CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-4460 vs Intel Core i5-4590S
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-4460 is a 4-core, 4-thread desktop processor from the Haswell generation, offering solid mainstream performance with integrated HD 4600 graphics at an accessible price point.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Adequate for basic office tasks and web browsing but struggles with heavy multitasking or large spreadsheet calculations.
Solid for everyday office apps and web browsing.
Gaming
Can handle older or eSports titles at 1080p with a dedicated GPU, but bottlenecks modern AAA games significantly.
Handles older games fine but bottlenecks modern mid-range GPUs.
Virtualization
Limited by four threads and no Hyper-Threading; running multiple VMs is impractical.
Limited to light VM usage.
Efficiency
The 22nm Haswell node was efficient for its time, but 84W TDP for this performance level is high by modern standards.
Excellent power-to-performance ratio for its era.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated AI acceleration hardware
- AVX2 provides minimal benefit for inference workloads
- DDR3 bandwidth is a severe bottleneck for AI tasks
- Not viable for any meaningful local AI inference
- No AI acceleration
- Unsuitable for modern AI tasks
Content Creation
Gaming
- Bottlenecks modern GPUs in CPU-intensive titles
- Suitable for eSports games like CS:GO and League of Legends
- Lacks AVX2-heavy game optimizations in newer titles
- DDR3 memory bandwidth limits frame pacing in open-world games
- No Hyper-Threading reduces minimum frame rates in threaded engines
- Requires a dedicated GPU
- Pairs well with GTX 1050 Ti or RX 570
- Will struggle with modern CPU-bound titles
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Affordable on the used market
- Four real cores without SMT scheduling quirks
- Integrated HD 4600 for basic display needs
- Wide availability of used LGA 1150 motherboards
- Low enough power for basic cooling solutions
Cons
- Only 4 threads with no Hyper-Threading
- Locked multiplier prevents overclocking
- DDR3 memory is obsolete and slower
- 84W TDP is inefficient for the performance delivered
- No longer receives microcode updates for new security mitigations
- Minimal turbo boost of only 200 MHz
- Outpaced by modern budget CPUs like the i3-12100
Pros
- Low 65W TDP
- Decent single-core performance for legacy apps
- Affordable used drop-in upgrade
- Intel HD 4600 graphics included
- Good for basic office and HTPC use
Cons
- Obsolete DDR3 platform
- Locked multiplier
- No official Windows 11 support
- Bottlenecks modern GPUs
- Limited to 4 threads
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-4460
- AMD FX-6300Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD FX-8320Rival
Budget Desktop
- Intel Core i3-4360Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD A10-7850KRival
APU Desktop
- Intel Core i5-4440Rival
Mid-Range Desktop
Same platform with higher clocks and turbo boost for slightly more money.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 1600Alt
Modern 6-core/12-thread CPU with DDR4 support at similar used pricing.
Modern budget CPU that vastly outperforms the i5-4460 in single-threaded tasks.
Compare head-to-headSkylake successor with DDR4 support and better efficiency on the same class of motherboard pricing.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600GAlt
Modern APU with vastly superior integrated graphics and six cores.
Intel Core i5-4590S
- AMD FX-8350Rival
High-End Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4570SRival
Low Power Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4590Rival
Standard Desktop
- AMD FX-8320ERival
Low Power Desktop
- Intel Core i3-4370Rival
Budget Desktop
Newer Haswell Refresh with slightly higher clocks.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i7-4790SAlt
Hyper-threaded efficient alternative.
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200GAlt
Modern budget APU alternative.
Modern budget hexa-core alternative.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 2600Alt
Modern budget hexa-core alternative.
Our Verdict on Each
A dependable mid-range Haswell processor that delivered excellent value during its prime, but struggles to meet modern workload demands due to its locked multiplier and aging DDR3 platform.
Best for: Used spare part for repairing an existing LGA 1150 system
Read the full reviewA solid Haswell Refresh chip that slightly improves clocks over the 4570S while maintaining 65W efficiency.
Best for: Drop-in upgrade for an older LGA 1150 motherboard.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-4460 or Intel Core i5-4590S?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-4590S leads with a gaming performance score of 48/100 among Intel Core i5-4460 and Intel Core i5-4590S.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-4590S has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-4460 (84 W), Intel Core i5-4590S (65 W).
Do Intel Core i5-4460 and Intel Core i5-4590S use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the LGA 1150 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-4460 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-4460 (4,210), Intel Core i5-4590S (3,700). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.