Quick Verdict
The fastest locked Haswell i5 at launch with unique vPro and TXT enterprise features. A strong performer in its day, but quickly superseded by Devils Canyon and rendered obsolete by modern budget CPUs.
Overview
Launch
2013
Status
DiscontinuedGeneration
4th Gen (Haswell)
Market
Desktop
The Intel Core i5-4670 is a launch-day Haswell quad-core desktop processor with 3.4 GHz base and 3.8 GHz turbo clocks, positioned as the premium locked i5 in the initial lineup with enterprise-class security features including vPro, TXT, and TSX support.
The Intel Core i5-4670 launched on June 2, 2013 as the flagship locked i5 in the inaugural Haswell desktop lineup. With a 3.4 GHz base clock and 3.
8 GHz turbo, it offered the highest clocks available in a non-K Haswell i5 at launch. What set it apart from lower i5 SKUs was the inclusion of vPro technology, Intel's comprehensive business management and security platform, along with TXT (Trusted Execution Technology) and TSX (Transactional Synchronization Extensions). These features made it the preferred choice for business desktops where remote management and security were priorities.
The 84W TDP, 6 MB L3 cache, dual-channel DDR3-1600 support, and HD 4600 integrated graphics are shared with other Haswell i5 parts. The processor's premium positioning was reflected in its price, and it was commonly found in Dell OptiPlex, HP ProDesk, and Lenovo ThinkCentre business systems. For home users, the similarly-clocked but cheaper i5-4570 offered nearly identical gaming performance, making the i5-4670 primarily a business-oriented SKU.
Specifications
Performance
The fastest locked Haswell i5 at launch, with 3.8 GHz turbo benefiting bursty office and development workloads.
vPro and VT-d features are excellent for IT management, but four threads limit practical virtualization workloads.
The 3.8 GHz turbo provides the best single-threaded performance among launch Haswell i5s, helping in older games, but four threads remain a hard limit for modern titles.
84W TDP is the standard for the Haswell i5 lineup; the higher clocks do not come with a power penalty thanks to good binning.
- •3.8 GHz turbo is the fastest among launch locked Haswell i5s
- •Good for eSports and older AAA titles with a dedicated GPU
- •Bottlenecks modern mid-range GPUs in CPU-intensive titles
- •No Hyper-Threading limits 1% low frame rates
- •Best paired with GTX 1060 or RX 580 class GPUs
- •No dedicated AI acceleration hardware
- •AVX2 and FMA3 available for basic vector operations
- •DDR3 bandwidth constrains any AI inference workload
- •Not suitable for local AI applications
Architecture
22nm
Process Node
Haswell
Codename
4C / 4T
Core Config
6 MB
L3 Cache
84 W
TDP
Architecture Overview
The i5-4670 represents the top bin of the locked Haswell i5 silicon, operating at 3.4 GHz base and 3.8 GHz turbo within the same 84W TDP as lower-clocked SKUs. This is achieved through superior silicon binning where chips capable of maintaining stability at higher frequencies and voltages are designated for premium SKUs. The Haswell microarchitecture features four out-of-order execution cores, each with a 14-stage pipeline, three integer ALUs, two address generation units, and a wide floating-point unit supporting AVX2 and FMA3 instructions. The ring bus interconnect provides low-latency communication between cores and the shared 6 MB L3 cache. What distinguishes the i5-4670 from other Haswell i5 SKUs is its inclusion of vPro technology, which requires specific silicon features including Intel Active Management Technology (AMT), Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT), and VT-d for directed I/O virtualization. These features are physically present on all Haswell dies but are fused off on non-vPro SKUs. The i5-4670 also includes the full set of Haswell instruction extensions including TSX (Transactional Synchronization Extensions), BMI1/BMI2 (Bit Manipulation Instructions), and F16C (Half-Precision Floating-Point Conversion), making it the most feature-complete locked Haswell i5. The FIVR provides precise voltage control, and the improved C-states offer better idle power management than Ivy Bridge.
CPU Design
Four out-of-order cores at 3.4 GHz base / 3.8 GHz turbo, 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, 6 MB shared L3 via ring bus. vPro-enabled die with fused-on management features.
Memory Subsystem
Dual-channel DDR3-1600 controller with 25.6 GB/s peak bandwidth. Supports standard DDR3 at 1.5V and low-voltage DDR3L at 1.35V.
PCIe & I/O
16 PCIe 3.0 lanes from the CPU for direct GPU connection. Additional I/O lanes provided by the Platform Controller Hub.
Overclocking
Locked multiplier at 34x. Only BCLK adjustment is possible, limited to approximately 100-105 MHz on most motherboards.
- AVX2 and FMA3 instruction support
- vPro technology inclusion
- HD 4600 integrated graphics replacing HD 4000
- FIVR for improved voltage regulation
- TSX and BMI instruction extensions
Key Highlights
- Fastest locked Haswell i5 at launch with 3.8 GHz turbo
- vPro technology for enterprise IT management
- TXT and TSX for security and transactional memory
- Full instruction set including BMI1/BMI2 and F16C
- Strong single-threaded performance for its era
- vPro features unnecessary for most home users
- More expensive than i5-4570 with negligible gaming performance difference
- Locked multiplier prevents overclocking
- 84W TDP is inefficient by modern standards
- DDR3 memory platform is obsolete
- Quickly superseded by Devils Canyon i5-4690
- TSX disabled on C0 stepping via microcode errata
History
Improvements over Previous Generation
- AVX2 and FMA3 instruction support
- vPro technology inclusion
- HD 4600 integrated graphics replacing HD 4000
- FIVR for improved voltage regulation
- TSX and BMI instruction extensions
Alternatives & Competitors
Should You Buy It?
Not Recommended for the right buyer
Repairing an enterprise desktop system that requires vPro features on LGA 1150
Avoid if…
- Building any new system from scratch
- You do not specifically need vPro features
- Gaming is a primary use case
- Wanting modern efficiency or DDR4/DDR5 support
- A standard i5-4570 or i5-4590 is available at lower cost
Use Cases
Interesting Facts
The i5-4670 was the only locked Haswell i5 to include vPro technology, making it the de facto choice for enterprise desktop deployments in 2013-2014.
Despite being the fastest locked Haswell i5 at launch, the i5-4670 was rarely recommended in DIY build guides because the i5-4570 offered 95% of the performance at a lower price.
Intel's vPro platform on the i5-4670 enabled features like Intel Active Management Technology (AMT), which allowed IT administrators to remotely manage, update, and repair systems even when powered off.
The i5-4670's part number SR14D was among the first production Haswell dies, manufactured at Intel's Fab D1D in Oregon during the ramp-up phase in Q1 2013.
Business desktop manufacturers like Dell and HP paid a premium for the i5-4670 specifically because of vPro, which was a key selling point for enterprise customers with large PC fleets.
The BMI1 and BMI2 instructions on the i5-4670 enabled more efficient bit manipulation operations, benefiting compiler code generation and cryptographic algorithms.
Unlike the i5-4670K which had its heatspreader removed by enthusiasts to replace the thermal interface material, the locked i5-4670 was rarely delidded since overclocking was not possible.
The processor was featured in numerous IT certification exams as the reference vPro-capable Haswell desktop CPU during 2013-2016.
Gaming benchmarks consistently showed the i5-4670 within 2-3% of the i5-4670K at stock settings, making it a poor value for home users who paid extra for the K-series primarily for its stock speed rather than overclocking potential.
The i5-4670's TSX support was technically present but was effectively disabled on most systems due to the HSD136 errata, which could cause unpredictable behavior in certain transactional memory operations.
People Also Ask
What is the difference between i5-4670 and i5-4670K?
The i5-4670K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while the i5-4670 is locked. The i5-4670 includes vPro technology; the K-series does not.
Is the i5-4670 good for gaming in 2026?
Only for very old or lightweight games. The 3.8 GHz turbo helps with single-threaded performance, but four threads are insufficient for modern AAA titles.
What does vPro do on the i5-4670?
vPro enables Intel Active Management Technology for remote IT management, hardware-based security features, and out-of-band management capabilities for enterprise environments.
Can the i5-4670 be overclocked?
No. The multiplier is locked at 34x. Only very limited BCLK adjustment (100-105 MHz) is possible, yielding negligible performance gains.
What GPU should I pair with i5-4670?
A GTX 1060, RX 580, or GTX 1650 represents the practical maximum before CPU bottlenecks become severe in modern titles.
Does the i5-4670 support Windows 11?
No. Windows 11 requires an 8th Gen Intel processor or later. The i5-4670 is not officially supported.
Is i5-4670 better than i5-4570?
Yes, the i5-4670 has 200 MHz higher base clock and 200 MHz higher turbo, plus vPro, TXT, and additional instruction extensions. However, the performance difference in gaming is typically only 3-5%.
What is the TDP of the i5-4670?
84 watts, the same as other standard Haswell i5 desktop processors.
Does the i5-4670 have Hyper-Threading?
No. It has 4 cores and 4 threads only. Hyper-Threading was reserved for Core i7 models in the Haswell generation.
What chipsets support the i5-4670?
All LGA 1150 chipsets: H81, B85, H87, Z87, H97, and Z97. For vPro features, Q87 and Q97 chipsets are recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the part number for i5-4670?
SR14D is the commonly listed part number.
Does the i5-4670 include a cooler?
Yes, the retail package included Intel's standard aluminum heatsink and fan cooler.
What is the maximum temperature for i5-4670?
The maximum Tcase is rated at 72°C.
Does the i5-4670 support ECC memory?
No. ECC support in the Haswell generation was limited to Xeon E3 processors.
Can the i5-4670 run DDR4 memory?
No, it only supports DDR3 memory at speeds up to DDR3-1600.
What is the turbo boost behavior of the i5-4670?
It boosts to 3.8 GHz on single-core loads, 3.7 GHz on dual-core, and 3.6 GHz on all four cores.
Is the i5-4670 good for streaming?
No. Four threads are insufficient for simultaneous gaming and encoding. A GPU with NVENC is required for streaming on this system.
Does the i5-4670 support Intel Optane?
No. Optane requires 7th Gen Intel or newer processors.
What is the difference between i5-4670 and i5-4690?
The i5-4690 is a Devils Canyon refresh with improved thermal interface material, 100 MHz higher base clock (3.5 vs 3.4 GHz), and better sustained performance under load.
Does the i5-4670 support Thunderbolt?
Not natively from the CPU. Some Z87/Z97 motherboards included Thunderbolt add-in card support through the chipset's PCIe lanes.