Core i7-4790K vs i7-4770K Gaming-Performance
Category : 2014
Published by Hiwa Pouri on 12.08.14
Gamers are continuously asking which is the best CPU for their system, from a performance as well as a price perspective. In this series of articles, we're comparing the gaming performance of two CPU's in recent games and we will be showing you which CPU is most suitable for which budget. Other than that we will also let you know whether it would make sense to upgrade from one model to another or not. Last but not least you will get an overview which CPU is most suitable for the type of gaming PC you want to build.
[pagebreak]
Test Setup
Hardware
| Mainboard |
|
| CPUs |
- Intel Core i7-4790K @ Stock (Turbo On / HT On)
- Intel Core i7-4790K @ 4.5 GHz (Turbo Off / HT On)
- Intel Core i7-4770K @ Stock (Turbo On)
- Intel Core i7-4770K @ 4.5 GHz (Turbo Off)
|
| Memory |
- 2 x 8GB TridentX 2400C11 @ CL11-12-12-28-1T @2133MHz
|
| Graphic Cards (Driver) |
- NVIDIA GeFroce GTX 780 Ti @ Stock Clocks
|
| Drivers |
|
| Games and OS |
- Windows 7 x64 (Up to date on the 25/07/2013)
- All games were up to date on the 25/07/2013)
|
| HDD |
|
PSU
|
- Seasonic Platinum SS-1000XP / 1000 Watts
|
[pagebreak]
3DMark - Fire Strike Extreme
| Overall Score |
Points |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
5'360 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
5'480 |
102.24 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
5'335 |
99.53 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
5'431 |
101.32 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Unigine Heaven 4.0 Extreme Preset
| Extreme Preset |
Points |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
2'244 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
2'272 |
101.25 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
2'239 |
99.78 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
2'245 |
100.04 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
BattleField 4
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
81.65 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
90.11 |
110.36 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
77.28 |
94.65 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
88.32 |
108.17 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Tomb Raider
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
55.8 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
56.4 |
101.08 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
55.3 |
99.10 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
55.9 |
100.18 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Crysis 3
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
38.78 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
40.07 |
103.33 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
35.18 |
90.72 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
37.38 |
96.39 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Thief
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
81.1 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
82.3 |
101.48 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
80.4 |
99.14 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
81.3 |
100.25 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Watch Dogs
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
43.58 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
45.65 |
104.75 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
43.24 |
99.22 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
44.87 |
102.96 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Sleeping Dogs
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
83.6 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
82.9 |
99.16 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
83.1 |
99.40 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
82.6 |
98.80 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Grid Autosport
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
94.98 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
95.21 |
100.24 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
94.21 |
99.19 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
95.01 |
100.03 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Metro: Last Light
| 1920 x 1080, max
details, max AA, max AF |
fps |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
56.19 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
57.24 |
101.87 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
55.91 |
99.50 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
56.37 |
100.32 % |
| |
More is better |
[pagebreak]
Power Consumption
| Idle |
Watt |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
78 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
92 |
117.95 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
76 |
97.44 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
88 |
112.82 % |
| |
less is better |
| Load |
Watt |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
392 |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
424 |
108.16 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
388 |
98.98 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
420 |
107.14 % |
| |
less is
better |
[pagebreak]
Performance Index Games and Price
| High |
Index |
| Core i7-4790K Stock |
100.00 % |
| Core i7-4790K 4.5G |
102.78 % |
| Core i7-4770K Stock |
97.62 % |
| Core i7-4770K 4.5G |
100.89 % |
| |
More is better |
| CPU |
Geizhals |
Toppreise |
| Core i7-4790K |
 |
 |
| Core i7-4770K |
 |
 |
[pagebreak]
Conclusion
Let’s have a closer look at the results gathered, while testing these CPUs in games with FullHD resolution and maximum details. Overall our test system with Core i7-4790K performed 2.4 percent quicker, than the same system using the Core i7-4770K as a basis. Overclocking the Core i7-4790K from the stock 4.0 GHz to 4.5 GHz, or in other words by 12.5 percent, made the gaming performance go up by 2.8 percent. In the case of the Core i7-4770K increasing the clocks from the stock 3.9 GHz to 4.5 – 15 percent overclock – conjured on average 3.3 percent more FPS on our screen.
If we start looking for the most surprising results, it doesn’t take long until we find that Battlefield 4 appears to be the only game, which properly scales with CPU clock speeds. Overclocking the Core i7-4790K to 4.5 GHz makes the frame rates increase by 10.3 percent and in the case of the Core i7-4770K we’re even measuring a 14.3 percent fps bump.
Another point, which is always interesting to have a look at, is power consumption. Equipping our system with the Core i7-4790K and running it in idle, caused our system to burn away 78 Watt and under load the value went up to 392 Watt. Equipped with the Core i7-4770K we see 76 Watt idle power consumption and 388 Watt under full load. Comparing the two systems, the one equipped with Core i7-4790K burns 2.6 percent more power in idle and 1.0 percent more under load.
If you bought a Core i7-4770K a while back, then we can tell you without the
shadow of a doubt, that there is absolutely no need to get rid of it and replace
it with a Core i7-4790K. From a gaming performance perspective it really doesn't
matter which of the two CPU's you have in your system. Apart from this, we found
that in Switzerland there is almost no price difference between the i7-4770K and
the 4790K but when you compare prices of these to CPU's in Europe you see that
the Core i7-4770K goes for 27 Euro less. Should be planning to
upgrade your rig with a CPU that supports HT and eight virtual threads and
should you be situated in a country, where the 4770K goes for less than the
4790K, we recommend to go for the 4770K. On another note we have to mention that
the i7-4790K runs considerably cooler than the i7-4770K which makes it easier to
overclock the 4790K using aircooling.
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