CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-4570 vs Intel Core i5-4590
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-4570 is a launch-day Haswell quad-core desktop processor offering 3.2 GHz base and 3.6 GHz turbo clocks with HD 4600 integrated graphics, positioned as the mainstream workhorse of the 4th generation lineup.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Handles basic office and web tasks well, but compilation times and heavy multitasking expose its limits.
Adequate for basic office tasks. The 3.7 GHz turbo helps with bursty single-threaded workloads like application launches.
Gaming
Competent with older titles and eSports games, but modern AAA titles expose the four-thread limitation severely.
The 3.7 GHz turbo helps in older and eSports titles, but four threads remain a hard ceiling for modern gaming workloads.
Virtualization
VT-x and VT-d are present but four threads severely constrain any practical virtualization workload.
Four threads are insufficient for practical virtualization despite VT-x and VT-d support.
Efficiency
84W TDP for this performance level is unremarkable; modern processors deliver 2-3x the performance at similar power.
84W for this performance is unimpressive by modern standards. Competing architectures now deliver 3x the performance per watt.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- AVX2 available but insufficient for meaningful inference
- DDR3 bandwidth too low for AI workloads
- Not suitable for any local AI tasks
- No AI acceleration hardware
- AVX2 available but insufficient for practical inference
- DDR3 bandwidth severely constrains any AI workload
- Not recommended for any local AI tasks
Content Creation
Gaming
- Capable with eSports titles like CS:GO and Dota 2
- Bottlenecks mid-range and above modern GPUs
- DDR3 memory limits performance in open-world games
- No Hyper-Threading reduces 1% low frame rates
- Best paired with GTX 1060 or slower for balanced performance
- Best gaming CPU in the standard Haswell i5 lineup at launch
- 3.7 GHz turbo provides solid single-threaded performance for the era
- Still capable with eSports titles like CS:GO and Valorant at 1080p
- Bottlenecks anything above a GTX 1060 or RX 580 in modern titles
- DDR3 memory bandwidth limits minimum frame rates in open-world games
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Was excellent value at launch for mainstream users
- TSX and TXT support uncommon in this price segment
- Good turbo boost delta of 400 MHz
- Wide compatibility with H81 through Z97 chipsets
- Low used-market pricing makes it viable for repairs
Cons
- Only 4 threads without Hyper-Threading
- Locked multiplier eliminates overclocking
- 84W TDP is inefficient by modern standards
- DDR3 memory platform is obsolete
- No longer receives security microcode updates
- TSX was disabled on most systems due to errata
- Significantly outperformed by modern i3 processors
Pros
- Highest clocks among standard Haswell i5 SKUs at launch
- 500 MHz turbo delta provides good burst performance
- Mature 22nm silicon for improved reliability
- Same TDP as slower SKUs despite higher clocks
- Affordable on the used market for system repairs
Cons
- Only 4 threads without Hyper-Threading
- Locked multiplier prevents any meaningful overclocking
- 84W TDP is inefficient for its performance level
- DDR3 platform is obsolete
- No modern security feature support
- Quickly superseded by Devils Canyon i5-4690
- Outperformed by modern i3 processors at lower power
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-4570
- AMD FX-6300Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD FX-8350Rival
Budget Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-3570Rival
Mid-Range Desktop
- AMD A10-6800KRival
APU Desktop
- Intel Core i3-4340Rival
Budget Desktop
Slightly higher clocks at similar pricing, providing a small but free performance uplift.
Compare head-to-headHigher base and turbo clocks for users needing maximum performance on LGA 1150.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 2600Alt
Six cores and twelve threads on a modern DDR4 platform at similar used-market pricing.
Modern budget CPU that significantly outperforms the i5-4570 in single-threaded tasks.
Compare head-to-headDevils Canyon refresh with improved thermal interface and slightly higher clocks.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i5-4590
- AMD FX-8320Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD FX-6300Rival
Budget Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-4570Rival
Mid-Range Desktop
- Intel Core i3-4360Rival
Budget Desktop
- AMD A10-7850KRival
APU Desktop
Devils Canyon refresh with improved thermal interface and slightly higher clocks on the same socket.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 1600Alt
Six cores and twelve threads on a modern AM4 platform with DDR4 support.
Modern budget quad-core with vastly superior single-threaded performance and DDR4/DDR5 support.
Compare head-to-headSkylake successor with DDR4 memory, better efficiency, and a newer platform.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5600Alt
Modern six-core with excellent gaming and productivity performance at reasonable pricing.
Our Verdict on Each
A solid mid-range performer that was the go-to recommendation for mainstream PC builders in 2013-2014, but its four-thread limitation and DDR3 platform make it impractical for modern workloads.
Best for: Replacing a failed CPU in an existing LGA 1150 system where motherboard reuse is necessary
Read the full reviewThe i5-4590 was arguably the best value in the Haswell i5 lineup, offering the highest clock speeds among non-K SKUs at launch. It remains functional for basic computing but is thoroughly outclassed by modern budget processors.
Best for: Dropping into an existing LGA 1150 system as a replacement or upgrade from a Pentium or i3
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-4570 or Intel Core i5-4590?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-4590 comes out ahead with a score of 7.3/10. 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 i5-4570 or Intel Core i5-4590?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-4590 leads with a gaming performance score of 50/100 among Intel Core i5-4570 and Intel Core i5-4590.
Do Intel Core i5-4570 and Intel Core i5-4590 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 i5-4590 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-4570 (4,310), Intel Core i5-4590 (4,520). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.