IntelBX80623I72600
IntelBX80646I74790K
$348

4 Cores, 8 Threads @3.4GHz, Sandy Bridge.
Release date: Q1 2011.

 $348 

4 Cores, 8 Threads @4.0GHz, Haswell.
Release date: Q2 2014.

Real World Speed
Performance profile from 641,376 user samples
185,630 User Benchmarks
Best Bench: 74% Base clock 3.4 GHz, turbo 3.65 GHz (avg)
Worst Bench: 54% Base clock 3.4 GHz, turbo 3.45 GHz (avg)
Poor: 54% Great: 74%
SPEED RANK: 458th / 1442
Gaming
Gaming 67%
Battle cruiser
Desktop
Desktop 71%
Battleship
Workstation
Workstation 52%
Yacht
455,746 User Benchmarks
Best Bench: 87% Base clock 4 GHz, turbo 4.6 GHz (avg)
Worst Bench: 67% Base clock 4 GHz, turbo 0.7 GHz (avg)
Poor: 67% Great: 87%
SPEED RANK: 251st / 1442
Gaming
Gaming 79%
Battleship
Desktop
Desktop 83%
Aircraft carrier
Workstation
Workstation 65%
Destroyer
Effective Speed
Effective CPU Speed
67.1 % 78.9 % Faster effective speed.
+18%
Memory
Avg. Memory Latency
84.1 Pts 88.1 Pts +5%
1-Core
Avg. Single Core Speed
85.8 Pts 114 Pts Much faster single-core speed.
+33%
2-Core
Avg. Dual Core Speed
162 Pts 216 Pts Much faster dual-core speed.
+33%
4-Core
Avg. Quad Core Speed
274 Pts 378 Pts Much faster quad-core speed.
+38%
8-Core
Avg. Octa Core Speed
394 Pts 560 Pts Much faster octa-core speed.
+42%
Memory
OC Memory Latency
92.2 Pts 96.8 Pts +5%
1-Core
OC Single Core Speed
94.2 Pts 128 Pts Much faster OC single-core speed.
+36%
2-Core
OC Dual Core Speed
185 Pts 248 Pts Much faster OC dual-core speed.
+34%
4-Core
OC Quad Core Speed
328 Pts 433 Pts Much faster OC quad-core speed.
+32%
8-Core
OC Octa Core Speed
451 Pts 643 Pts Much faster OC octa-core speed.
+43%
Market Share
Based on 67,713,620 CPUs tested
Market Share
Market Share (trailing 30 days)
0.34 % 0.53 % Much higher market share.
+56%
Value
Value For Money
73.8 % 74.2 % +1%
User Rating
UBM User Rating
62 % 88 % Much more popular.
+42%
Price
Price (score)
$197 Much cheaper.
+43%
$348
Age
Newest
159 Months 118 Months More recent.
+26%
TDP
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
95 Watts 88 Watts Slightly more energy efficient.
+7%
Cores
CPU Processing Cores
4 cores 4 cores
Threads
CPU Processing Threads
8 threads 8 threads
Lithography
Manufacturing process
32 nm 22 nm Much newer manufacturing.
+31%
Base Clock
Base Clock Speed
3.4 GHz 4 GHz Faster base frequency.
+18%
Turbo Clock
Turbo Clock Speed
3.8 GHz 4.4 GHz Faster turbo frequency.
+16%
64-Core
OC Multi Core Speed
452 Pts 654 Pts Much faster OC 64-core speed.
+45%
64-Core
Avg. Multi Core Speed
403 Pts 573 Pts Much faster 64-core speed.
+42%
Series
CPU Architecture
Sandy Bridge Haswell
Socket
Motherboard Socket
LGA1155 FCLGA1150
Graphics
Integrated Graphics
HD 2000 HD 4600
Launch Date
Launch Date
Q1'11 Q2'14
Instruction Set Extensions
Instruction Set Extensions
SSE4.1/4.2, AVX SSE4.1/4.2, AVX 2.0
Embedded Options Available
Embedded Options Available
Yes No
Lithography
Lithography
32 nm 22 nm
Recommended Price
Recommended Customer Price
$273.00 $339.00 - $350.00
Max Turbo Frequency
Max Turbo Frequency
3.8 GHz 4.4 GHz
Bus Speed
Bus Speed
5 GT/s DMI 5 GT/s DMI2
Memory Types
Memory Types
DDR3 1066/1333 DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
Memory Bandwidth
Max Memory Bandwidth
21 GB/s 25.6 GB/s
Processor Graphics
Processor Graphics ‡
Intel® HD Graphics 2000 Intel® HD Graphics 4600
Graphics Base Frequency
Graphics Base Frequency
850 MHz 350 MHz
Wireless Display
Intel® Wireless Display
No Yes
# of Displays Supported
# of Displays Supported ‡
2 3
Graphics Max Dynamic Frequency
Graphics Max Dynamic Frequency
1.35 GHz 1.25 GHz
vPro Tech
Intel® vPro™ Technology ‡
Yes No
Trusted Execution Tech
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology ‡
Yes No
PCI Express Revision
PCI Express Revision
2.0 3.0

More specs » More specs »
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If there is any chance whatsoever that you may decide to overclock your CPU then it makes a lot more sense to go for the 2600K "K" version which, thanks to its unlocked clock multiplier, is a lot easier to overclock. For the few extra pounds it costs, I would recommend taking the K version just on the off chance because there are easily 10%+ performance gains to be had. Otherwise this is still a superb processor and still holds its own against the i7-4770 which is its two generations newer replacement. [Feb '12 CPUPro]

MORE DETAILS

The Intel Core i7-4790K, codenamed Devil's Canyon, is an upgraded 4770K, Intel's current flagship i7. The 4790K features an improved thermal interface which enables it to dissipate heat more efficiently than the 4770K. Comparing the 4770K and 4790K shows that stock performance has improved by 13% which is consistent with the base clock jump from 3.5 GHz to 4.0 GHz. OC performance remains unchanged. Comparing the 4790K and 4790 shows that at stock clocks the 4790K is around 16% faster which considering the small price difference makes the 4790K a far better choice. Previously Intel targeted the unlocked K versions at overclockers but with Devil's Canyon they have included VT-d on the K chip and this time it's squarely aimed at both power users and overclockers alike. Until the release of Broadwell in six months, the 4790K is the high end CPU of choice. [Jul '14 CPUPro]

MORE DETAILS

Processor Rankings (Price vs Performance) April 2024 CPU Rankings

We calculate effective speed which measures real world performance for typical users. Effective speed is adjusted by current prices to yield a value for money rating. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top CPUs. [CPUPro]

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Group Test Results

  • Best user rated - User sentiment trumps benchmarks for this comparison.
  • Best value for money - Value for money is based on real world performance.
  • Fastest real world speed - Real World Speed measures performance for typical consumers.
How Fast Is Your CPU? (Bench your build) Size up your PC in less than a minute

Welcome to our PC speed test tool. UserBenchmark will test your PC and compare the results to other users with the same components. You can quickly size up your PC, identify hardware problems and explore the best value for money upgrades.

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How it works

  • - Download and run UserBenchmark
  • - CPU tests include: integer, floating and string
  • - GPU tests include: six 3D game simulations
  • - Drive tests include: read, write, sustained write and mixed IO
  • - RAM tests include: single/multi core bandwidth and latency
  • - SkillBench (space shooter) tests user input accuracy
  • - Reports are generated and presented on userbenchmark.com
  • - Identify the strongest components in your PC
  • - See speed test results from other users
  • - Compare your components to the current market leaders
  • - Explore your best upgrade options with a virtual PC build
  • - Compare your in-game FPS to other users with your hardware

 Frequently Asked Questions

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