Creation
Gaming
- HD 4400 is too weak
- Only suitable for 2D games
- Integrated HD 5500 is very weak
- Only suitable for 2D or old indie games
- No dedicated video memory
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Was efficient in 2013
- Good single-core burst performance
- 15W TDP
- Enabled thin-and-light designs
Cons
- Only 2 cores
- Very slow for modern tasks
- No Windows 11 support
- 22nm process is outdated
Pros
- Excellent battery life for its era
- Low 15W TDP
- Good for basic office tasks
- Enabled thin-and-light designs
Cons
- Only 2 cores
- DDR3 memory only
- Weak integrated graphics
- Soldered to motherboard
- Struggles with modern web multitasking
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i7-4500U
- AMD A4-5000Rival
Mobile
- AMD A6-5200Rival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4200URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-3537URival
Mobile
- AMD A8-5545MRival
Mobile
Modern budget CPU with vastly superior performance.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 3 5300UAlt
Modern budget alternative with 4 cores.
Excellent modern ultrabook chip.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
Unmatched efficiency for basic use.
Compare head-to-head - AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Great budget performance.
Core i7-5500U
- AMD A8-7100Rival
Mobile APU
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-5200URival
Mobile Thin & Light
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i7-4500URival
Mobile Thin & Light
- Intel Core i7-6500UAlt
Skylake successor with DDR4 support.
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200UAlt
Newer dual-core with better graphics and modern platform.
Modern 10nm alternative with vastly superior performance.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
Incredible leap in efficiency and speed over Broadwell-U.
Compare head-to-head - Intel Core i5-8250UAlt
8th gen quad-core alternative that outperforms it heavily.
Our Verdict on Each
A highly efficient dual-core CPU for its time, but severely lacking in performance for modern tasks.
Best for: If you are considering a laptop with the Intel Core i7-4500U today, it should only be purchased in the used market at an extremely low price. It remains capable of very basic web browsing and document editing, but its 2-core design is a major bottleneck for modern multitasking. Avoid purchasing a laptop with this CPU if you need to do any modern productivity work, video editing, or gaming. It is best suited for budget-conscious buyers who need a cheap, secondary machine for light web browsing. For any primary computing needs, investing in a newer platform is strongly recommended.
Read the full reviewA highly efficient dual-core processor for 2015 ultrabooks that provided excellent battery life, though it struggles significantly with modern multitasking.
Best for: Buying a very cheap used laptop for basic web browsing or typing.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i7-4500U or Core i7-5500U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Core i7-5500U comes out ahead with a score of 6/10. 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 i7-4500U or Core i7-5500U?
For gaming, the Core i7-5500U leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i7-4500U and Core i7-5500U.
Do Intel Core i7-4500U and Core i7-5500U use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel BGA 1168 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.